About Lucio

Hola! 👋🏽 I’m Lucio Villa, a software engineer and web designer passionate about building fast, accessible and inclusive web experiences. I’m currently a Senior Software Engineer at The Washington Post, where I develop and maintain the website millions of readers visit daily.

My Philosophy

I believe technology should empower communities, make information more accessible and create space for diverse voices. My background in photojournalism and design shapes how I approach engineering: blending storytelling, creativity and technical expertise to build digital experiences with real impact.

Career Journey

Before joining The Washington Post, I worked at Vox Media, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Chicago Tribune, designing, developing and maintaining front-end platforms that powered digital journalism at scale.

Over the years, I’ve built expertise in React, TypeScript, JavaScript, Node.js, Next.js, GraphQL, Tailwind CSS and other modern web technologies. My focus is always on performance, accessibility and user experience.

Community & Recognition

Beyond my day-to-day work, I’ve contributed to the broader web and journalism communities:

  • A contributor of Next.js, an open-source React framework
  • Co-instructor of an editorial web design and development course at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism
  • Listed in Editor & Publisher’s 2019 “25 Under 35: The Future Generation of Newspaper Leaders”
  • Recognized by Fullstack Academy’s “15 Developers to Follow If You Want to Work in Media”
  • Co-founder of Code Latino Chicago, a community supporting Latinos in web development
  • Lifetime member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), with leadership roles in the DC, Bay Area and Chicago chapters

Personal Projects

I love building projects that connect culture, community and technology. Some highlights include:

  • La Lista DMV - A platform highlighting Latino events in the DC metro area
  • Palabra - A daily word game (like Wordle) where the word of the day comes from Bad Bunny lyrics 🎶
  • Lotería - A free multiplayer online bingo game inspired by the traditional Mexican card game
  • Bot Bunny - An AI Bad Bunny lyrics generator that unfortunately had to be shut down after receiving a cease-and-desist (turns out not everyone appreciates AI reggaetón as much as I do 😂)
  • Mezcal Tracker App - A mobile app for discovering and tracking favorite mezcales (in progress...)

Roots & Beyond Tech

I am originally from Compton, CA and earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Photo Communications from California State University, Fullerton (Go Titans!). Oh, and I'm a double scorpio...

Outside of engineering, I enjoy photography, a good mezcal, dancing and finding new ways to celebrate Latino creativity and community.

Let’s Connect

I’m always open to collaborations, speaking opportunities and projects at the intersection of technology, journalism and community: email or LinkedIn.