Hi, I'm
Garrett

I build secure, well-crafted software. Cybersecurity background meets engineering discipline — from API design to application security.

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Garrett G SDE II · Synchrony
01

About

I'm Garrett, a Software Development Engineer at Synchrony with a background in cybersecurity and a focus on building reliable, secure applications.

I studied Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations at Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology, with an applied focus in Application Development. That combination shapes how I approach every project — security isn't an afterthought, it's part of the design.

Whether it's designing APIs, working across the stack in Java and Spring Boot, or digging into a gnarly problem, I care about writing code that actually holds up.

Current Role SDE II
Employer Synchrony
Background Cybersecurity
02

Experience

Synchrony Financial Services
Software Development Engineer II
2025 — Present
Software Development Engineer I
2024 — 2025
Technology BLP Intern
2022 — 2023
Penn State IST Higher Education
Learning Assistant
College of Information Sciences and Technology · 2022 — 2024
03

Education

Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
B.S. Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations
Applied Focus — Application Development
College of IST Class of 2024 LinkedIn Skill Assessment — Passed
04

Skills

Java
Kotlin
TypeScript
JavaScript
Python
Spring Boot
PCF
HashiCorp Vault
Docker
AWS
Postman
Fortify
NexusIQ
SonarQube
REST APIs
Microservices
CI/CD (CloudBees/Jenkins)
Git
IntelliJ
SAFe/PI Planning
Scrum
Agile
Jira Align
Computer Networking
Cybersecurity
Computer Forensics
AI-Assisted Development
05

Recipes

Things I've actually cooked and want to remember. Click any card to expand.

Savory

Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes

with Roasted Broccoli & Parmesan

4 servings ~35 min +
Ingredients
  • 1.5 lb ground turkey
  • 4 brioche buns
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • ⅓ cup ketchup
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ⅓ cup chicken stock
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1.5 lb broccoli florets
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan
  • 1 lemon
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper
Steps
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat broccoli completely dry — key to crispy edges.
  2. Toss broccoli and sliced garlic with 3 tbsp olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Spread cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast 18 min without stirring.
  3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook turkey 5–6 min until no pink remains and it gets some color. Add minced garlic, cook 1 min.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–1.5 min to caramelize. Add ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, vinegar, paprika, and chili powder. Stir to combine.
  5. Pour in chicken stock. Simmer uncovered on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and clings — about 8–9 min. Taste and adjust.
  6. Pull broccoli out, sprinkle parmesan over top, return to oven 3–4 min until melted and golden.
  7. Melt butter in a separate skillet. Toast buns cut-side down until golden, 1–1.5 min. Watch closely — brioche burns fast.
  8. Transfer broccoli to a plate, squeeze half the lemon over it and zest the other half. Pile turkey filling on toasted buns and serve immediately.
Notes Don't skip caramelizing the tomato paste — it builds a deeper flavor base. Broccoli must be completely dry before oiling or it steams instead of roasts. Filling keeps in the fridge 4–5 days.
Savory

Frank's-Style Crispy Chicken

with Roasted Carrots & Mashed Potatoes

2 servings ~30 min +
Ingredients
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
  • 3 tbsp Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • 6 tbsp sour cream
  • 3 tbsp blue cheese dressing
  • 2 scallions, sliced (whites & greens separated)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 3 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
  • 1.5 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 12 oz Yukon Gold potatoes, diced 1-inch
  • ⅓ cup chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper
Steps
  1. Mix spice blend: cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt.
  2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Cover potatoes with cold salted water, bring to boil.
  3. Simmer potatoes until fork-tender, 15–18 min. Drain and return to pot.
  4. Toss carrots with 1.5 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast 5 min while prepping chicken.
  5. Melt 1 tbsp butter. Mix with panko, entire spice blend, Monterey Jack, salt and pepper.
  6. Pat chicken dry. Brush top with 1 tbsp sour cream per breast. Press coated side firmly into panko mixture. Place crust-side up on baking sheet with carrots.
  7. Roast until crust is deep golden and chicken hits 165°F, and carrots have caramelized edges — 15–17 min.
  8. Whisk blue cheese dressing, scallion whites, and 2 tbsp sour cream together for sauce.
  9. Mash potatoes with 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp sour cream, and chicken stock. Season well.
  10. Plate mash, add carrots, top with crispy chicken. Drizzle sauce and honey, finish with scallion greens.
Notes 1 tsp cayenne = solid kick. Drop to ¾ tsp for less heat. Ranch swaps in perfectly for the blue cheese sauce. Start potatoes first, then carrots, then coat chicken — everything lands on the plate at the same time.
Savory

