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Sandra Chaparro — Software Engineer

Software Engineer transitioning into Cybersecurity

Sandra Chaparro

Software engineer with a full-stack background, now building focused expertise in application security, threat intelligence, OSINT, threat hunting, and AI security.

Software Engineering Application Security Threat Intelligence OSINT Threat Hunting AI Security
View My Work Résumé

About

Who I am

I'm a software engineer based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area with a full-stack background spanning healthcare EHR platforms, dashboards, and client web products. I'm now transitioning into cybersecurity — grounded in real application security work I've done in production (authentication, authorization, and protecting sensitive data), and building focused knowledge in threat intelligence, OSINT, threat hunting, and AI security through certification study and self-directed learning. I care about technology that actually helps people, and I bring a developer's instincts to security problems: curious, detail-oriented, and comfortable learning in public.

What matters to me

Secure by design

Security isn't a phase — it's a mindset.

Mission-driven tech

I'm drawn to projects where the work serves communities, not just growth metrics. Impact is part of my definition of done.

Always evolving

Transitioning from SWE to security taught me that curiosity is a skill. I bring a developer's instincts to hard security problems.

Work

Featured Projects

Live client and business websites I designed and built, alongside full-stack applications spanning healthcare data and authentication.

Screenshot of the DR Tile Solutions website

DR Tile Solutions

Freelance Client Website

  • Designed and developed a business website for a tile and remodeling company from the ground up.
  • Built out services, project gallery, service areas, and FAQ pages to help customers understand offerings at a glance.
  • Focused the layout and copy around strong calls to action to drive quote requests.
Astro Tailwind CSS Vercel
View Project →
Screenshot of the MC the Barber website

MC the Barber

Freelance Client Website

  • Designed and developed a website for a local barbershop to showcase its services and brand.
  • Built a gallery, testimonials, and location sections to build trust with prospective clients.
  • Added FAQs and booking/contact functionality to make it easy for customers to book an appointment.
Astro Tailwind CSS Vercel
View Project →
Screenshot of the Salvatierra Digital website

Salvatierra Digital

My Web Development Business

  • Designed and built the website for my own web development business, Salvatierra Digital.
  • Represents the services I offer clients: custom website development, SEO, and ongoing website support.
  • Built with a clean, conversion-focused layout covering services, pricing, and FAQs.
Astro Tailwind CSS Vercel
View Project →

Dental Practice Management System (EHR)

DSD Cohort · Plano, TX

February – March 2025

  • Architected a multi-tenant EHR platform using Next.js and Express.js, enabling seamless support for multiple dental practices from a single codebase.
  • Developed RESTful APIs for appointment scheduling, treatment tracking, payment processing, and product sales.
  • Implemented JWT-based authentication and role-based access control, protecting sensitive patient health information.
  • Designed responsive wireframes in Figma and implemented a modern front-end interface using TypeScript and Tailwind CSS.
Next.js TypeScript Tailwind CSS Express.js JWT Linux Figma

Grocery Inventory Management System

DSD Cohort · Plano, TX

March – April 2024

  • Developed a full-stack React application that suggests 100+ recipes based on available ingredients and auto-generates grocery lists.
  • Integrated a third-party recipe API and designed a MongoDB backend to store API responses and user preferences.
  • Built an ingredient-matching recommendation algorithm to reduce food waste and streamline meal planning.
  • Delivered iterative features across the full SDLC using a Kanban methodology.
React MongoDB REST APIs

Career

Professional Experience

Full-stack engineering work across healthcare, government-adjacent, and client-facing products.

  • Software Engineer

    Mayan Technologies · Allen, TX

    April 2025 – January 2026

    • Built full-stack features for a specialty healthcare EHR — secure payment processing, appointment scheduling, and product sales modules serving 15+ practitioners.
    • Built a comprehensive refund management feature integrating the Stripe API, handling partial/full refunds, transaction tracking, and automated reconciliation.
    • Diagnosed and resolved critical performance bottlenecks by optimizing inefficient MySQL queries, cutting API response time from 3.5s to 207ms (a 70% reduction).
    • Strengthened API security by implementing authentication and authorization middleware across endpoints, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive patient information.
    • Designed and implemented a real-time KPI dashboard, enabling management to identify trends and prioritize debt recovery.
    • Improved cronjobs synchronizing clinical correspondence with Docman Connect, validating data consistency through Kafka events.
    • Maintained CI/CD workflows with Git-based version control and implemented security best practices within a 3-tier architecture.
    • Integrated the DocuSign eSignature API using C# and JWT authentication, automating document signing workflows.
    • Developed custom ERP client solutions, including BAQ reports, for a range of clients including ITAR-regulated organizations.
    Node.js Express React Next.js MySQL MongoDB CronJobs APIs Chakra UI Jira CI/CD

