Eric Freeman

About Eric Freeman

I’m the CTO & Head of Digital at WickedlySmart, where I bridge the gap between learning and innovation for businesses and individuals mastering AI, software development, and emerging technologies. I also served as an executive at The Walt Disney Company, acting as CTO of Disney Online and overseeing all technical responsibilities for the company’s online brand. As an adjunct faculty member at The University of Texas at Austin, I teach Foundations in Creative Coding, focusing on experimentation, collaboration, and design thinking. Over at O’Reilly Media, I’ve authored multiple best-selling books—including the 20-year perennial bestseller and Jolt Award–winning Head First Design Patterns—and frequently lead both introductory and advanced software development training. In addition, I co-direct the Head First imprint, guiding authors through a challenge-driven, brain-friendly approach that fosters engaging, high-impact learning experiences.

Experience

1. Series Director

   O\'reilly

   Jan 2020 — Present

   As co-director of the renowned Head First book imprint at O’Reilly Media, I shaped the strategic vision for the series, championing the hallmark blend of highly visual, interactive, and learner-centered content first pioneered by Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates. I worked closely with prospective authors, carefully vetting their expertise, teaching style, and overall fit for Head First’s distinctive format. Once on board, I guided them through the immersive “challenge-driven” design process, offering editorial feedback and ensuring that each chapter aligned with Head First’s cognitive-science-based approach to teaching. By upholding the brand’s playful yet rigorous standards, I maintained the high-quality, hands-on feel readers expect from the Head First series, while helping authors craft engaging learning experiences that resonate with a wide range of audiences.

Education

• Indiana University Bloomington

  Master of Science - MS, Computer Science

  1989 — 1991

• Yale University

  Ph.D., Computer Science

  1997

• Yale University

  Master of Philosophy - MPhil, Computer Science

• Yale University

  Master of Science - MS, Computer Science

Skills

• Hadoop
• Information Architecture
• Agile Project Management
• Content Management
• Html
• Apache
• Ruby on Rails
• Strategy
• E-Commerce
• Game Development
• User Interface Design
• Mobile Applications
• Data Visualization
• Android
• Interaction Design
• Cloud Computing
• Cms
• Java
• Ruby
• Objective-C
• Web Analytics
• Open Source
• Jquery
• Software Development
• Scrum
• Web Applications
• System Architecture
• Software Design
• Css
• User Experience
• Web Development
• Subversion
• Start-Ups
• Mysql
• Distributed Systems
• Scalability
• Software Engineering
• Php
• Xml
• Design Patterns