Donte Burney
Software Engineer · Full-Stack JS/TS · Engineering Leader
Engineer · Educator · Veteran
I'm a Senior Software Engineer with 8+ years of experience building high-impact digital products for companies people actually care about — from LinkedIn to TMZ (Fox Corporation). My expertise is rooted in JavaScript and TypeScript, with a focus on performant React frontends and scalable Node.js backends.
I'm also a technical educator who has taught hundreds of engineers at UCLA, UT Austin, Amazon Apprentices, and non-profits across the Bay Area — writing curriculum, mentoring career-changers, and expanding access to the industry.
My background is uniquely multidimensional: I hold a B.A. in Multimedia Communications & Media Technology from the Academy of Art University, and my career spans commercial production, video editing, sound engineering, executive producing, and marketing — giving me a rare creative-technical edge most engineers don't have.
Skills & Expertise
Work Experience
Full-stack engineering at one of the world's most recognizable entertainment news brands, operating under Fox Corporation. Shipped and maintained production systems that serve a massive global audience, working across frontend interfaces and backend services with a focus on performance and reliability.
Led all technology for a youth-focused non-profit dedicated to improving lives through fitness and technology. Designed and built the organization's apps, implemented web infrastructure, and developed the full technical curriculum. As Technical Instructor, taught JavaScript fundamentals on the Open Processing platform, guiding students from zero to coding confidence.
Hybrid engineering and analytics role at a sports and media technology company. Built UI components and conducted data analysis to inform product decisions, bridging the gap between technical development and business intelligence.
Led full-stack web development curriculum for 2U's highly regarded bootcamp programs at the University of Texas at Austin and UCLA. Taught the complete modern web stack, mentored career-changers, and drove student outcomes from zero experience to job-ready engineers.
Selected as one of 23 engineers from 700+ applicants for LinkedIn's inaugural REACH apprenticeship — a groundbreaking program designed to hire exceptional talent from non-traditional backgrounds, including military veterans and community students. Upon completion, promoted to full-time Software Engineer on the LinkedIn Learning team, building JavaScript-powered front-end UIs, debugging, testing, and collaborating across cross-functional teams daily.
Taught underrepresented youth web design, algorithmic thinking, and JavaScript fundamentals. Organized Silicon Valley company tours to expose students to tech careers and cultures, fostering real pathways into the industry.
Developed the web platform for one of the country's top university radio stations with 300K+ monthly listeners — enabling multimedia production students to publish podcasts, radio shows, and campus news.
Led landing page design and full-stack development for a veteran-founded mobile startup. Also contributed to the Bay to Breakers marketing campaign, blending technical execution with creative marketing.
Served 8 years, managing pay accuracy for 20,000+ soldiers across domestic and overseas deployments — coordinating with the Federal Reserve Bank to reach troops in areas where cash access was restricted, and transporting funds to local overseas banks. Recipient of the Fort Bliss Army Leadership Award.
Also served as a Combatives Instructor during deployment — training enlisted soldiers, Rangers, Officers, and Special Forces in close-quarters and hand-to-hand combat, drawing on 15+ years of Greco-Roman wrestling, karate, kickboxing, boxing, and Muay Thai. Camp As Saliyah bench press tournament champion: 385 lbs in the under-160 weight class.
Education & Certifications
Let's Build Something Great
Open to senior engineering roles, technical leadership opportunities, and advisory positions. I bring a rare blend of product engineering, creative production, and team-building experience.