William Alexander

William Alexander

Senior Web Developer & Digital Strategist

william@williamalexander.co | 540-819-9224 | Roanoke, VA

Professional Summary

Seasoned digital strategist and senior web developer with over 20 years of experience in web development, design, and digital marketing — nearly all of it within higher education. Proven ability to lead enterprise-scale digital initiatives, manage complex CMS migrations, and translate institutional goals into effective digital experiences. Known for combining strong technical acumen with a user-centered approach to web strategy, content design, and team collaboration.

Core Competencies

Web Development Excellence

  • Advanced WordPress Architecture
  • Full-Stack Development (HTML5, CSS3, PHP, JavaScript)
  • CMS Migrations & Theme Development
  • AWS & Cloud Infrastructure

Digital Strategy & Marketing

  • Strategic Digital Communications
  • SEO, Analytics, & Metric-Driven Optimization
  • Marketing Automation & Email Campaigns
  • User Experience Design & Accessibility

Leadership & Collaboration

  • Cross-Functional Team Leadership
  • Higher Education Web Ecosystems
  • Digital Marketing & Brand Alignment
  • Stakeholder Management

Professional Experience

Senior Web Developer

Sept 2022 – Present

Wake Forest University

  • Architect and optimize enterprise-level WordPress multisite installations hosted on AWS
  • Lead collaborative development teams using GitHub workflows and object-oriented PHP following S.O.L.I.D. principles
  • Drive continuous improvement of university web presence through strategic partnerships
  • Ensure scalable, secure infrastructure supporting exponential growth in digital properties

Web Development Manager

Sept 2021 – Sept 2022

Reynolds Community College

  • Orchestrated complete institutional transition from Modern Campus CMS to Cascade CMS
  • Designed and launched innovative WordPress-based event calendar system
  • Developed new college intranet using Cascade CMS
  • Modernized college catalog system from manual processes to dynamic digital platform

Assistant Director of Web Communications

Mar 2020 – Sept 2021

Sweet Briar College

  • Managed comprehensive WordPress Multisite ecosystem
  • Elevated college's digital presence through strategic web communications
  • Partnered with marketing teams to ensure brand consistency across all digital platforms

Freelance Web Developer & Digital Marketing Consultant

Sept 1999 – Present

WilliamAlexander.co

  • Built and sustained diverse client portfolio spanning 20+ years
  • Transformed client businesses through integrated web development and strategic digital marketing
  • Developed custom WordPress themes and plugins while implementing data-driven marketing strategies

Associate Professor of Communication Design & Web Development

2004 – 2019

Virginia Western Community College

  • Shaped next generation of digital professionals through innovative curriculum development
  • Bridged academic theory with industry practice through real-world project integration
  • Introduced new technologies and design practices to the program

Art Director

1999 – 2004

Leisure Publishing Company

  • Led creative vision for multiple publications, establishing brand standards and visual identity
  • Managed design, layout, and branding for print publications
  • Oversaw production and pre-press workflows

Pre-Press Manager

1997 – 1999

New River Newspapers

  • Managed production workflows ensuring quality and efficiency in daily newspaper operations
  • Directed print preparation, including color correction and layout

Education

M.S. in Information Technology – Web Design

Southern New Hampshire University | In Progress

M.A. in Liberal Studies – Creativity

Hollins University | 2005 – 2009

B.S. in Art – Graphic Design (Business Minor)

Radford University | 1993 – 1997

Technical Skills

Web Development & Infrastructure

  • PHP (OOP, S.O.L.I.D.), JavaScript (ES2020+), TypeScript, HTML5, CSS3, Sass
  • WordPress: multisite, Gutenberg blocks, custom plugins, REST API, headless
  • React, Node.js, REST & GraphQL APIs
  • AWS (EC2, S3, CloudFront, RDS, Route 53), nginx, Docker
  • Git, GitHub Actions, Composer, npm, CI/CD pipelines
  • CMS migrations, schema markup, edge caching, performance optimization
  • WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility, semantic HTML, keyboard & screen-reader testing

AI Integration & Automation

  • Anthropic Claude (API, Claude Code, Agent SDK), OpenAI API
  • Model Context Protocol (MCP) server development
  • Agent workflows, tool use, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
  • Prompt engineering for production systems
  • AI-powered content workflows & internal tooling
  • ElevenLabs (voice), Suno / Stable Audio (music), Fal / Flux (image)
  • AI for SEO & AEO: structured data, answer-engine optimization

Strategy, SEO & Design

  • Digital strategy & consulting for owner-led organizations
  • SEO audits, keyword research, technical optimization
  • AEO & LLM discoverability (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews)
  • Google Analytics 4, Search Console, Looker Studio
  • Marketing automation, lifecycle email, funnel design
  • Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator; Figma
  • Editorial & UI design, branding, publication, color & pre-press