CTO Engineering & Technology Leader

Mark DePalma

***********@*****.*** · Southbury, CT · linkedin.com/in/markdepalma

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Transformational engineering and technology leader with a proven track record of architecting and scaling AI-powered data ecosystems and enterprise software products. Demonstrated expertise in developing secure, cloud-native solutions, modernizing legacy platforms, and leading global engineering teams to deliver impactful AI, machine learning, and analytics capabilities. A servant-leader who builds high-trust cultures, empowers teams, and develops next-generation engineering leaders through coaching, clarity, and accountability. Strategic, execution-focused, and deeply experienced in translating business objectives into innovative technology solutions that deliver measurable results in fast-paced, mission-driven environments. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

● Spearheaded technology innovation that contributed directly to three successful acquisitions.

● Led 100+ global staff across Data Science, Software & Data Engineering, DevOps, and IT, building a high-trust, high-performance engineering culture.

● Consolidated engineering systems, resulting in $1M+ annual AWS savings and $2.5M reduction in headcount costs without impacting product quality or delivery timelines.

● Architected and launched a cybersecurity platform protecting digital identities from online fraud.

● Designed and delivered data architectures and AI models for three Buyer Intent Engine platforms, enabling advanced insights, precision advertising, and new revenue opportunities.

● Led major cloud migrations and enterprise-scale data infrastructure transformations, reducing technical debt and improving scalability, reliability, and security.

● Unified global engineering teams post-acquisition, driving cross-team collaboration, improving execution, and developing next-generation leaders through structured mentorship and coaching. SKILLS

Executive Technology Leadership & Strategy · Technology Vision, AI & Data Strategy, and Roadmapping · Product & Platform Innovation · M&A Technology Integration · Global Engineering Leadership · Cross-Functional Alignment · Executive Communication and Board Reporting · Budgeting & Resource Optimization · Machine Learning, Generative AI, and Predictive Analytics · Data Architecture, Engineering, and Governance · AI/ML Ops and Large-Scale Data Platforms · Cloud Architecture & Migration · Cloud-Native Application Design · Distributed Systems & Microservices · CI/CD, DevSecOps, and Infrastructure as Code · Software Architecture & SDLC Optimization · Data Privacy, Security, and Regulatory Compliance WORK EXPERIENCE

CloneMeNot - Southbury, CT

Chief Technology Officer Jan 2024 - Present

● Brought the company from zero to one by establishing the technology vision and product architecture. Led the end-to-end development of an AI-driven cybersecurity platform protecting digital identities across social media, owning strategy, design, and execution through production readiness.

● Delivered a scalable, serverless full-stack solution using Python, React, and TypeScript on AWS. Integrated Anthropic Claude Sonnet via AWS Bedrock for profile analysis, anomaly detection, sentiment evaluation, and automated reporting.

● Developed an AI chatbot leveraging RAG, FAISS, LangChain, and Claude Sonnet. Managed integrations with major social platforms and implemented secure Stripe-based billing. Applied Amazon Q generative AI to accelerate design, development, and testing cycles. DemandScience - Danvers, MA

Chief Technology Officer May 2023 - Nov 2023

● Built and launched ML-based Buyer Intent Engine using Snowflake and AWS.

● Oversaw Live Data Factory initiative to normalize data from global sources into a unified data vault.

● Delivered MVP of ReplyForce, an AI-driven B2B email outreach platform, and major release of Klarity, a SaaS B2B Prospecting service.

● Unified global engineering and product teams post-acquisition; drove AI product development.

● Led Engineering & Data Science teams across the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, India, and Philippines. Spiceworks Ziff Davis - Austin, TX

Chief Data Officer / Chief Technology Officer Jun 2016 - Apr 2023

● Led 100+ global Engineering org spanning Data Science, Data & Software Engineering, DevOps & IT.

● Consolidated engineering systems, achieving $1M+ in annual AWS savings and reducing headcount costs by $2.5M without product impact.

