Keenan Whittaker
About Keenan Whittaker
Keenan Whittaker is a Senior Full Stack Developer currently at Firmex, with a decade of experience at Microsoft where he contributed significantly to the development of key features in Office applications.
Work at Firmex
Keenan Whittaker has been employed at Firmex as a Senior Full Stack Developer since 2022. In this role, he utilizes his extensive background in software development to contribute to various projects. His responsibilities include designing and implementing complex software solutions that meet the needs of the organization and its clients. Whittaker's experience in full stack development allows him to work on both front-end and back-end technologies, ensuring a seamless integration of user interfaces and server-side logic.
Previous Experience at Microsoft Corporation
Before joining Firmex, Keenan Whittaker worked at Microsoft Corporation for a decade, from 2000 to 2010, in Redmond, Washington. As a Software Design Engineer in the Office User Experience team, he played a significant role in developing key features for Microsoft Office applications. His contributions included the development of the core Ribbon event API, which is essential for user interaction across all Office apps for Windows. Additionally, he was the primary developer of the Microsoft Excel Ribbon, enhancing the user interface and functionality of the application.
Education and Expertise
Keenan Whittaker studied Computer Science at the University of Waterloo, where he also achieved expertise in Mathematics. His educational background provides a strong foundation for his work in software development. Whittaker possesses professional expertise in several areas, including security, privacy, accessibility, and globalization. This expertise is particularly relevant for developing products that are distributed to a global audience, ensuring that they meet diverse user needs and regulatory requirements.
Contributions to Microsoft Office Development
During his tenure at Microsoft, Keenan Whittaker contributed to several significant projects that improved the functionality of Microsoft Office applications. He was involved in the development of the API for the full-page Print Place feature in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, which enhanced document printing capabilities. His work on the Ribbon event API and the Excel Ribbon has had a lasting impact on user experience within these widely used applications.
Professional Skills and Experience
Keenan Whittaker has extensive experience in optimizing business processes and leading quality assurance initiatives. His skills encompass a broad range of software development practices, focusing on creating efficient and effective solutions. Whittaker's background in quality assurance ensures that the products he develops meet high standards of performance and reliability, contributing to overall user satisfaction.