Gilbert Mena

A dynamic and versatile engineering leader with a proven track record of delivering transformative results across diverse industries, including logistical software, billing systems, point-of-sale platforms, direct-to-consumer ventures, aerospace, and telecommunications. I specialize in leading complex technology overhauls, building high-performing teams, and driving strategic initiatives that deliver long-term value in fast-paced environments.

At TextNow, I led the most prominent engineering team responsible for systems supporting 10 million monthly active users, 2 million daily active users, and 6 million daily calls. I pioneered solutions to improve VoIP call setup times and push notification success, reducing network reconnection time from 15 seconds to 500ms and optimizing the call success rate. I also designed the software for the first hourly and daily wireless service passes in the U.S., managing the complexities of asynchronous telecom systems.

At Spark Networks, I directed the modernization of the technology stack, transitioning from a 15-year legacy infrastructure to a cloud-based, Kubernetes-powered microservices architecture. This overhaul improved scalability, enabled a flexible white-label solution for dating platforms, and resulted in $250k in annual cost savings. As head of engineering, I guided the company through its sale to EliteSingles, positioning the business for IPO success, with a platform generating $115 million in revenue and serving 500,000 global subscribers across 26 countries.

In aerospace, I led key initiatives at AirMap, including developing the architecture for NASA UPP2, EU Horizon 5D Aerosafe, and FOCA BV87 UTM Safety. We created systems for safety and regulatory agencies to apply rules, developed an economic model for the drone economy, and designed real-time and predictive geospatial route planning systems that supported highly performant calculations for real-time aircraft route planning.

I bring deep technical expertise in Go, PHP, Node.js, ReactJS, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Kubernetes, Helm, and cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP. My passion for innovation and strategic planning enables me to thrive in leadership roles, whether driving large-scale technology transformations or spearheading product innovation aligned with business goals.