Written By Sammi McGiveron
Edited by Cadence Panol and Kathleen Atts
The League of Storytellers had the privilege to showcase the amazing work of Ravi Lamontagne, SUNY Geneseo’s very own CIT Senior Software Application Developer. On February 19th, the team got to sit down with Ravi to learn a bit more about the man who works on our campus’s website. In actuality, we learned of an inspiring story of a young man who took a leap of faith by immigrating to the United States from Saint Lucia.
Since then, he has built a continuously evolving life, growing in his professional career, family life, and personal well-being. Like the student body of Geneseo, many of his stepping stones have been within the SUNY System. Not only has he been working with Geneseo’s CIT department since 2018, but he also graduated from SUNY Albany with a master’s in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics. Before moving to New York, Ravi earned a degree in computer science in Cuba through the means of a scholarship from the Saint Lucian government. With a passion for computer programming but limited opportunities in Cuba and Saint Lucia, Mr. Lamontagne moved to Brooklyn in 2016 after receiving his green card. He snagged a job at Geneseo two years later. While working full time he decided he wanted to go back to school and obtain a master’s degree.
Ravi spoke with our team about his journey, explaining that the opportunity was made possible through the United University Professions (UUP) program. "They allow staff members to take at least one course per semester, fully funded. I decided to take advantage of that opportunity," he shared. Motivated by his father’s wise words, he sought more from life, leading him to earn his diploma in 2024.
During that four-year journey, Ravi also built a family. He married in 2020 and is now a proud father of two children, ages 3 years old and 9 months old. Balancing his career and family life, he emphasizes the importance of both hard work and proper rest. He strongly advocates for taking vacation time and maintaining ambition in the workplace. “Never get comfortable. Always strive for more,” he advises. Although there were many insights shared by Mr. Lamontagne, including perseverance and consistency, this final piece of advice he provided is one that is sure to be long lasting.
As Senior Software Application Developer, Ravi is responsible for working with the back end of our website and writing code. Ravi works alongside the Web Director in the Office of College Communications and Marketing, who oversees design and content. As Director of Web Strategy at SUNY Geneseo, Kristy Barkan leads the strategy, user experience, and design of the college's primary website and other high-value digital properties.
Video forthcoming
Videography by Cadence Panol, Eduardo Imbert, and Sammi McGiveron
Interview done by Alyssa Alayon