A not so brief bio...

Life is amazing in Denver, CO.

JoyaTech Solutions was founded by Matthew and I in 2004 and since that time we have built software, created business and church websites and more recently provided books, workshops and consulting to businesses, supporting them to develop online strategies and efficient back-office operations.   It was out of this work that I wrote The Internet Plan workbook and in the coming months we will be releasing our content management software into the Open Source as JoyaCMS.

Back in 2006, I completed my MA at the University of Chicago. It was a tremendous academic experience where I had the opportunity to expand my analytical research work theoretically and concretely. Following that, I worked at  Level 3 Communications where I was an IT Project Manager for finance and BI, a Product Development Manager in the Content group and then I managed a business process team in the Finance department.

For more than 8 years, I was a founder and executive for Dream Team Technologies, in Denver, Colorado.  I wore many hats during those years, leading finance and operations and in the technical domain I directed product and our project delivery portfolio.  Dream Team Tech has since divested assets, including one of our main products known as Viadesto. Before that venture, my professional work was focused in the areas finance, operations and IT.  This work environment and really the experience has really set the baseline for me in terms of what it means to be fulfilled in work.

For a short stint, I served as the part-time Executive Director of Just GO! Global, a Denver non-profit which promotes youth global citizenship. I have supported this organization for the past five years and I continue to serve on the board.  I have worked collaboratively with Whitney Walpole and Culture Counts - providing business consulting services in the area of company culture and performance metrics.

My partner Matthew is a software geek who specializes in application development - specifically in the .NET framework and more recently using MVC - both Microsoft and Castle. Since leaving Dream Team in 2004, Matthew has worked mostly as a contractor – both independently through JoyaTech Solutions and through agencies. In fact, he built the CMS that this website uses. He worked at PSI for a year and a half and has spent the past several months at eBags. On occasion he works with our good friend Arthur Brock, and his company called Geek Gene.  His latest project has been with Janus Funds.

On the personal front, Matthew and I live in a wonderful town-home not too far from the Cherry Creek shopping area in Denver. We have 2 puppy friends who live with us - Rina, a cocker-spaniel who is about 4 and Toby, a terrier mix who we think is about 2.   All in all we are very grateful for our lives and very aware of the incredible privilege we have which leaves us energized and inspired.

A few years back, Matthew and I taught the 'Our Whole Lives' program to the 7th graders at Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden.  This is the most fantastic, liberal and thorough curriculum on sexuality that I have ever seen. If you are in search of a spiritual home that is about inquiry and are moved and inspired by a wide variety of the world's faith traditions, then a UU church may be the place.  

Matthew and I both love travel immensely and I expect that we'll travel both for pleasure and for work throughout the rest of our lives.  In recent years we spent quite a bit of time in Puerto Vallarta.  We expect that eventually we will get a condo down there as we tend to visit 2-3 times per year at this point. My heritage - and also current citizenship is in Spain and we have therefore spent a great deal of time there. In the fall of 2002 we returned from a year long stay near Madrid, Spain - in Alcalá de Henares. We lived there with our dog Chrystie, and we both telecommuted back to our company in CO. Although I grew up in Spain, it was a great intensive in the history, sociology and anthropology of the Spanish people. We've returned since for several multi-week visits.

A few years ago we are collected three teens and explored Spain with them. Beth,  Daniel and Madison, had a wonderful experience taking in the sights in Madrid, Segovia, Avila, Toledo and Barcelona.  We've since spent some quiet time in Madrid and our plans will take us back in 2011 and 2012 when we expect to travel again with friends and family to share our love the Iberian peninsula.

My last plug is about music - quite a while ago Matthew and I coordinated a house concert series called Cheesman House Concerts. This was great fun and if you have never attended a house concert, just go!!! You can look them up on the internet (http://www.houseconcerts.org) and they are all over the place. You typically will not find a more intimate and profound musical experience. Although we have not been able to resume that project, we may occasionally promote a show - so let me know if you want to be on my mailing list for that.

I hope you enjoy looking around my site. Please feel free to send comments and suggestions to mc at marycamacho.com.

Buen viaje! -mary