  • Web Developer

    SWITECH · Allen, TX

    July 2024 – April 2025

    • Designed and deployed responsive websites, improving user engagement and cross-device usability.
    • Partnered directly with business owners to translate needs into high-performance web solutions.
    • Implemented automated CI/CD pipelines with Vercel and Git, achieving 100% zero-downtime deployments.
    React Bootstrap Astro Figma Vercel

  • Computer Science Tutor

    Superprof · Remote

    December 2022 – July 2024

    • Provided individualized instruction to 10+ students in Java, JavaScript, and C++ through hands-on coding and pair programming.
    • Designed and implemented a curriculum focused on Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) best practices, resulting in a 35% improvement in student code quality metrics.
    Java C++ JavaScript

  • Software Engineer Co-Op

    Motorola Solutions, Inc. · Allen, TX

    May 2022 – October 2022

    • Developed a centralized React dashboard with OAuth 2.0 authentication integrating the Jira API, providing real-time project visibility across sites.
    • Improved deployment efficiency by optimizing Azure PaaS CI/CD pipelines with YAML configurations.
    • Built responsive Bootstrap front-end interfaces, improving page load performance and data interactivity.
    • Optimized Docker image lifecycle management, improving build efficiency and reducing infrastructure overhead.
    • Completed FedRAMP compliance training covering security controls, authorization requirements, and industry best practices for services handling federal government data.
    React OAuth 2.0 Jira API Node.js Express Azure Pipelines Docker Kubernetes

Transition

Cybersecurity

I'm a software engineer building focused expertise in cybersecurity — grounded in real application security work, and growing into threat intelligence, OSINT, threat hunting, and AI security through certification study and continued learning.

Focus Areas

Software Engineering Application Security Threat Intelligence OSINT Threat Hunting AI Security

Applied Security Work

  • Implemented authentication and authorization middleware protecting sensitive patient data in a production healthcare EHR.
  • Built JWT-based authentication and role-based access control (RBAC) to safeguard protected health information (PHI).
  • Completed FedRAMP compliance training covering security controls, authorization requirements, and best practices for federal data.
  • Actively studying for CISSP and CompTIA Security+ while applying security-first practices in day-to-day development work.

Certifications & Credentials

ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) — Cert Prep

LinkedIn Learning

Completed

Cert prep course completed via LinkedIn Learning — not the official ISC2 CC exam credential.

View Credential →

CISSP

ISC2

In Progress

CompTIA Security+

CompTIA

In Progress

Cloud Foundations

Epicor

Completed

Application Studio Foundations

Epicor

Completed

Toolkit

Technical Skills

JavaScript TypeScript SQL C# Node.js Express React Next.js Chakra UI Tailwind CSS Bootstrap MySQL (Sequelize) MongoDB (Mongoose) CI/CD Linux Git/GitHub APIs OAuth 2.0 JWT

AI Fluency

AI Fluency Framework & Foundations

Anthropic

Completed

Claude Code 101

Anthropic

Completed

Claude 101

Anthropic

Completed

Background

Education

  • B.S. in Computer Science and Information Systems Engineering

    Fort Hays State University

    June 2019 – December 2022

    • Delivered full-stack projects using Java, JavaScript, PHP, and C++ with a 100% on-time completion rate, deployed on Heroku and Netlify.

  • English

    Arizona State University — Global Launch

    2018

Résumé

Get the full picture

Software engineer with a full-stack background, now building focused expertise in application security, threat intelligence, OSINT, threat hunting, and AI security.

Download Résumé (PDF)

Get in touch

Contact

Have a role, project, or opportunity in mind? Send a message and I'll get back to you.

Find me elsewhere

LinkedIn

© 2026 Sandra Chaparro.