Hello, I'm
Geoff Woodburn
Portland-based technology leader and startup advisor with 20+ years building and scaling engineering organizations. I design systems that last, build teams that thrive, and advise startups across the West Coast.
About
A bit about me
I'm a Principal Application Architect at Apptio, an IBM company, with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. My work sits at the crossroads of architecture, design, and engineering — I believe great systems are built on clarity of thought, and great code is maintainable.
I'm a systems thinker at heart. Over two decades, I've founded and grown multiple companies from the ground up — experiences that deepened my passion for applying technology with intention to solve real customer problems. From startups to enterprise, I've honed a craft that blends strategic vision with hands-on technical precision.
- Role Principal Application Architect
- Company Apptio (IBM)
- Approach Systems Thinking
- Experience 20+ Years
- Location Portland, Oregon
Career
Professional trajectory
2025 — Present
Principal Application Architect — Apptio, an IBM Company
Driving architecture strategy and technical vision for enterprise technology business management products. Mentoring engineering teams, guiding cross-organization technical decisions, and shaping long-term platform direction.
2024 — 2025
VP of Engineering — Paxton AI
Led the engineering organization at an AI-powered legal technology company. Owned technical strategy, team development, and delivery of AI-driven tools for legal professionals.
2021 — 2024
VP of Engineering — Reperio Health
Managed the technology behind an at-home health testing platform spanning two mobile apps, two web apps, and a hardware device connected over Bluetooth Low Energy — while serving as HIPAA Security Officer.
2018 — 2021
Director of Engineering — Puppet
Led engineering teams building event-driven automation and serverless workflow products, including Puppet Relay. Drove technical strategy and team growth in the infrastructure automation space.
2016 — 2018
Lead Front-End Architect — Reflect Technologies
Shaped front-end architecture and built the design system that carried forward into Puppet's product suite. Reflect was acquired by Puppet, where the team continued building automation tooling.
2012 — 2016
Director of Engineering — Cloudability
Joined as one of the earliest engineers and grew with the company from one to around a hundred people. Helped build a cloud cost management platform from the ground up. Cloudability was later acquired by Apptio.
2009 — 2012
Senior Software Engineer — Adknowledge
Built the reporting platform and data infrastructure at a digital advertising technology company, working across the full stack to deliver analytics and performance tools at scale.
2006 — 2009
Owner — Woodburn Designs
Founded and ran a web design and development consultancy, delivering custom solutions for clients. Where the entrepreneurial bug first took hold.
Expertise
What I bring to the table
Architecture Strategy
Designing scalable, resilient systems from first principles. Translating business goals into technical architectures that evolve gracefully over time.
Engineering Leadership
Building and scaling high-performing engineering teams. Setting technical direction while creating cultures of ownership, craft, and delivery.
Systems Thinking
Seeing the whole picture — how teams, technology, and processes interconnect. Identifying leverage points that unlock outsized impact.
Cloud & DevOps
Deep expertise in cloud infrastructure, CI/CD, and platform engineering. Proven track record from early-stage Cloudability through enterprise-scale Apptio.
Startup & Scale
Founded and grown multiple companies. Experienced across the full lifecycle — from zero-to-one product builds to acquisitions and enterprise integration.
AI & Emerging Tech
Hands-on experience leading AI-focused engineering teams. Practical understanding of where AI delivers real value versus hype.
Advisory
Startup advisory
I advise early-stage and growth-stage startups across the West Coast, drawing on 20+ years of building companies from zero to acquisition. Based in Portland, Oregon — available for lightweight, high-impact advisory engagements.
Architecture Reviews
Evaluating your technical architecture for scalability, resilience, and long-term maintainability. Identifying risks before they become expensive problems.
Technical Due Diligence
Assessing codebases, engineering teams, and technical debt for investors, acquirers, or founders preparing for their next round. A practitioner's lens, not a checklist.
Engineering Strategy
Helping founders make high-leverage decisions about team structure, hiring priorities, and technical direction — without the overhead of a full-time engagement.
Contact
Let's connect
Whether you want to talk architecture, swap engineering war stories, or just say hello — I'd like to hear from you.