Fred Leblanc

About Fred Leblanc

Mostly, I am a maker and a problem-solver, where most of those \"makings\" and solved problems are web-related things. Companies, however, tend not to hire for roles like “maker” and “problem solver” — although I did have that title once! — so these days, I’m a product manager instead. It’s the closest thing I’ve found to maker and problem-solver roles in the business world.I\'ve been making these web things professionally for over 20 years now. In that time, I’ve done it all. I’ve been a front-end developer, a back-end developer, a designer, a copywriter, a technical writer, a public speaker, a teacher, a digital strategist, a user experience professional, a business analyst, a small-business owner, an advocate, a mentor, an accessibility subject-matter expert, a project manager, a people manager, and (like I said, currently) a product manager.I draw upon those years and varying areas of experience to craft great, thoughtful, effective solutions that (hopefully) make other people’s lives better in some way. Yes, I do the Jira and Confluence dances. I can zip my way through a Figma file. I can do all the agile stuff and what not. But those are all just means to an end: what I’m really doing is leading a team that solves problems while staying within budgets and timelines.Yet I’d also rather not settle for “good enough” solutions. I want *great* outcomes; longer-term solves that are sustainable, maintainable, and downright delightful. I love when something feels like it “just works.” I strive to find that glorious promised land between practicality with perfection.I’m also a systems thinker. I’m curious, and I like learning what makes things tick. I want to know how all of the parts interplay, and how changing one of those parts might ripple across the rest of the machine. I don’t just want to know *that* something works, I want to know *how* it works too. And *why* people like that it works that way.Beyond that, I like bringing fun, humor, and thoughtfulness to what I do.(But like the desert, it’s a dry humor.) I know a serious moment when it happens, but there’s still room to stretch out, too. And I like when my team feels comfortable bringing their whole selves to work too. I want to hear what they’re up to, what they think, how they’d approach it. You’re never too old to learn.So… how does that sound? Am I interesting enough? Do you like coffee or tea? Connect with me, and we can chat over caffeinated drinks.

Experience

1. Senior Product Manager, Web Core, Marketing

   Okta

   Jul 2022 — Present

Education

• Art Institute of Colorado

  Multimedia and Web Design

  2000 — 2002

• The New England Institute of Art

  BS, Multimedia and Web Design

  2002 — 2004

Skills

• Pillow Fights
• Making Things
• I Did Aem Once
• Playing Powerball
• Dungeon Mastering
• Not Entering Skills on Linkedin
• Rock Hard Css Abs
• Rudimentary French
• A 5th Skill to Please Linkedin