zacheryconverse@gmail.com

Mike Colagrosso

To whom it may concern:

As a student, mentee, and friend of Zachery Converse, it is my pleasure to strongly recommend him. I first met Zachery years ago at Movement Climbing + Fitness Boulder, and I have worked with him in several capacities, both formally and socially. I have put my trust in Zachery, and you should too.

For this field, my most relevant experience with him might be when I was a student in a short-term class that he taught. Like all good classes, it was a mix of lecturing and hands-on instruction. In addition to all the specialized technical knowledge he brought to the course, he demonstrated several traits that will serve him in his career:

• Preparation: Very thorough. I still have my copy of lecture notes that Zachery prepared and refer to them regularly.
• Communication: Explained a universe of new ideas and their taxonomy. It takes a level of mastery to be able to understand students' questions and answer them at the right level.
• Enthusiasm: Bright, friendly. This will be obvious to you once you've known him for 30 seconds. It's immediate and infectious.

In my job as a Staff Software Engineer at Google, I interview many applicants. Among the qualities I evaluate them on is "Googliness and Leadership," and Zachery has these qualities in abundance. In his new job, you can expect Zachery to value these behaviors in addition to all the technical skill he has mastered:

• Community contributions
• Willingness to mentor
• Leaving things better than he found them

With all that plus his Galvanize/Hack Reactor training, he's the full package. He's someone I'd want sitting next to me.

Sincerely,
Mike Colagrosso

Evan Schwarz

As a member of my team, Zach consistently demonstrated a high degree of initiative and self-direction. Even when faced with ambiguous project goals, he proactively sought clarification when necessary, ensuring that time and resources were used efficiently. His ability to work independently while understanding when to collaborate was a valuable asset to our team. Zach was also a perceptive observer of our team's workflow. He frequently offered thoughtful suggestions for process improvements that led to increased productivity and a more positive team environment. His open communication style and willingness to share insights were highly valued by both colleagues and management.

Megan Kellums

I was Zachery's supervisor for a few years at Movement Climbing + Fitness. Zachery started as a Front Desk Associate and quickly proved how hardworking, dedicated, and enthusiastic he is. He was promoted to Front Desk Lead and then Front Desk Director. Zachery is always thinking of ways to improve the systems he works with and shares his ideas without hesitation. He is open to feedback and asks direct questions. He also has a great laugh and is always looking to connect with others.

Ethan Parent

Zachery has an unparalleled level of endurance and tenacity that places him in a league of his own. I had the opportunity to work with Zachery for a few months. Frequently I would see Zachery working late into the night, working tirelessly to learn new concepts that he would then turn around and teach his team mates how to use. It's not an exaggeration to say Zachery taught more than a few folks how to configure and deploy proxy servers, even though he had no obligation to do so. Zachery's exceptional level of hard work and willingness to help others will make him an invaluable asset on any team that is lucky enough to have him

Clare Mackie

I had the pleasure of working with Zach both as a student in our six-month Hack Reactor program and later as an instructor, during which time I served as the Student Cohort Lead. Zach was an exemplary student, and his outstanding performance led to his recruitment as a Software Engineering Resident Instructor upon graduation. We worked closely alongside a small team of six to support the success and completion of the students in this intensive program, which ran from 8 AM to 9 PM, six days a week. Despite the program's demanding schedule, Zach demonstrated remarkable balance, handling both academic and life challenges with grace, calmness, and grit. His leadership skills stood out during his time as both a student and instructor. Zach regularly went above and beyond, taking on extra projects and delivering weekly presentations to help students with additional tools and resources he found useful during his own time in the program. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Zach, both as a colleague and now as a friend. I'm confident he will be a valuable asset to your team!