Meet Your Barista

Raya Smidi

Hello! I'm Raya Smidi

I'm a tech enthusiast with a B.S. in Computer Science Engineering Technology from the University of Toledo. But here's the thing, I'm also a total coffee addict who basically lives in cafes. There's something magical about solving problems over a good cup of coffee, and I wanted my portfolio to feel like you just walked into my favorite coffee shop.

At RayaVerse Café, I blend my love for technology with my obsession for all things coffee. Whether I'm managing projects, building apps, or teaching STEM, I bring that same cozy cafe energy: thoughtful, creative, and always brewing up something new. I believe the best ideas happen in spaces that feel comfortable and inspiring, so grab a cup and explore my work!

Talk to Barista 💬 Download Resume 📄

Menu Specials

☕

Spanish Latte - Halal Eats App

Fullstack Developer | January 2023 - Present

  • 🫘 Designed a Halal restaurant discovery app using Figma (UI/UX) and Java (backend)
  • 🫘 Drove product strategy, feature prioritization, and usability testing
  • 🫘 Applied Agile sprint cycles and GitHub version control for efficient development
Figma Java GitHub Agile UI/UX Design
☕

Iced Latte - Security Camera Installation

Senior Capstone Project | August 2023 - December 2023

  • 🫘 Led modernization of College of Engineering Technology's surveillance system
  • 🫘 Oversaw system design, requirements gathering, and installation planning
  • 🫘 Coordinated cross-departmentally to deliver a scalable, cost-efficient network model
Ubiquiti UNVR Network Systems Project Management Budget Management
☕

Mocha - Twitter Followers Search

#CodeChella Hackathon Project

  • 🫘 Built a Twitter followers and following search tab application using Node.js
  • 🫘 Developed functionality to search and analyze Twitter follower data with intuitive interface
  • 🫘 Implemented API integration with Twitter Dev Account for real-time data retrieval
Node.js JavaScript Twitter API GitHub
View on GitHub →

Work Experience

👩‍💻

Product Engineer (Contract)

Wait: The Waiting Room | November 2025 – April 2026

  • 🫘 Built and deployed user-facing features in TypeScript for web and mobile, creating seamless booking flows and improving overall user experience
  • 🫘 Integrated Firebase for real-time data syncing, automated notifications, and email confirmations to streamline client-barber communication
  • 🫘 Resolved critical scheduling bugs including double-booking through debugging, testing, and cross-platform QA to ensure reliable performance
TypeScript Firebase JavaScript QA Testing
👩‍🏫

Science Teacher

The Bounty Collegium | November 2024 - June 2025

  • 🫘 Developed and executed comprehensive STEM curriculum for 6th and 7th graders, transforming complex technical concepts into engaging, hands-on learning experiences
  • 🫘 Orchestrated full curriculum lifecycle from strategic planning through execution and assessment, applying Agile-inspired iterative improvement methodologies
  • 🫘 Leveraged data-driven insights from student assessments to optimize teaching strategies and improve learning outcomes, mirroring product team analytics approaches
Curriculum Design STEM Education Data Analysis Project Management
📱

Social Media Manager

Vivre Cosmetics | October 2020 - December 2020

  • 🫘 Scaled cross-platform social presence to 13K+ followers, driving 25% engagement growth and 2K+ new followers through strategic, data-informed content campaigns
  • 🫘 Delivered actionable KPI insights to leadership through comprehensive Excel dashboards, enabling data-driven marketing decisions and resource optimization
  • 🫘 Collaborated cross-functionally with design, marketing, and influencer teams to execute on-schedule campaigns while maintaining cohesive brand identity
Social Media Strategy Analytics Marketing Excel Dashboards
📢

Public Relations Chair

Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA) | June 2020 - September 2020

  • 🫘 Spearheaded integrated communication strategy and marketing assets for national youth conferences, successfully engaging 1,000+ participants across multiple events
  • 🫘 Designed and produced high-impact print and digital campaign materials using Canva and Adobe Creative Suite, ensuring consistent brand messaging across all touchpoints
  • 🫘 Applied analytics-driven approach to campaign performance, extracting insights from engagement metrics to continuously refine content strategy and maximize reach
Canva Adobe Creative Suite Marketing Strategy Data Analysis

Coffee Beans & Tools 🫘

Product Engineering

  • Full-Stack Development
  • Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
  • Feature Design & Development
  • Product Strategy
  • User-Centered Design

Programming

  • TypeScript
  • JavaScript
  • Python (Intermediate)
  • Java
  • SQL (Intermediate)

Cloud & Backend

  • Firebase
  • Google Cloud
  • REST APIs
  • Git & GitHub

Data & Analytics

  • Data Analysis
  • Power BI
  • Excel Dashboards

Design & Development

  • Figma (UI/UX)
  • Wireframing & Prototyping
  • Mobile App Design
  • Responsive Web Design

Technical Tools

  • Visual Studio Code
  • Claude Code
  • IntelliJ IDEA
  • GitHub & Version Control
  • Canva

Development Practices

  • Agile & Scrum
  • Software Testing & Debugging
  • QA Testing (Web & Mobile)
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration

Emerging Tech

  • AI & Machine Learning Concepts
  • Network Systems
  • Digital Product Development

My Resume

Download Resume 📄

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Let's Grab a Cup

Whether you want to discuss a project, collaborate, or just chat over coffee, I'd love to hear from you!

📧

Email

rayasmidi@gmail.com
💼

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/rayasmidi
🐙

GitHub

github.com/rayasmidi
📍

Location

Ohio
Willing to relocate