About Me
I'm a software engineer based in Syracuse, NY and I'm always building something. For the past 8+ years, I've been shipping customer-facing applications at Equitable, one of the largest financial services companies in the U.S. My day-to-day involves leading enterprise platform migrations, building production tools used by thousands of people daily, and turning complex business requirements into maintainable solutions.
I'm also a partner at Hack Upstate, where I directed Careers in Code — a coding bootcamp for underserved populations in Central New York. Over 6 cohorts, we admitted 102 students, graduated 74, placed 24 in tech roles, and managed multiple six-figure grant contracts.
I'm deeply invested in the future of AI-assisted software development.
Experience
Software Engineer II
Equitable (formerly AXA US) · Syracuse, NY · July 2017 - Present
- Led the Sitecore-to-Adobe AEM enterprise CMS migration, delivering resilient, reusable components while collaborating directly with vendor teams and committing extra hours to ensure on-time delivery
- Redesigned the PCR Rates page end-to-end as lead developer, from requirements gathering through launch. The page generates thousands of daily views and has contributed to hundreds of thousands of dollars in generated business
- Led the migration of an Angular to vanilla JavaScript Retirement Guide, architecting the separation of content and code
- Drove the enterprise CMS through 3 major version upgrades (Sitecore 9.1 → 9.3 → 10.2 → 10.3), organizing data migration processes and issue tracking to ensure smooth cutovers
- Shipped the OBP customer portal (React, Java) to help onboard new brokers from outside firms into the organization
- Led chatbot development with Microsoft Bot Framework on Azure, serving as lead developer and managing the project backlog from prototype through MVP
- Created extensive technical documentation and led knowledge transfer sessions to onboard teammates, reducing ramp-up time and improving team scalability
- Consistently received strong performance ratings with commendation for initiative, reliability, and collaborative leadership
Partner
Hack Upstate LLC · Syracuse, NY · 2017 - Present
- Directed Careers in Code, a 6-month intensive coding bootcamp for underserved populations, running all day-to-day operations across 6 cohorts (2019-2024)
- Admitted 102 students, graduated 74 (72.5% graduation rate), placed 24 graduates in tech roles
- Managed multiple six-figure grant contracts across local government and economic development partners
- Built operational systems automating the admissions pipeline end-to-end using Pipefy, Zapier, and Notion; implemented EOS for goal tracking
- Organized weekend hackathons with 100+ attendees, raising tens of thousands of dollars in sponsorship per event, growing the developer community across Central New York
Education
B.S. Computer Science, Mathematics Minor
SUNY Potsdam · 2015 - 2017
- Benjamin F. Bradley Memorial Award — High achievement & outstanding department contribution
- Founded Hack Potsdam (grew from 49 to 116 attendees, $10K raised, MLH partnership). President of ACM. GPA: 3.25
- Speaker at HackCon V — "Getting Your Alumni Involved," presented to a national audience of student hackathon organizers
Rapidly Prototyped Projects
Gridiron Rumble
BuildingA 2D arcade style mobile-first football game. Designed the full system: game engine, Astro marketing site with devlogs, iOS and Steam integration. Currently available on TestFlight.
House Positioner
PrototypeUtility tool for visualizing house dimensions on a plot. Built as a rapid MVP to test a real estate idea.
Drone Detection Dashboard
PrototypeReal-time drone RF signal monitoring and threat assessment dashboard. Simulates a network of ground sensors detecting drones, classifying types by RF fingerprint, and scoring threats against a protected zone.
House Value Estimator
PrototypeEstimates home value based on including or excluding different additions. Mock prototype to explore the concept.
Recommendations
“What stands out about Jesse isn't just that he can build software — it's how he thinks. He has a rare ability to translate complex technical concepts to people who aren't engineers, which is something you can't really teach. I've watched him do it with students who came in with zero background and left with marketable skills and jobs.”
— Doug Crescenzi, Partner at Hack Upstate LLC · April 1, 2026
“I have had the distinct honor of working with and being mentored by Jesse Peplinski. His deep skill set in web-based technologies and AI tools is clearly evident throughout his extensive resume, and I have witnessed his technical prowess firsthand while working with him at Hack Upstate and Careers in Code. Spending time around Jesse has led me to observe what is arguably his greatest quality: his unmatched thirst for technical knowledge. I have never met anyone who dives in as quickly to learn a new tool, framework, or technology.”
— Andrew Wladis · April 1, 2026, via LinkedIn
“Jesse was my first true 'boss' and helped mentor me into the person I am today through our work together at Careers in Code, a coding boot camp. Even more than his warm, kind personality, Jesse's innate ability to lead by example, intelligently navigate complex issues and run projects with a solution-oriented mindset has been nearly unmatched in my career. I watched as he was able to spearhead a meaningful project with real impact on the community — an effort that similarly taught me the value of thoughtful communication, excellence in organization and problem solving both in the terminal and face-to-face with people. I'd highly recommend Jesse for any role — particularly one where his leadership skills can be put on full display.”
— Will Guisbond · April 1, 2026, via LinkedIn
“Jesse is a person with a 'can do' attitude who will not take no for an answer. He is unique in his determination to find an innovative way to get the job done. He also has a knack for teaching. He inspires those around him and works well collaboratively to help others succeed in their projects and endeavors.”
— Mark Wladis · April 1, 2026, via LinkedIn
“I had the pleasure of working with Jesse at Equitable, where he consistently found innovative ways to improve our public and advisor-facing websites. While building our Cap Rate webpage, he handled changing specs and requirements with ease—never complaining, always quickly pivoting to an effective solution. He is a master problem solver with a true can-do attitude and was an absolute pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend him to any team looking for a driven, adaptable, and results-oriented technologist.”
— Tom Dominic, Colleague at Equitable · April 2, 2026, via LinkedIn
“Jesse has an unwavering commitment to innovation and exploration in everything he does. As my first mentor, he taught me an incredible amount simply through his "let's-do-this" approach to complex, multifaceted problems. Jesse is an exceptional communicator who can bridge the gap between deep engineering and cross-functional stakeholders, creating a culture where ideas are vetted based on merit rather than hierarchy. The bottom line: Jesse cares. He is deeply mission-driven and solves difficult problems not just with a track record of success, but with a persistent optimism and genuine care for his colleagues. P.S. He also shreds on the guitar.”
— Max Gerlach · April 3, 2026, via LinkedIn
“Jesse approaches problems systematically. He doesn't look for quick fixes or gets distracted by complex solutions. Instead, he works through the problem methodically — mapping out options, weighing tradeoffs, and arriving at decisions that hold up when you actually have to engineer them. Beyond the technical side, Jesse has a rare ability to bring people together. This kind of role demands both — systematic reasoning and the ability to build trust across audiences. Jesse has spent years developing both. I recommend him without reservation. He'll make an impact quickly, and he'll do it by doing the hard work of understanding problems deeply and building the right solutions.”
— William Kennedy · April 3, 2026, via LinkedIn
“I've worked with Jesse for several years at Equitable on our digital annuity tools, and he's one of the best partners I've had the pleasure of working with. He's someone you can rely on both in building solutions and when challenges come up. He consistently brings creative ideas, communicates clearly, and stays calm under pressure. He brings a positive attitude to everything he does and makes the team better.”
— Nick Ronan, Colleague at Equitable · April 3, 2026, via LinkedIn