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Rich, creamy, garlic parmesan

2 cups 10 min +
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tsp garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 2 cups freshly grated parmesan
Steps
  1. Add butter and cream to a large skillet. Simmer over low heat for 2 min.
  2. Whisk in garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper for 1 min.
  3. Whisk in parmesan until fully melted.
  4. Serve immediately over your pasta of choice.
Notes Use freshly grated parmesan — pre-shredded won't melt as smoothly. Serve immediately; it thickens as it sits.
Sweet

Classic Buttercream Frosting

Simple vanilla, pipes beautifully

12 servings ~10 min +
Ingredients
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • Food coloring (optional)
Steps
  1. Cream butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth and fluffy.
  2. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until fully incorporated.
  3. Beat in vanilla extract.
  4. Add milk and beat 3–4 min. Add more sugar for a stiffer frosting.
  5. Add food coloring if using and beat 30 seconds until smooth.
Sweet

Carrot Cake

with Cream Cheese Frosting & Pecans

~12 servings ~1 hr +
Cake
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1¼ cups vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 cups grated carrots
  • 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Frosting
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Steps
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan.
  2. Beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla together until well combined.
  3. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in carrots and fold in pecans.
  4. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 40 min until a toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Cool in pan 10 min, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
  6. Beat confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Stir in pecans.
  7. Frost cooled cake and serve.
Sweet

Apple Cobbler

Cinnamon apples with a soft, fluffy topping

12 servings ~1 hr 20 min +
Apple Filling
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 8 cups peeled & sliced apples (¼-inch slices, ~7 apples)
  • 3 tbsp packed brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp allspice
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
Topping
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar + ½ tsp cinnamon (for sprinkling)
Steps
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
  2. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium. Add apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, flour, and spices. Cook stirring for 5 min until apples begin to soften. Transfer to pan.
  3. Whisk melted butter and sugar together. Add buttermilk, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until mostly smooth. Pour and spread batter over apples. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar on top. Gently swirl with a butter knife.
  4. Bake on center rack 48–55 min until topping is golden and filling bubbles at edges. Cover loosely with foil halfway if browning too quickly.
  5. Cool at least 5 min. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Notes Best apple varieties: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 5 days — reheat covered at 300°F for 20 min.
Sweet

Candy Cane Cheesecake

Peppermint filling, Oreo crust, holiday classic

~12 servings ~8 hrs +
Oreo Crust
  • 6 oz Oreo crumbs (1½ cups, ~15 cookies)
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Filling
  • 32 oz cream cheese (4 blocks), room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract
  • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup crushed candy cane pieces
Topping
  • Whipped cream
  • Crushed candy cane pieces
Steps
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9" springform pan.
  2. Pulse Oreos to fine crumbs. Mix with melted butter until it resembles wet sand. Press into pan bottom and 1 inch up the sides. Bake 10 min, cool on rack.
  3. Beat cream cheese 5–6 min until light and fluffy. Slowly add sugar and flour, mix 1–2 min on medium.
  4. Add peppermint extract. Pour in heavy cream on low, then increase to high for 1 min. Scrape bowl.
  5. On low, add eggs one at a time — do not overmix after adding eggs. Fold in candy cane pieces.
  6. Pour into pan, tap to release air bubbles. Bake at 350°F for 15 min, then reduce to 200°F (don't open door) for 50–55 min until center jiggles like Jell-O.
  7. Turn off oven, crack door, cool 30 min inside. Remove and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 6 hours (overnight is better).
  8. Pipe whipped cream around the top and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Run a warm knife around the edge to release from the pan.
Notes Use full-fat brick cream cheese only — no tubs or whipped. The slow temperature drop prevents cracking. Freezes well for up to 3 months wrapped tightly.

Recipes collected for personal reference. Some adapted from third-party sources — all credit to their original authors.

06

Contact

Have a project in mind or just want to connect? Feel free to reach out — I'm always open to new conversations.

LinkedIn garrett-ongie
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Email
garrett@ongie.net
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GitHub ongieg
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