Innovative IT Pro | Specializing in Cloud Engineering and Development
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m Levi Smith. I’m a highly motivated individual that is continuously looking to learn new things. I have a lot of patience (with most things), so I’m uniquely well-suited to teaching (see my work experience). I despise needless repetition and will do whatever it takes to get something done right the first time so I don’t have to do it again. I have many hobbies, including reading (both fiction and textbooks), playing video games (when time allows), playing with anything technical, programming (primarily web development), riding my bike, spending time with my friends and family, walking my dog, Archer (AKA Archie - for more on him click the button below), and weight-lifting, among others.
As my educational background will tell you, I graduated from Covington High School in 2007. I spent the last two years of my high school education taking part in the PSEOP program (where students earn high school and college credit simultaneously). I was also on the Student Technology Assistance Team (STAT), which is where I met my mentor, Nadine Zimmer. In the twelve years that followed, our relationship grew, and she ended up having a very profound impact on my life. I went from a severe introvert to an extrovert over these many years. Nadine was extraordinarily extroverted and never knew a stranger. Sadly, she is no longer with us, but her impact on the world carries on. I now sponsor a little girl from Bolivia named Natalia, who shares her birthday (and, by the look of her picture, her personality as well). I now share many of the experiences and life lessons that I learned from Nadine with Natalia.
After high school, I immediately went off to college at Wright State University, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science in 2011. Throughout my time at Wright State, I continued working at Covington Exempted Village Schools in the Technology Department with Nadine. After graduating, Nadine took on additional responsibility to make room for me to work there full-time. When Nadine retired (the first time), I took her place as the Technology Director and continued to work with her as my subordinate. Fortunately, our relationship was one that allowed us to make this transition with ease. When Nadine retired entirely from the district, I also began working at Edison State Community College as an Adjunct Instructor. I enjoyed teaching so much; I made the difficult decision to leave the district and pursue a full-time career as an educator. Another primary motivator was my desire to pursue additional education (such as a Master’s degree), which wasn’t possible with my weekly workload at the district. This brings me to where I am now.
In my short time at Edison State, I have already accomplished quite a bit. I spent my first year updating the information technology curriculum at the college. This was no easy feat. The changes and proposals that I brought forward were not well received (at first), but with my patience and justifications, everyone ended up coming around to my way of thinking. The next year, I set out on the task of building an entirely new program: Interactive Media. I had discussed this as a possibility during one of my interviews, but never dreamed that I would be putting the idea into practice so quickly. In the end, I managed to get three new degree options approved in Graphic Design, Web Design, and Web Development. Of course, during all of this, I’d been barreling through Master’s courses at Franklin University. Completing a Master’s degree would not have been possible for me in my previous career (as I simply didn’t have the time), but I managed to graduate in August 2020. Now I'm on to working on my Doctorate in Information Technology with an Information Security focus. Wish me luck!
Dog · Bernedoodle · Mar 6, 2025 · 1y

Archie before his eyes were even open!

Archie right before he came home for the first time!

Archie during his first garage sale at home. He got to meet a lot of people!

Archie when he was only a few days old. Can you pick him out?

Archie tends to look better with more hair on his head (we call this his bouffant). LOL!

Archie at a concert in Michigan. It was hot, so he had to wear his cooling vest.

Archie on his first day home. He really likes my Moon Pod!

Archie got his first haircut! Not sure if he likes it!

Archie got to try some yogurt (which he loved). Still some on that chin?

Archie got to try some yogurt (which he loved). Still some on that chin?

Archie just chilling and hanging out!

Archie playing with some of his many favorite toys!

Archie with a mischievous look on his face. What's he plotting?
Dog · Australian Shepherd · Jul 6, 2025 · 8mo
Dog · German Shepherd
Sachsen (pronounced Saxon) was my German Shepherd. He also went by Shashon, Shasony, and Bozo. Very few people had the privilege of meeting Sachsen as he tended to be extremely overprotective. He generally took a “bite first, ask questions later” approach to virtually all situations, so I had to be careful with him. Honestly, I think he was abused as a puppy (before he came into my care), and I was the first to ever show him any compassion, so he immediately bonded with me. Sadly, Sachsen passed away in January 2025 after a long and hard fought battle with a Thymoma (a tumor on the Thymus gland). He will forever be missed. Rest in peace, Shashon.
Anyway, despite his overprotective nature, Sachsen was generally a good dog. He loved to play a lot (mainly fetch, tug-of-war, and bubbles). He also loved to go for car rides, walks, and to the park. Generally, he got so excited when we undertook these activities that he endlessly chased his tail. He was also a cuddle-bug and frequently violated my personal space. The owner’s manual for a German Shepherd should explicitly mention that they don’t understand the concept of personal space.
He was also an avid TV viewer and loved barking at the TV whenever there was a dog or ball on it. One of his favorite “balls” was the white dot that goes across the screen during the theme song of the TV show Archer. Just hearing the theme song for the series would bring him from anywhere in the house, so that he could bark at that white dot. He was also extremely bright. For example, he quickly figured out how to open the doors in my house (since they have plunger handles, rather than knobs). This fact essentially meant that there was no room in my house that was off-limits to him. All in all, Sachsen was an excellent dog once he got to know you.

Sachsen and Jax (his brother).

Sachsen and his Snowfriend.

Sachsen all professional-like.

Sachsen trying to get his tail (like always).

Sachsen in the morning (do we seriously have to get up)?

Sachsen just chilling.

Sachsen after getting his first bath. He wasn't happy!

Sachsen as a puppy.

Sachsen as a sleepy puppy.

Sachsen on one of his rare sleepy occasions.
Sachsen watching his favorite show Archer.
Sachsen excited to go for a walk.
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