A Full-Circle, Linux-Inspired Journey
Luis Felipe Hernandez has always been a naturally curious person, the kind who enjoys taking things apart just to see if he can put them back together. He discovered his interest in an IT career when he built his first computer to save money in college. That experience sparked a passion for all things Linux. Now a successful software engineer, and an adjunct professor, his passion drives him to share his skills and knowledge with his clients and students.
Why Not Build It?
Felipe was born and raised in Miami, FL, and later moved to Colombia, his parents’ home country. He returned to the United States at 19 and, shortly after, enrolled in community college.
A trip to Best Buy for a school computer became a pivotal moment in determining his career path. He asked a computer rep at the store which computer he recommended for his modest, student budget. “The rep suggested I build it myself,” Felipe said. “I couldn’t imagine how that would work, but he said there are books and information online, and that was all the direction I needed.”
“When I finally got all the parts together, it had zero problems and that was really satisfying,” he said. “Somehow, I just understood how it all worked.” That first build also introduced Felipe to the Linux operating system and exploring Linux opened the door to networking and security. By the time he took his first computer course, he realized he didn’t need to study as he’d already taught himself.
Linux introduced Felipe to the wider open source community. After discovering Linux groups on IRC, he began joining conversations and learning from others. “I met all these people who were also interested in technology and Linux,” Felipe said. “I felt part of the community, like I belonged.”
Coding Success Equals Opportunity
Felipe enrolled at Stony Brook University in New York to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. To help with expenses, he took a part-time job in the IT department as an application specialist, where he built an automated solution for the parking ticket tracking system, reducing processing time from days to seconds. The project caught the attention of the university’s software developers, who invited him to join their team. “That was my introduction to programming. I realized I loved it and never looked back,” he said.
His work with the development team soon led to an offer for a full-time position at a start-up—an exciting opportunity that came with a tough choice: continue his studies or take the job. “It was important to my parents that I finish school, an opportunity they never had,” Felipe said. Ultimately, he decided to accept the position.
In early 2023, despite the tough IT job market, Felipe started looking for a new position and that’s when he discovered the Linux Foundation’s certifications and training courses. “Linux offered the direction and focus I needed for the next stage of my career,” Felipe said.
Certifying Success
Felipe started with the Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) certification. He had worked with Kubernetes previously and wanted to dig deeper. Next he earned his Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS). And, in the summer of 2024, he was a mentee in the Linux kernel Bug Fixing Summer Mentorship program, which he considers, “By far one of the best experiences of my life.” He has also taken a number of Linux Foundation’s e-Learning courses, including: Developing Secure Software (LFD121) and RISC-V Fundamentals (LFD210).
“I didn’t take these courses and certifications thinking they’d be my ticket to a job,” he said. “For me, they were a structured way to learn and validate my skills. Because the exams are performance-based, not multiple choice, they really boosted my confidence. I also like having a set time frame to study and then take the exam. It’s a great way to practice, refine, and deepen your craft.”
Full Circle
After some months in the job market, Felipe has landed squarely on his feet. He is currently employed by Beacon Hill Staffing Group as a software engineer and assigned on contract to Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Technology. In this role, he’s been working on specific types of projects, e.g., application development, system integrations, automation, and collaborating with Disney’s engineering teams to deliver solutions. He said, “While I’m technically a Beacon Hill employee, my day-to-day work is fully embedded within Disney’s technology organization, contributing to their ongoing initiatives.”
Felipe now applies his skills as a software engineer, continuing to learn, build, and share within the open source community that first sparked his interest. He’s currently leading an observability initiative at work and deepening his expertise in Prometheus, both for the systems he’s architecting and for the class he’ll be teaching later this semester. He’s also considering pursuing the Prometheus Certified Associate (PCA) credential later this year, potentially followed by the OpenTelemetry Certified Associate (OTCA) or Certified Argo Project Associate (CAPA), as all three tools play a key role in his daily work and teaching.
It’s a fitting continuation, and a full-circle moment, for a Linux-inspired journey.
Luis Felipe Hernandez
Senior Software Engineer, Beacon Hill Staffing Group
& Adjunct Professor, Rollins College
