Ryan Kienstra
About Ryan Kienstra
Ryan Kienstra is a Senior Software Engineer at WP Engine, known for his contributions to WordPress development and open-source projects.
Professional Title and Current Role
Ryan Kienstra holds the position of Senior Software Engineer at WP Engine. His responsibilities encompass developing and maintaining advanced software solutions, specifically for the WordPress ecosystem. His role involves utilizing his extensive expertise in various programming languages and frameworks to improve the performance and functionality of WP Engine's products.
Previous Experience at XWP
Before joining WP Engine, Ryan Kienstra worked at XWP as a Senior WordPress Engineer from 2015 to 2020. During his five years at XWP, he contributed significantly to the development and enhancement of WordPress solutions. His tenure at XWP honed his skills in WordPress development and project management.
Educational Background in Music
Ryan Kienstra pursued academic studies in Jazz Studies. He achieved a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California, with studies spanning from 2009 to 2013. Prior to that, he obtained a Master of Music from DePaul University, studying there from 2005 to 2007. This solid foundation in music has contributed to his diverse skill set and unique approach to software engineering.
Significant Projects and Contributions
Ryan Kienstra has led several notable projects. He is the main developer of the Genesis Custom Blocks plugin, which builds on the Block Lab plugin's functionality. In 2023, he developed the Pattern Manager plugin using React and PHP. His open-source contributions include refactoring React components to TypeScript for the Gutenberg project from 2022 to 2023. Additionally, he created the WP SVN CircleCI® Orb in 2022, streamlining WordPress plugin deployment procedures.
Awards and Recognitions
Ryan Kienstra's contributions to the tech community have been recognized with the Google Open Source Peer Bonus Award for his work on the AMP Plugin for WordPress. This award highlights his commitment to open-source development and his impact on the WordPress community through innovative solutions and enhancements.
Development and Impact of Local CI
Ryan Kienstra developed Local CI, a VS Code extension written in TypeScript, which has been installed 12,000 times. This extension aids developers in debugging CI/CD processes locally, reflecting his proficiency in creating tools that enhance developer productivity and streamline workflows.