David Frey
I build reliable systems,
useful products, and
capable teams.
About
I make useful things
I grew up building model cars and rockets, and woodworking with my dad. When I got an Atari 800, I made text adventures, a helicopter game called Chopper Commander, and tools for homework and hobbies. In high school I built MCP (Master Control Program), a TRON-inspired password screen to keep my brother off my computer. It was simple, but it worked.
The people matter
CloudCage grew out of months spent auditing AWS account information in a spreadsheet. I brought engineers together to turn that work into a tool account owners could use to manage the information they knew. I facilitate decisions, ask questions when I'm concerned about a direction, and break ties when needed. The team built a system that kept AWS Organizations and its application database in sync, nearly eliminating that audit process.
I also make time to learn what teammates want to do. One junior engineer wanted to learn Python, so I met with him weekly, gave him problems to research, and offered hints and encouragement in code reviews. We worked together on several projects; he later pursued software engineering full-time.
What I'm working on now
I'm learning to build with AI as a partner. Experience matters: it helps me see when work is on course and when it's drifting. With Aegis, I'm applying the software development lifecycle to AI-assisted work: define the problem, write specifications, break the work into testable pieces, and put human review at the decision points. The goal is to build faster without giving up judgment or accountability.
Contact
- linkedin.com/in/davidafrey ↗
- About me
- davefrey.net ↗
- Resume
- AI Resume (PDF)
01 / WORK IN CONTEXT
Projects
Production systems, engineering teams, and practical AI work. Select a file to see the story in focus.
09 Production
Choose a project to see its work up close.
02 / TOOLS IN CONTEXT
Skills
Concrete technologies and methods, shown through the work they appear in. Select a practice area to inspect the evidence.
05 Evidence paths
EVIDENCED PRACTICE
TOOLS & METHODS SEEN IN WORK
RELATED PROJECT FILE
Evidence, not a proficiency score. Each cluster draws from several projects; the open file is one place to start.
03 / HOW THE WORK COMES TOGETHER
Work
Not a list of job titles or tools. Six ways I approach the systems, teams, and decisions behind the work.
06 Work lenses
Six areas from the current site, interpreted here as a reading experience. The wording and pairings are open for review.
Values
The values I work by.
These are my values—not abstract ideals or decorative statements. They are the standards I bring to engineering, leadership, and delivery: respect people, stay accountable to the work, and create the conditions for others to do their best work together.
Customer Priority
Start with the real need. Deliver the simplest useful solution.
The most committed wins
Long-term success usually goes to the person or team that stays focused, consistent, and resilient through hard times. Talent matters, but commitment is what keeps progress going.
The 1% Concept
Even a little shared ground can become the start of trust.
Slow Is Smooth, Smooth Is Fast
Patience and precision create sustainable speed.
No One Gets Left Behind
Teams win together. Blockers belong to all of us.
Put Others Before Self
Help early. Share ownership. Celebrate others.
Think Like a Scientist
Stay curious. Test assumptions. Measure results. Follow the evidence.
Human-First Leadership
Lead with empathy, clarity, trust, and care.
Hope
Not blind optimism—the conviction that progress is worth pursuing.
Big, scary problems are usually smaller problems tangled together. Break them apart, solve what matters first, and don’t worry about pebbles during a landslide.
DAVID FREY SELECTED WORK