Available for Freelance

Rob KalajianEnterprise Web Architect& Technical Lead

Bridging AI-assisted development with zero-debt architecture. Specializing in scaling Enterprise WordPress, Headless CMS, and Jamstack platforms, with 23 years of full-stack experience.

23 Years Full-StackEnterprise WordPressJamstack & HeadlessAI-Assisted DevZero Technical Debt

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Architectural Case Studies

The challenge. The architecture. The impact.

Real engagements. No screenshots. Just the decisions that mattered.

Lead Architect / Technical Lead

Enterprise Infrastructure Migration

Digital Agency (Confidential)

Q2–Q3 2023

WordPressWPEngineRoots (Trellis/Bedrock/Sage)GitHub ActionsCI/CDDNS Management

The Challenge

Agency was losing significant billable hours to heavy DevOps maintenance burden on a Roots stack (Trellis, Bedrock, Sage). Server provisioning, SSL renewals, and environment drift were consuming engineering capacity that should have been client-facing.

The Architecture

Led the strategic evaluation and migration from self-managed Roots infrastructure to WPEngine's enterprise hosting platform.

Architected the migration playbook covering DNS cutover, database transfers, and environment parity
Implemented WPEngine's advanced caching layers (full-page, object caching) to match or exceed prior CDN performance
Preserved existing CI/CD workflows via WPEngine's GitHub Actions integration
Established environment parity between local (DevKit), staging, and production across 12+ client sites

The Impact

Eliminated ~15 hours/month of reactive DevOps maintenance per developer
Achieved zero-downtime cutover across all migrated sites
Development velocity increased as engineers focused on features rather than infrastructure
Reduced time-to-provision new client environments from days to minutes

Lead Architect / Senior Engineer

Budr Cannabis Platform Rebuild

Budr Cannabis

2022–2023

WordPressWCAG 2.1 AATailwind CSSaxe-coreCustom Data MigrationWPEngineACF

The Challenge

High-stakes enterprise site migration requiring complex data handling, strict WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance, and regulatory-aware content architecture in a heavily scrutinized industry. Zero tolerance for downtime or data loss.

The Architecture

Engineered a custom, accessibility-first WordPress platform built for editorial speed and long-term maintainability.

Architected a custom WordPress theme with strict semantic HTML and ARIA compliance baked in from day one
Implemented WCAG 2.1 AA compliance framework: keyboard navigation, color contrast audit, screen reader testing
Built custom data import pipeline to migrate legacy product catalogs with zero data corruption
Established rigorous QA protocol: cross-browser testing, accessibility audits (axe-core), and performance budgets

The Impact

Delivered a platform earning explicit trust from high-profile client leadership teams
Achieved WCAG 2.1 AA compliance audit pass on first submission
Performance scores: 95+ Lighthouse on all four metrics at launch
Post-launch: zero critical defects reported in first 90 days

SOLE DEVELOPER

Throw-Yo Analytics Dashboard

Throw-Yo Threads (Personal Project)

WordPressTailwind CSSGA4 Data APIWooCommerceYNAB API

The Challenge

Running a one-person handmade yo-yo string brand meant critical business data was siloed across three platforms: GA4 for traffic, WooCommerce for orders, and YNAB for expenses. No unified view of profitability existed, and third-party solutions capable of cross-platform correlation were priced well above what a boutique side business could justify.

The Architecture

Built a custom WordPress admin plugin that unifies all three data sources into a single five-tab dashboard with 20+ reporting sections.

Implemented GA4 Data API access via RS256-signed service account JWT. No Google client library dependency
Built HPOS-aware WooCommerce query layer supporting all three real-world storage configurations (HPOS + attribution table, HPOS without, legacy wp_posts)
Integrated YNAB v1 API for actual P&L: expenses by category, profit draws via category activity endpoint (not transaction scan), Patreon inflows by payee
Developed a cross-reference layer merging GA4 acquisition channels with
WooCommerce order attribution, with mobile subdomain normalization and bot traffic filtering
Added Custom Orders module for off-platform commissions with full CRUD, propagated into all financial totals

The Impact

Eliminated the three-tab, spreadsheet-assisted reporting workflow entirely
Actual profit margin (after fees, materials, and taxes) visible in one section
Quarterly tax prep auto-calculates Schedule C waterfall with SE tax. No manual spreadsheet
Export for Claude feature turns dashboard data into a structured markdown briefing for conversational analysis

Engineering Philosophy

How I architect systems that last

Principles I enforce across every codebase, team, and client engagement.

AI as an Engine, Not a Pilot

Leveraging AI for rapid prototyping and code generation while acting as the senior architectural filter, ensuring every output adheres to maintainable patterns, security standards, and long-term readability. Speed is not a license to skip standards.

Technical Debt is Financial Debt

Enforcing strict PR reviews, Tailwind CSS standardization, and a 'slow is smooth' QA philosophy to prevent future refactoring costs. Every shortcut taken today becomes a billable hour tomorrow. Architecture decisions are business decisions.

Full-Stack Context

20+ years of Linux system administration (Debian/Red Hat), database management (MySQL/PostgreSQL), and DevOps inform every front-end architectural decision. I design for the infrastructure it runs on.

Core Competencies

23 years of stack depth

The full surface area I operate across, from system administration to UI architecture.

CMS & Platforms

Enterprise WordPress
Headless CMS
Decap CMS
Jamstack
WPEngine

Front-End

Next.js
React
TypeScript
Tailwind CSS
JavaScript (ES2023)

Back-End & APIs

Node.js
PHP
REST APIs
GraphQL
MySQL / PostgreSQL

Infrastructure & DevOps

Linux (Debian / Red Hat)
AWS
Netlify
CI/CD (GitHub Actions)
Docker

Architecture & Process

Zero Technical Debt
PR Review & Standards
Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA)
Performance Budgets
AI-Assisted Development