UI developer & design-systems engineer
I make the web feel a little more human.
Hi, I'm Pete. I build accessible interfaces for federal health infrastructure at the CDC and the VA, with a steady stream of open-source tools for the open web. Thirty years in the craft, still here because it matters.
01 Selected work
Federal systems, built to last.
Real-time disease surveillance
Built the data-visualization dashboards behind CDC's OPHDST platform, surfacing AI-driven public-health intelligence and modernizing a legacy codebase to Vue 3 and Vite.
Read the case study CDCThe CDC.gov design system
Stood up CDC.gov's design system from scratch, scaled it across 200+ page templates, and drove Section 508 compliance to 100% across federal health infrastructure.
Read the case study...and the things I build for fun
md-fun
Browser-based Markdown editor with real-time preview, syntax-highlighted code blocks, toolbar shortcuts, file save and load, and DOMPurify-sanitized output. No login, no server.
Florida's Scenic Byways
Every one of Florida's 37 designated scenic byways plotted on a single interactive map. Navigate by region, explore points of interest, and use it offline as a Progressive Web App.
StrayPath
Trip discovery app that finds scenic routes, small-town stops, parks, overlooks, and odd roadside detours near a route.
smawl URL Shortener
A simple, self-hosted URL shortener with short link generation and no external service dependencies.
02 Writing
Trails, code, and the web.
The Farm at Cross Creek
Rawlings bought this cracker farm in 1928, won a Pulitzer here, and stayed for twenty years. Driving past one afternoon, I stopped to see what remained.
Read the postWhat Government Website Design Actually Looks Like
USWDS is a solid design system. Most federal websites aren't running it. Here is what government digital design looks like in practice, from VA.gov to state systems.
The Calhoun Effect
In 1968, a scientist built a mouse paradise and watched it collapse. The study failed to replicate. It may still be telling us something true.
03 Open source tools
Useful things, freely given.
Thirty-some years of running into the same problems. These are some of the results: mostly zero-dependency, all free.
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create-vvv CLI
Vue 3 + Vite + Vercel scaffolder in one command.
explore -
ResourceLoader Lib
Promise-based dynamic loading for scripts & styles.
explore -
StorageManager Lib
localStorage with TTL, compression & cross-tab sync.
explore -
Maths.js Lib
Stats and number-theory helpers native Math forgot. Under 1kb.
explore -
Visual Chromatics Tool
Pull color palettes from any image, export as CSS.
explore -
SaltyKeys Tool
Client-side API-key obfuscation for public demos.
explore -
Tailwind Hue Theme Plugin
Shift a whole palette at runtime with one CSS variable.
explore -
EmbedManager Lib
Lazy, privacy-respecting embeds from one attribute.
explore
04 Praise
What people say.
Peter is definitely a 'unicorn' in the industry. He has the eye for details like a designer as well as the coding skills to make those designs a reality. He was the only developer who was an 'honorary designer' on our team.
Pete is highly skilled at creating user-friendly, visually appealing web experiences while demonstrating best practices. His focus on usability and clean, maintainable code has ensured the success of many initiatives.
Pete adhered to established standards while remaining open to the recommendations of UI designers. His collaborative approach allowed us to create more accessible and robust user experiences. An invaluable asset to the team.
05 Off the clock
The rest of the story.
I live in Ocala, Florida, which is about as central and green and underrated as you'd expect. We have more natural springs per square mile than anywhere else on earth and most people never take full advantage of it. Silver Springs, Alexander Springs, Blue Run. I do my best.
I'm a longtime reader, a reluctant gardener, and someone who has strong opinions about trail maps. I've been known to build something just because the problem bothered me. I grew up in Middle-earth, which probably tells you everything you need to know about my interior life.
If any of this sounds like someone you'd like to work with, or just grab a coffee and talk shop with, I'm always up for it.
somewhere off US-441