About Me
Hello! I'm Lasantha Kularatne, a Principal Software Engineer based in Austin, Texas. With over 22 years of experience, I specialize in building scalable distributed systems, leading AI/ML adoption initiatives, and driving site reliability engineering practices.
In my recent project, I lead efforts in AI-powered engineering, having driven 100% AI tool adoption across 115+ engineers globally. I'm passionate about translating complex technical concepts into practical solutions and mentoring the next generation of engineers.
Originally from Sri Lanka, I hold a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Moratuwa. When I'm not coding, you'll find me exploring the world through my camera lens.
AI/ML Expertise
LLM & NLP Applications
- Fraud Detection System - Designed LLM-based POC using historical analyst decisions to identify fraud in booking transactions
- AI Root Cause Analysis - Built production tool reducing MTTK
- MCP Developer Tools - Co-developed tools reducing context-switching by 80%
- NLP Content Generation - Auto-generated ad snippets from user reviews at Bazaarvoice
Machine Learning & Prediction
- Traffic Prediction Models - Built forecasting achieving ±5% accuracy for capacity planning
- Time Series Analysis - Applied Fourier series and linear regression for traffic prediction
- Booking Value Forecasting - Won 1st place in internal Kaggle competition using Random Forest
Patents & Innovation
- AI-powered RCA Tool - Patent process started for production incident analysis
- UGC Ad Insertion - 2 granted patents using NLP to insert user content into ads
AI Adoption Leadership
- 100% AI Tool Adoption - Led program across 115+ engineers globally
- Toil Reduction & Automation - Through automation and AI-assisted workflows (30-40% target)
- Global Training - Delivered AI/ML sessions across US, India, and EU
Experience Highlights
Principal Software Development Engineer
Expedia Group | 2020 - Present
Staff Software Engineer / Team Lead
Vrbo / HomeAway | 2013 - 2020
Software Engineer → Technical Lead
Bazaarvoice | 2009 - 2013
Software Engineer II
Toppan Photomask | 2006 - 2009
Software Developer
University of Texas at Austin | 2006
Software Engineer
CodeGen.IT | 2003 - 2005
Beyond Code
Mentorship
Passionate about helping engineers grow their careers and develop technical leadership skills.
Innovation
Always exploring emerging technologies, from AI/ML to new architectural patterns and developer tools.