Developing Innovative Solutions

Contributing to the organization’s success while helping the team grow and succeed together” is the guiding ethos of Siddegowda Bharathi Kammariage, a Senior Software Developer with the Communications, Information, and Technology Department (CITD). Since beginning her career with Miami-Dade County in 2020, Siddegowda recognized the role as a “perfect fit,” building on years of experience in the private sector, most recently with Motorola Solutions.

Siddegowda discovered her passion for information technology early on. “While studying for my engineering degree, I took several computer courses and quickly realized I had a passion for coding and programming,” she recalled. “The software industry was booming, and I was fascinated by how technology can increase efficiency by reducing manual work and performing calculations quickly and accurately. Technology offers solutions to complex problems.”

Upon joining CITD, Siddegowda was tasked with modernized, redesigned and reprograming the Residential Health Care Facilities (RHCF) application, an essential tool used by the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) during emergencies. The application enables residential health care facilities across Miami-Dade County to digitally submit their Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) and Emergency Environmental Control Plan, also known as the Emergency Power Plan (EPP), for review and approval.

This system plays a critical role in protecting some of South Florida’s most vulnerable populations. By centralizing this information, DEM can efficiently coordinate evacuations, identifying facilities outside of danger zones and relocating residents using County and community resources. “The existing application was missing critical components needed to ensure accuracy, especially when time is of the essence during a disaster,” Siddegowda explained.

Working collaboratively with her team, she helped implement several key enhancements, including multifactor authentication, audit tracking to monitor record changes, and improved reporting capabilities with filtering options. All these features were designed to improve accuracy and ease of use. “This application provides critical information for each RHCF, such as pickup location, number of residents, and primary and secondary evacuation sites, allowing the County to quickly deploy resources when an evacuation order is issued,” she added.

The transition to the new application was not without challenges. “Many external users were initially apprehensive about the new application. However, we hosted webinars to demonstrate how it worked and explain the reasoning behind the enhancements,” she said. “This helped users better understand the importance of the changes and the benefits of the new features.”

Siddegowda applies this same approach within her team, which she describes as supportive and open to adopting new methodologies to enhance the end-user experience.

In addition to her role at CITD, Siddegowda is actively involved in her community. She volunteers at her local temple, where she teaches a Hindu heritage class that helps children learn about cultural diversity, ethical values, empathy, and critical thinking. She also has a passion for gardening, growing a variety of flowers, fruits, medicinal plants, and leafy vegetables. She supports environmental sustainability by propagating plants and donating them to others. Recently, she published an article on medicinal plants and their benefits in the local community magazine, Nandi Kannada Koota.

Keep THRIVING, Siddegowda!