Sikander 'Siki' Chowhan is a web engineer, strategist, entreprenuer, and creative director living in New York City.
Recent Projects
MAC Volunteer Portal and Monero Miner
Volunteer portal where users are able to donate their browser’s resources to mine for a cryptocurrency called Monero on behalf of the nonprofit organization Muslim Americans for Compassion. Also, volunteers can keep track of events and information coming from the organization, and log their volunteer hours.
Downhill Skiing Snowman Slayer
A game where users are tasked with slaying as many zombie snowmen as possible, while avoiding obstacles. In collaboration with Matthew Gellert.
Puerto Rico Support Portal
Web portal for individuals and organizations that intend to help those affected by the 2017 hurricane devastation in Puerto Rico. In collaboration with Elbin Keeppanasseril.
PeTinder
CLI app allowing users to input basic information and specify certain conditions in order to be paired with a pet at a shelter close to the user’s zip code. In collaboration with Lisa Hufnagel.
About Me
Sikander Chowhan
Sikander is a recent graduate of the Flatiron School's Web Development Intensive Program. After an apprenticeship learning about thoroughbred horse training, studying leather-working in San Francisco, and managing a hotel, he co-founded a startup building a mobile matrimonial service for Muslims; the two founders bootstrapped the firm from napkin-stage to production app in less than a year. Sikander decided to pursue an education in software engineering.
He has served on the Board of Directors for the Louisville Islamic Center as Treasurer, and directed two small nonprofits in Louisville, Kentucky: Muslim Americans for Compassion (MAC) and Doctors for Healthy Communities (DHC). Sikander holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University Southeast.
Sikander is currently developing a clothing line which will be launching in the coming weeks.
My Blog on Medium
Work History
During my time serving as the Chief Strategic Officer for Muslim Americans for Compassion, I worked closely with Dr. Muhammad Babar (President) in developing, communicating, executing, and sustaining MAC’s strategic initiatives.
This included paying close attention to the vision and mission of the organization as it grew, making changes where necessary.
Also, I was tasked with developing new projects for the organization to take on, maintaining the social media accounts, and overseeing the continued development of the website. Additionally, I was tasked with keeping track of the accounts, networking with leaders across the Compassionate Louisville community, and periodically communicating with the press.
One of my final projects during my tenure at the organization was developed through a partnership with "Sowing Seeds with Faith," the largest out of school enrichment program in the Louisville, Kentucky Area. They operate a Summer Program out of the St. Stephens Family Life Center, in one of the lower-income neighborhoods in the city. With our partnership, we came once a week during their 7-week program to teach basic computer programming skills to varying groups of children (over 120 of them). By taking part in this program, we were hoping to impart on these children the wisdom that they are able to take learning into their own hands, providing them with the basic tools to get their minds interested in coding. Our motivation was that with a basic foundation in computer programming, these children would be able to take advancement into their own hands, paving the road for stronger, more knowledgeable, communities.
I also served as the Chief Strategic Officer for Doctors for Healthy Communities, the sister organization of Muslim Americans for Compassion. I worked to develop the initial framework for this organization. I worked closely with Dr. Muhammad Babar (President) in developing and communicating DHC’s strategic initiatives.
This included paying close attention to drafting the proper vision and mission of the organization.
Also, I oversaw the development of the website. Because my tenure with this organization came towards the end of my time in Louisville, I was only able to see the organization through a few projects (like our free community health clinic).
I served a two year term as a Board Member of this religious institution. I was elected by community members and became the Treasurer during the first year of my term, spending countless hours working on improving the Center and developing systems for seamless day-to-day operation.
One huge issue was that no one had taken the time to develop the organizational systems so every time new people assumed board positions, they were forced to start from scratch, severely impeding progress at the Center.
I spearheaded the adoption of online systems to facilitate the seamless transition of members, allowing for progress to be built upon rather than having to be built up over and over again. During my tenure as Board Member, we experienced a terrible vandalization of our property, but we were also lucky enough to experience the most beautiful interfaith gathering in response to it. Hundreds of people of various backgrounds and faiths came together to help restore the Center to it's previous distinction. This brief video details the event. I am quoted towards the end of the video.
With another Co-founder, I decided to create a Muslim Matrimony mobile application, called Halalar. It was the first of it's kind.
We bootstrapped the firm from napkin-stage to production app in less than a year. It was a wonderful growing experience.
Hotel Management
Over 5 years of experience in hotel operations and management. Studied business operation and management first hand under the guidance of hotelier and restauranteur, Arif Butt, owner of various hotels and restaurants in Florida and Kentucky.
Education History
Completed the Full-Stack Web Development Intensive in December of 2017. Developed skills for Ruby, Ruby on Rails, ActiveRecord, Sinatra, JavaScript, React.js, Redux, Postgres, SQLite3, APIs, HTML, CSS, and jQuery.
Completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in the summer of 2017.
Completed Expert Leatherwork Training Course in the summer of 2013.
Flint Racing Stables
Apprenticeship on thoroughbred horse training under the tutelage of Bernard S. Flint. Apprenticeship included working as a farm hand on a thoroughbred breeding farm where I was given the opportunity to help deliver a baby horse, a most unforgettable experience.
Portfolio
Leather accessory brand for Apple products such as the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook. I developed a process for hand-making these goods, providing Apple products with a clean, minimal accessory aesthetic. While most cases and covers take away from the clean, straight forward design principles Apple has come to be know for, Crescent Covers only served to accentuate the minimalistic appeal, simultaneously infusing a dose of individuality.
I developed a number of different prototypes which are still being used by close friends and family. Below is a rendering of a die I had created for the production of the MacBook Crescent Cover.
ENF, short for "Elephants Never Forget", is a clothing brand which I was working on developing with 3 high school students. I was hoping to impart on them the knowledge of the initial steps in founding a business, along with the development of a brand with a social equity focus.
We spent the majority of our time creating a brand identity, finding a clothing manufacturer, creating prototypes, and then the subsequent back and forth with manufacturers of perfecting the final product. Additionally, we developed a plan to ensure a social equity purpose for the organization. We made a number of prototypes under the brand name "Elephants Never Forget."
The brand is currently a work in progress. The drawing of the elephant below is the logo we created for the brand.
Middle America was one of the multiple sunglasses brands I developed alongside a few other business partners. We planned to create a competitor to Luxottica, the worlds number one manufacturer of eyewear.
We created plans to 3D print the sunglasses, while marketing and selling the products through our proprietary software. Additionally, we took the time to develop a relationship with a non-profit doing eye rehabilitation work in third world countries, whom we agreed to support through company sales.
Below are some mockups of prototypes we have planned to created.
