Fractional Technology Leadership

Katherine
Vargo

Available for engagements

Senior tech leadership,
without the full-time hire.

I help growing companies move faster and build smarter — as a fractional CTO and technical advisor with 20 years spanning infrastructure, platform architecture, and cross-functional team leadership. No full-time hire required.

01

Services

Advisory

Fractional CTO

Strategic technical leadership for early-stage and scaling companies. Architecture decisions, vendor evaluation, technical hiring, and roadmap clarity — without the full-time overhead.

Retainer · Starting $2,500 / mo
Execution

Technical PM & Eng Manager

Bring structure to your engineering team. Sprint management, cross-functional coordination, contractor oversight, and the bridge between product vision and technical delivery.

Retainer · Starting $2,000 / mo
Emerging Tech

AI Readiness & Implementation

Hands-on experience building AI-powered tools and APIs. Help your team evaluate, adopt, and actually ship AI features without the hype or the wasted sprints.

Project · Starting $1,000
02

Background

Certification Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
Certification Project Management Professional (PMP)
Certification Azure AI Engineer Associate
Experience 20 Years in Technology & Engineering Leadership
Stack Linux · K8s · Python · Node.js · Cloud & DevOps
Industry Enterprise Software, SaaS, Digital Products
Notable Prior Experience at Microsoft
Location Pittsburgh, PA — Available Remote Nationwide
03

How it Works

01

30-Minute Intro Call

No pitch, no pressure. We talk through where you are, what's slowing you down, and whether there's a fit. Free.

02

Scoped Proposal

You receive a clear scope of work — hours, deliverables, timeline, and cost. No ambiguity.

03

Flexible Engagement

Month-to-month retainers or fixed projects. Most clients start with a technical audit or a 60-day retainer to see results before committing further.

04

About

I'm a technology leader with nearly two decades of experience across infrastructure, platform engineering, and project management. I've worked in enterprise environments, built systems from scratch, and led cross-functional teams — and I bring that same rigor to every fractional engagement.

Outside of tech, I'm a two-time Ironman finisher, USMS Level 1 Swim Coach, and a dragon boat racer with the Pittsburgh Paddlefish. I teach fitness classes across university, community, and SilverSneakers settings — which means I spend a lot of time thinking about how to make complex things accessible and engaging.

I'm also genuinely excited about AI — not as a buzzword, but as something I build with. My side project, Endorphin Designs, is where I create fitness tools and AI-powered apps for athletes and coaches.

Currently into
Ironman & Triathlon Swim Coaching Dragon Boat Racing Fitness Instruction AI App Building
Also find me at Fitness & Digital Products Endorphin Designs Shop swim training programs, workout tools & more →

Let's talk.

Currently accepting a limited number of fractional engagements. Fill out the form and I'll be in touch within one business day.