Le Kao

Hey there! I’m Lee.

For the last 14 years, I’ve been the person who translates what the business needs into what engineers build. Think of me as your "tech whisperer" for financial systems—I thrive where strategy meets code.

My superpower? Taking messy, real-world problems (like "How do we collect payments faster without annoying customers?") and turning them into clean, scalable solutions. At U.S. Bank, I designed over 1,000 business rules for their collections platform—cutting false positives by 35% and saving $1.5M a year by ditching vendor lock-in.

I’m not just a diagram-and-documentation nerd (though I love a good Visio flowchart!). I roll up my sleeves:

• Taught myself Python to automate reports nobody had time for (freeing up 40+ hours/month)
• Trained 100+ teammates on everything from compliance to empathy—because tech works best when people get it

But here’s what fuels me beyond tech:

For the past 6 years, I’ve volunteered as Eddie Kao, photographer for The Museum at Warm Springs—Oregon’s first museum dedicated to Indigenous American art and culture. Many images on their website are my work. It’s how I give back: helping Americans reconnect with roots that technology often obscures. I believe hard work matters, but preserving human stories matters more.

Why I’d love this role:

You need someone who sees tech as a tool for human connection—not just efficiency. I’ve lived this balance: architecting real-time payments by day, capturing cultural heritage by weekend. I ask the dorky questions early, document obsessively, and never miss a deadline (seriously—100+ projects delivered on time).

Bottom line? I build bridges—between people and tech, profit and purpose. And I’d be honored to bring that heart to your team.

P.S. — Based in Vancouver, WA, but often across the river in Oregon. Happy to meet onsite with coffee… or swap museum stories!