Staff
Matt Shadel • Founding Partner, CEO
Matt has 10 years experience in business development, project management, application and database development, and technical instruction. Matt has also worked as a Senior Engineer, Adjunct Professor, and Service Manager. He received a B.A. in Cognitive Science from the University of Virginia.
Tim McDaniels • Founding Partner, CTO
Tim is the director of Category 4’s programming department, where he establishes development standards, trains programmers, and still does quite a bit of coding himself. Tim has 9 years experience in the areas of knowledge management, project management, application and database development, system administration, and staff training. Proficient in a variety of programming languages, Tim is also an experienced UNIX and Windows NT system administrator. He received a B.A. in English Literature with a Minor in Computer Science from James Madison University.
Jennifer Hoyt Tidwell • Founding Partner, Director of Sales & Marketing
Jennifer Hoyt Tidwell has over 11 years experience in sales, project management and design. A founding partner of Category 4 in 1998, she led the company as president until 2004. She holds a B.A. in English Literature from University of Virginia.
Elizabeth Sara • Project Manager
A transplant from Phoenix, AZ, Elizabeth brings with her over 10 years of small-business, sales and management experience. Having worked with a team to develop and support a POS system for a large corporation, Elizabeth joined the administration and faculty of a massage therapy school while running a successful private practice in the same field. Upon relocating to Charlottesville, she familiarized herself with local flora and fauna while working for a successful greenhouse. Pooling together talents in customer service and sales, she joined the team at the C-ville Weekly helping design and support marketing for businesses throughout the Charlottesville-Albemarle area. With her skills and experience Elizabeth is a strong asset to the Category 4 team, creating and supporting strong Internet solutions.
Darren Hoyt • Art Director & Lead Designer
Darren Hoyt has 9 years of experience in web design, project management, and interface design at Category 4. He is proficient in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and many industry standard development tools such as Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator, Macromedia Dreamweaver & Macromedia Fireworks. He also has expertise working with CSS and integrating web design with web applications and scripting.
Christine Bryant-Ryback • Web Designer
After more than 5 summer internships with Category 4, Christine re-joined the team as a full-time member. Having been under the tutelage of Category 4’s finest, she adapts quickly to changing technology and continues to expand her skills in web production and design. She is proficient in HTML and CSS, with a focus on web standards and accessibility. She has extensive experience with content management systems and with industry standard applications such as Dreamweaver and Adobe Photoshop. Christine received a B.A. in English from Hollins University with a Minor in Psychology.
Matt Dawson • Web Designer
Matt specializes in integrating standards-compliant, attractive HTML/CSS with modern content management systems. He appreciates websites that are user-friendly on both the front- and back-end, and his true passion is building sites that succeed on both fronts. Matt’s years of experience as the Internet Marketing Manager for a prominent environmental non-profit helped him develop a broad and varied skill set. Matt is proficient with many industry standard tools and also has experience with search engine optimization, implementing effective e-marketing programs, and improving website accessibility and usability.