● Built next-gen AI Buyer Intent Engine integrating 1st/3rd-party data within AWS and Snowflake.

● Directed transformation of data infrastructure, team scale-up, and AI product innovation.

● Led teams of engineers and contractors across the U.S., India, Poland, and Costa Rica. Aberdeen (Acquired by Spiceworks Ziff Davis in Dec 2020) - Wilton, CT Chief Technology Officer / Senior Vice President of Engineering

● Oversaw full rearchitecture and AWS migration of Aberdeen OnDemand SaaS platform, big data pipelines and infrastructure, ElasticSearch index, and data governance with GDPR & CCPA.

● Built cloud-native systems to automate delivery of actionable B2B buyer intent data.

● Led acquisition-focused due diligence and post-merger technology consolidation.

● Directed Engineering teams and contractors across the U.S. and Poland. The Big Willow (Acquired by Aberdeen in Dec 2018) - Wilton, CT VP of Engineering

● Designed AI-driven systems to extract buyer intent signals from billions of daily web events.

● Built a demand-side platform (DSP) using C/C++ with real-time, low latency ad bid processing.

● Developed NLP ML pipeline using Python, Spark, AWS EMR & Athena, scikit-learn, nltk, pandas, numpy, Tensorflow & PyTorch.

● Created Python/Flask-based reporting engine and PowerBI client portal for business visualization.

● Delivered Salesforce CRM integration with a custom Salesforce app based on Apex & Visualforce. ASML - Wilton, CT

Group Leader, Software Engineering Nov 2013 - Jun 2016

● Led development for robotic and laser systems in semiconductor manufacturing.

● Oversaw project planning, execution, and resource allocation, delivering high-quality software for advanced lithography systems.

● Mentored and developed a multidisciplinary team of software engineers, architects, and testers.

● Directed C/C++ based software development with Python test suites on Linux.

● Communicated technical updates and project milestones to stakeholders, including senior management, and mitigated development risks through proactive problem-solving.

● Acted as quality gatekeeper across all software releases.

● Managed cross-disciplinary coordination with hardware and systems engineering. Hewlett-Packard - Danbury, CT

R&D Manager, Business Transaction Management / R&D Team Manager Feb 1997 - Nov 2013

● Led cross-functional R&D teams to design, develop, and deliver innovative business transaction management products, enabling enterprise clients to monitor and optimize complex IT processes.

● Managed end-to-end product lifecycle for transaction tracking, diagnostics, and business process insight solutions, driving continuous product enhancement and roadmap execution.

● Oversaw strategic planning, resource allocation, and project execution, delivering on-time releases while ensuring quality, compliance, and efficient use of budgeted resources.

● Integrated Bristol’s technology and tech stack into HP and Mercury Interactive solutions.

● Led remote engineering teams across the U.S., Canada, Germany, Ukraine, and Israel. Bristol Technology (Acquired by Hewlett-Packard in Mar 2007) - Danbury, CT Director of Engineering Quality / Eng QA Manager / Prin. Software Eng

● Established Bristol's inaugural Engineering QA organization, pioneering advanced test automation and implementing QA best practices to enhance product quality and development efficiency.

● Developed enterprise business transaction tracking software and cross-platform developer products across Windows, mainframe, and multiple Linux & Unix operating systems & hardware.

● Co-developed 2 new products: Jprinter, which provided Windows and Unix/Linux printing services for Java, and eXactML which compiled XML DTD/Schema into C++ interface code.

● Completed multiple high-profile client professional services engagements. BOARD EXPERIENCE

Seeds of Hope for Haiti, Inc. 501(c)(3) - Southbury, CT Vice Chair / Member of Board of Directors Jan 2024 - present CERTIFICATIONS

AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Oct 2025 AWS Certified AI Practitioner Sep 2025

EDUCATION

Master of Science, Computer Science - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering - University of Connecticut

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