Kathy has been interested in learning theory since her days as a game designer (she wrote games for Virgin, MGM, and Amblin’). She developed much of the Head First format while teaching New Media Authoring for UCLA Extension’s Entertainment Studies program. More recently, she’s been a master trainer for Sun Microsystems, teaching Sun’s Java instructors how to teach the latest Java technologies, and developing several of Sun’s certification exams, including the SCBCD. Together with Bert Bates, she has been actively using the Head First concepts to teach throusands of developers. She is the founder of one of the largest Java community websites in the world, javaranch.com, which won a 2003 Software Development magazine Productivity Award. You can also catch her teaching Java certification classes on the Java Jam Geek Cruise (geekcruises.com).
She recently moved from California to Boulder, Colorado, where she’s had to learn new words like, “ice scraper” and “fleece”, but at least there’s skiing. She likes to run, ride horses, and take the scenic route. In her non-existent spare time, Bert’s trying to teach her to play go (she’s awful).
A famous person once referred to her as “cogent”. She’s still trying to figure out if he meant that in a good way. If you know, or you have any other comments, write to her at kathy@wickedlysmart.com.
Bert is a software developer and architect, but a decade-long stint in artificial intelligence drove his interest in learning theory and technology-based training. He’s been teaching programming to clients ever since. Recently, he’s been a member of the development team for several of Sun’s Java Certification exams, including the new SCBCD.
He spent the first decade of his software career travelling the world to help broadcast clients like Radio New Zealand, the Weather Channel, and the Arts & Entertainment Network (A & E). One of his all-time favorite projects was building a full rail system simulation for Union Pacific Railroad.
Bert is a long-time, hopelessly addicted go player, and has been working on a go program for way too long. Java may finally be a language expressive enough for him to finish the project. He’s a fair guitar player [note from Kathy: he’s way better than fair], and is now trying his hand at banjo.
His beloved border collie died the day this book was finished. Thank-you Aiko, for sticking around long enough to help us finish. We’ll miss you.
Write to him at terrapin@wickedlysmart.com.
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