I design MySQL and PostgreSQL schemas that are normalized, fast, and easy to maintain, whether you're starting fresh or fixing a database that has slowed down.
Every application sits on a database, and when it's poorly planned you feel it everywhere: slow pages, duplicate records, reports that don't add up. I design data structures that stay fast and consistent as your application grows.
I work mainly with MySQL and PostgreSQL on production systems, with careful schema design up front, normalization so each piece of data lives in one place, and indexing so common queries stay quick even when a table holds millions of rows. When a query is slow, I read the execution plan and fix the cause instead of paying for a bigger server.
Where I help most
I plan schemas for new applications before code locks them in, and speed up existing databases that have slowed down. I migrate data off legacy systems without losing or scrambling records, which I've done for associations moving thousands of members onto new platforms. And I set up backups and integrity checks so a bad day never turns into a lost database.
Association work shows why structure matters. Members belong to chapters, zones, or clubs, fees vary by category and chapter, and years of history have to survive every change. Two examples: importing members from a legacy system for the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada, and the membership system behind chapter-specific pricing for CIM | Chartered Managers Canada.
