Meet Kevin Rafferty II – Mobile Software Team

At Punch Through, we encourage everyone to proudly be themselves and want you to know the people behind the work that we’re so proud of. That’s why we launched our “Meet the Team” series, where we introduce you to one of our team members each month. 

Meet Kevin E. Rafferty II, one of our mobile engineers, who is responsible for everything from programming and writing documentation to building out user interface (UI) features for the device we work on. In his freetime, you can often find Kevin mountain biking, road biking, working on motorcycles, and riding motorcycles…yeah, we’re starting to think he has a thing for two wheels. He also enjoys spending time with his wife and son.

What were you doing before working at Punch Through?

Prior to my role at Punch Through, I was working at Scanwell Health on the iOS application that would help walk patients through the process of taking a COVID-19 antigen test. Cool thing was, we were the only FDA-authorized iOS and Android application at the time to be granted Emergency Use Authorization. Eventually, the company was acquired by Becton-Dickinson, which led me to venture out into the contract space. It was during this time that I had the opportunity to work on Taco Bell’s Next Gen Kitchen technology. It was also during this time that I ran across a job posting for Punch Through, which sort of leads us to today. 

What is your favorite thing about Punch Through culture?

My favorite aspect of the Punch Through culture would have to be that it really does foster new learning and growth. At other companies, you only use a certain set of tools, and that’s it. Coming here was an entirely different story. When some new technology comes to market, we get a chance to see if it would apply to what we’re working on. We also have opportunities to be involved in various projects, play around with cool BLE hardware and firmware, and work on everything from the low level bits and bytes all the way up to building out an entire UI interface. We get a chance to wear many hats, which really helps expand our skills set and grow as professionals.

Tell me a story about your most memorable moment while working at Punch Through

The company trip has definitely been the most memorable experience thus far – and not necessarily for the same reasons as many of my colleagues. Living in Southern California, I’m a full-time remote employee. So, the trip allowed me to meet and interact with fellow team members, get to know their backgrounds, and build actual relationships. Those types of interactions can be really helpful when working together.

What cool or rewarding things do you get to do on a regular basis?

One of the coolest or most rewarding facets of my job is pretty simple, actually. I get to work with a cool FDA regulated medical device, specifically building out the BLE SDK that is included within the iOS application. As far as software goes, that’s a unique niche field to be in – especially when all the rage right now is AI and ChatGPT, and for good reason. But I think that medical technology will continue to grow over the next few years, and it’s really rewarding to be involved in it.

What is the most valuable part of your work to you on a personal level?

On a personal level, working on medical devices that improve upon people’s lives is definitely a valuable part of my work. It’s not just another game, dating app, or social media whatever, but something that will truly impact the lives of people interacting with the medical device. Honestly, it’s both valuable and rewarding. It also hits close to home. I had a chance to work on a remote medical device that we ended up using on my grandmother, and the results led to her getting the medical attention she needed. How many people can say that? 

What is different about Punch Through versus other places you have worked?

A lot of companies say they’re all about culture. But when you get in there, nothing could be further from the truth. Punch Through is truly unique. The leadership team really does care about employees and fostering new learning and growth by exposing the team to new tools and approaches. I’ve been at companies where you’re working on a very small piece of the overall product and feel like a tiny cog in a much larger system. That’s not the case here. In addition, Punch Through values trying out new technology. It’s never “this is the only way we do things.” If someone sees the potential for improvements, the company is more than open to the idea.