At UnionHub, we’re powered by curious minds who never stop learning; people who see challenges as opportunities and community as the foundation of great work. One of those people is Mathew Boggs, our Application Development Team Lead, whose path to tech began in an unexpected place: the wildlands.
From the Forest to Full Stack
Before Mathew was guiding development teams and designing system architecture, he was deep in the mountains — literally. He spent years working with the U.S. Forest Service at a Fire Supply Cache, refurbishing and fixing tools and equipment used by wildland firefighters. When fires broke out, he and his crew would load up trucks and deliver gear directly to the camps, sometimes working 13 days straight, 12+ hours a day.
“It was exhausting but rewarding,” Mathew says. “You learned teamwork in a whole new way. When everyone’s relying on each other in tough conditions, communication and trust become everything.”
That experience stuck with him. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mathew decided to pursue a long-held interest and enrolled in a coding bootcamp. “I’d always wanted to get into software,” he says. “The bootcamp gave me the chance to take that leap.” What started as a passion project quickly turned into a career that blended his love of problem-solving with his knack for systems thinking.
Leading with Empathy and Architecture
Today, as Application Development Team Lead at UnionHub, Mathew spends his days making sure the team has what they need to build “this thang,” as he puts it — the systems and services that make UnionHub’s platform tick.
His role sits at the intersection of development, architecture, and design, and he works closely with the Data and UX teams to ensure every part of the platform is efficient, elegant, and scalable. “It’s about guiding direction, not dictating it,” he explains. “I want to make sure our developers feel supported, our systems feel cohesive, and our users feel the impact.”
Lately, Mathew has been focused on refining internal processes as the team grows.
“We’ve built something really special here, both in terms of product and culture,” he says. “As we add new team members, we want to keep doing great work while also welcoming new perspectives and ideas. Growth isn’t just about scaling the system, it’s about evolving the people who build it.”
Proud Moments and Powerful Culture
When asked what he’s most proud of at UnionHub, Mathew doesn’t hesitate: “Our culture,” he says. “The attitude and motivation across the company are incredible. Everyone here genuinely wants to make something meaningful and to help each other do it.”
He’s also proud of the technical wins, especially the ones that don’t always make headlines.
“We’ve created a solution to a problem that a lot of people had written off as ‘too complex’ to solve,” he says. “And beyond that, I’m proud of the more ‘mundane’ features that have a huge day-to-day impact on our users — like our search service. It may not sound flashy, but it changes everything for the people using it.”
Beyond the Code
Outside of work, Mathew’s life is full of creativity and companionship. He’s been with his partner Emma for ten years, and their home is happily run by two cats, Rick and Morty, and a flat-coated retriever named Moose.
When he’s not architecting applications, you might find him playing guitar, painting, or diving into a new video game (all ways to recharge and express himself). “I’ve always needed some outlet for creativity,” he says. “Whether it’s a brushstroke or a few lines of code, it’s all about building something from nothing.”
The Heart of UnionHub
Mathew sees UnionHub as more than a workplace, it’s a collaborative experiment in doing things right.
“We’ve built not just software, but a mindset,” he says. “We respect each other, we stay curious, and we push for quality in everything we do.”
As UnionHub continues to grow, Mathew’s focus remains the same: nurturing that culture while continuing to refine and expand the tools that empower users, and each other.
