Summary
Alastair Dawson is a Managing Software Engineer and API governance subject-matter expert with nine years of focused experience leading teams and architecting APIs for government and enterprise platforms. Based in Fullerton, CA, he currently manages 15 engineers at Ad Hoc, driving API governance and developer experience for VA Lighthouse (developer.va.gov) to help modernize services for veterans. His background spans startups to large projects, including designing a microservice event pipeline at adaptiv.io that processed millions of events per day and leading real-time product work at Swrve. A pragmatic engineering leader, he blends hands-on architecture, developer tooling, and team coaching to reduce technical debt and streamline delivery. He also brings a design-focused perspective from an earlier BA in Design and Visual Communications, which informs his emphasis on usable APIs and clear developer documentation. Colleagues rely on him for practical governance frameworks that balance compliance with fast-moving delivery.
9 years of coding experience
15 years of employment as a software developer
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Design and Visual Communications, General, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Design and Visual Communications, General at Regent's University London
French