ABOUT ME

Hi, I'm James Dean, Lead Systems Engineer Centene Corporation., Passionate about bridging the gap between development and operations, I am a dedicated DevOps engineer with a deep-rooted fascination for creating streamlined, efficient, and collaborative software delivery pipelines. My journey in the world of technology has been fueled by a relentless drive to harness the power of automation for enhancing efficiency and reliability.

At the core of my skill set lies my expertise in the Ansible Automation Platform. I have honed my proficiency in designing, implementing, and optimizing automation strategies using Ansible, empowering the organization to achieve unprecedented levels of scalability and consistency in their operations. My ability to seamlessly orchestrate complex tasks through Ansible plays has been pivotal in accelerating deployment cycles and minimizing human error.

With a keen eye for detail and a knack for problem-solving, I excel in crafting meticulous automation plays that encapsulate best practices and industry standards. I thrive on the challenge of dissecting intricate processes into modular, reusable automation components, ensuring seamless execution and maintaining impeccable documentation throughout the lifecycle.

As a fervent advocate of DevOps principles, I have played an instrumental role in fostering a culture of collaboration, communication, and continuous improvement within cross-functional teams. My holistic approach to DevOps extends beyond tools and technologies, encompassing process enhancement, monitoring, and performance optimization to deliver robust and high-quality software products.

A fervent advocate for knowledge sharing, I frequently train and mentor many co-workers on automating via Ansible Automation Platform. My aim is to inspire and empower aspiring DevOps enthusiasts to embark on their own journeys of automation mastery, fostering a generation of engineers poised to revolutionize the way we build, deploy, and manage software.



Certifications

ITIL Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management

February 15, 1016

GitLab Certified Git Associate

April 29, 2021

Azure Fundamentals AZ900

September 28, 2022

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

September 18, 2023

Work

Centene Corporation

Lead Systems Engineer• June 19, 2022 - Present

Senior Systems Engineer• March 23, 2021 - June 19, 2022

Systems Engineer• December 22, 2019 - March 23, 2021

Systems Administrator• February 12, 2017 - December 22, 2019

  • Promoted multiple times within 5 years due to strong performance and organizational impact of automation
  • Developed automation for ServiceNow Change Requests via Ansible Automation Platform workflow
  • Developed Windows Server Patching Automation via Ansible Automation Platform workflow
  • Implemented Windows Admin Center in the environment
  • Strong knowledge of ServiceNow platform
  • Involved in an Agile / Scrum environment and daily standup meetings. Work with development/testing, deployment, systems/infrastructure and project teams to ensure continuous operation of build and test systems
  • Experience in working with GIT to store the code and ingetrated it to Ansible Automation Platform to deploy the playbooks
  • Trained and mentored the Windows Server team on how to properly use Ansible Automation Platform
  • Developed Ansible plays to interact with Tanium for patching Windows Servers
  • Created and edited script using PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7
  • Manage and configure Windows Server 2016, Server 2019, Server 2022, and Server Core 2022

    • Centene Corporation

    Senior Information Technology Support Specialist• April 25, 2016 - February 12, 2017

    Information Technology Support Specialist (Hired on at Centene)• March 30, 2015 - April 25, 2016

    Information Technology Support Specialist (Temporary through the CSI Companies)• December 2014 - March 30, 2015

  • Promoted in just a a little over a year due to strong knowledge and exceptional performance
  • Level 2 support for advanced troubleshooting diagnosis for Windows 10 and Mac OS devices
  • Created service tickets in ServiceNow ticketing system
  • Responsible for reporting system/application outages to NOC

    • Compucom Services, Inc

    Information Technology Field Service Technician• April 2014 - November 2014

  • Monitor and respond quickly and effectively to a service request via Clearvision ticketing system daily
  • Responsible for monitoring and troubleshooting hardware and storage
  • Responsible for ordering and replacing the correct part for the computer or printer
  • Maintain hardware inventories for Wal-Mart on a quarterly basis
  • Responsible for PC setup and deployment using standard hardware, images, and software
  • Provide local support for blue collar to executive employees at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Target
  • Support for Windows XP and Windows 7
  • Document all procedures, techniques, and findings in Clearvision

    • The Window Man, Inc

    Information Technology Support / Sales / CSR• Janurary 2013 - April 2014

  • Responsible for accepting inbound and creating outbound sales calls for services
  • Responsible for entering the customers information into QuickBooks
  • Responsible for monitoring and troubleshooting hardware and software
  • Provide local support for staff on physical devices
  • Support for Windows 7 and Server 2008 Standard R2

    • Killearn United Methodist Church

    Technical Arts Producer / Systems Administrator• June 2012 - January 2013

  • Responsible for mixing the services on a Yamaha M7CL 48 channel, digital mixing board
  • Responsible for programming DMX controlled lighting using Nicolaudie Sunlite Suite 2 software
  • Responsible for training and managing the volunteers on audio, video, and lighting
  • Strategic technical scheduling, and budgetary planning and execution
  • Responsible for monitoring and maintaining the server and virtual desktops using S.B.S Server 2008
  • Responsible for setting up and maintaining the virtual server running Microsoft Server 2008 r2
  • Responsible for adding new employees to Active Directory and setting up virtual desktops
  • Responsible for monitorin, troubleshooting, upgrading, and repairing hardware and software problems
  • Responsible for PC or Mac setup and deployment using standard hardware, images, and software
  • Responsible for maintaining and setting up SharePoint sites
  • Identified new technologies that may be appropriate for the church, provide technical knowledge and skills

    • Beekin Mobile Studio

    Audio Engineer / Owner• September 2008 - Present

  • Responsible for monitoring and maintaining the audio equipment and computers
  • Responsible for effectively communicating with the clients on what sound they are looking for
  • Responsible for effectively and efficiently tracking the instruments via specific hardware via Pro Tools and/or PreSonus Studio One
  • Responsible for effectively and efficiently editing each track via Pro Tools and/or PreSonus Studio One
  • Responsible for professionally mixing the tracks using Waves, Slate Digital, and Universal Audio Plugins via Pro Tools and/or PreSonus Studio One
  • Responsible for communicating with the clients and getting their approval of the overall mix before mastering
  • Responsible for mastering the album and getting the album ready for duplication and/or publishing on audio streaming service