Hello! I am
Arlen Johnson
I build accessible, elegant web applications.
I’m a web professional with years of experience crafting user-centered websites and applications for higher education, research organizations, and government agencies. I build websites that are accessible, easy to use, and technically sound.
About
My work spans from major open-source projects like COmanage Registry to accessibility audits for universities, from GIS-based regulatory tools to theming RFC presentation for the IETF. Communicating and establishing good relationships with users, clients, and collaborators is something I truly enjoy.
I began my career in the University of Maine system, moving to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute after graduate school where I built enterprise web applications and collaborated with technical teams across campus. At the University at Albany, I led development of the university’s Drupal web platform. As a partner with SCG Collaboration Group, I develop applications and sites for large research organizations including universities, government agencies, and consortia. Teaching has also been an important part of my career.
When I’m not working, I’m spending time with family and friends, enjoying cooperative games, playing tennis and chess, or performing music. The same creativity and enthusiasm informs how I approach user experience design, back-end programming, and architecture.
Skills
Frontend
- Accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA, auditing, VPAT
- Responsive design
- Vue.js, Nuxt, Vite
- HTML, CSS (including Tailwind)
- JavaScript, jQuery
Backend
- Drupal: upgrades, migrations, feature development; WordPress, Hugo
- PHP, CakePHP
- MariaDB, PostgreSQL
- RESTful APIs, ArcGIS APIs
- Java (Spring), Python (Flask)
Design
- UI/UX/Visual Design
- Information Architecture
- Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat)
DevOps
- Linux administration, Bash scripting
- Apache, nginx
- Git, GitHub Actions CI
- Docker
- Hosting: AWS, Linode, cPanel/WHM
Featured Work
COmanage Registry / COmanage Match
Core contributor to this widely-deployed identity and access management platform used by research organizations worldwide. Developed frontend components, implemented accessibility conformance, and authored comprehensive VPAT documentation.
Federation Readiness and Validation Tool
UI/UX developer of testing platform intended for federated authentication scenarios, allowing service providers to validate their implementations against mock identity providers with various configurations (MFA, entity categories, REFEDS assurance).
EMPAC: Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center
Web developer for a large performing arts center website, including feature development and ongoing upgrades from Drupal 7 through the latest Drupal 11.
University at Albany Web Platform
Led development of enterprise Drupal multisite platform supporting dozens of departmental sites. Oversaw feature development, accessibility conformance, performance optimization, and responsive design across the university’s web presence.
IETF RFC Editor HTML Styling
Supported the design and implementation of the standard HTML presentation layer for Internet Engineering Task Force RFCs, viewed by millions of users worldwide. Balanced technical requirements with readability and accessibility.
Bedework Enterprise Calendar System
UI/UX developer for the Bedework Enterprise Calendar System supporting public, personal, and group calendaring. It is designed to conform to calendaring standards with a goal of attaining strong interoperability between other calendaring systems and clients.
Contact
I can be reached through SCG Collaboration Group. You may also occasionally find me on LinkedIn.