Alex Gilbert
I’m a multidisciplinary technical leader with 20+ years of experience in web application development, open source platforms, and digital product strategy. I’ve delivered solutions and collaborated with teams across continents, industries, and org structures, from non-profits and higher education to healthcare and enterprise SaaS.
An art school background and an accidentally entrepreneurial career have kept me grounded, guided me to approach challenges with creativity, and inspired me to always look for joy in the work. Deep down, I’m really just here for the snacks.
Core Skills & Focus Areas
Technical Proficiency
Full stack web development, content modeling, database design, backend services, DevOps workflows, AI integrations, and frontend engineering.
Planning & Delivery
Requirements gathering, solutions architecture, sprint planning, agile development, and technical project management.
Leadership & Strategy
Product vision, open source stewardship, cross-functional team leadership, and developer enablement.
Apostrophe Technologies, Inc. – Co-founder & CEO
Philadelphia / Remote · 2019–2025
Co-founded a company to commercialize ApostropheCMS, an open source full-stack JavaScript CMS. Guided the business from free software to commercial platform — honing product vision, securing initial funding, building out the team, and supporting adoption across global organizations.
- Directed product roadmap spanning open source and commercial offerings
- Led technical sales and solutions architecture for enterprise clients
- Grew and managed distributed teams in product, engineering, and customer success
- Spearheaded AI strategy and integration across product and organizational initiatives
- Oversaw financial planning, fundraising, operations while sustaining open source focus
Key Projects
Michelin · 2017–2025
Established and grew a multi-year strategic partnership with Michelin’s global consumer experience factory. Built and managed a team to support 100+ Michelin developers, designers, and content specialists between France and India. Organized on-site visits, led pilot projects, and coordinated cross-company collaboration on new platform features.
Apostrophe Workspaces · 2023–2025
Launched an on-demand PaaS for licensing, hosting, and managing ApostropheCMS projects. Defined product vision, guided platform design and development, and supported early user adoption with the goal of expanding Apostrophe’s reach to new market segments.
P’unk Avenue – Partner & Technology Director
Philadelphia · 2005–2019
Joined at the company’s founding and helped create a purpose-driven digital agency delivering web sites and applications for nonprofits, universities, and civic and cultural organizations. Shaped the company’s technical direction, built its engineering team from the ground up, and supported its growth into a nationally recognized firm.
- Directed engineering and tech strategy for dozens of high-impact client projects
- Led hiring, mentorship, and process development as part of the leadership team
- Incubated ApostropheCMS from an internal tool to a widely used open source CMS
- Contributed to quarterly planning and long-term business operations
- Supported agency acquisition and transition after spin-out of Apostrophe
Key Projects
Criterion Collection · 2017–2019
Managed the rebuild of criterion.com, leading technical strategy and full-stack development while working closely with Criterion art and editorial leadership to ensure a successful relaunch. Helped launch the Criterion Channel with special features and frontend customizations for its web experience.
Way to Health · 2009–2016
Built an NIH-funded research platform supporting academic and clinical teams working in behavioral economics. Hired and managed a team to integrate medical APIs, patient engagement tools, and incentive systems. Worked with researchers to translate study needs into technical solutions and ultimately helped them to bring engineering talent in-house.
ApostropheCMS · 2008–2019
Architected early versions of ApostropheCMS and developed foundational projects that shaped its evolution. Guided product strategy and ongoing platform iteration while continuing to contribute code throughout its lifespan. Collaborated with partners to spin it out as a standalone open source project and commercial platform.
Early Days – Freelance & Student Work
Philadelphia · 2002–2005
- Designed and built websites for artists, educators, and local organizations
- Focused on performant front-end design and simple content management solutions
- Developed client relationships that led to the founding of P’unk Avenue
Tools & Technologies
Languages & Frameworks
JavaScript/TypeScript (Node, Express, Vue, Astro), PHP (Laravel, Symfony)
Databases & Infrastructure
MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, AWS, Heroku, Netlify, Stripe, OpenAI
Design & Collaboration
Figma, Sketch, Adobe, Linear, Jira, Git
Education
University of the Arts
BFA in Multimedia · Philadelphia · 2006
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program
Certificate in Small Business Management · Philadelphia · 2016