Hello all!
I am very excited to introduce myself and our SI<3> EKollab team. We have shared our grant submission for our EKollab project here in the forum, and are very much looking forward to connecting with you all.
SI<3>: https://www.si3.space/
We are a team of experienced and passionate emerging tech developers, marketers, community builders, and UX architects. Each of our teammates brings depth of experience and leadership with the shared vision of co-creating a new platform for collaboration, and accelerated growth and adoption of emerging tech projects, communities and individuals.
Meet the Team
Kara Howard (Business & Growth Strategy)
Kara is the Founder of SI<3> and has ten years of financial experience on Wall St, and holds an MBA from NYU in Entrepreneurship and Marketing. She has ten years of experience as a growth marketer, including her role as VP of Growth and Partnerships at CleverTap, a marketing CRM and engagement platform. She has also been a women-in-tech community leader for ten years, and has been active in Web3 and crypto since 2019.
https://karahoward.siher.eth.link/
Greg Cassel (Open Source Architect)
Greg is an organizational development engineer and consultant. He develops Inclusive Organizing tools and techniques which prioritize p2p systems, consent-based organizing, compassionate communications and transformative justice. His main focus is to develop simple, flexible, open source tool sets for inclusive discussion, design and governance in all types of projects and networks.
Greg has a deep background in philosophy and art, and a degree in film production and media theory. He became a p2p engineer after disillusioning experiences in several inefficient and corrupt bureaucracies. Greg has written for P2P Foundation and participated deeply in diverse “next economy” teams and communities including the Enspiral Network, Library of the Commons, Value Flows, Collaborative Technology Alliance and Commons Engine. Greg is passionately devoted to organic gardening, permaculture, the support of bioregional ecosystems, and the emergence of boundlessly regenerative and creative global culture.
Susan Koch (Social Information Architect)
As an enthusiastic advocate for decentralized technology, Susan brings a robust background in UX Design, Research, & Social Information Architecture to the Dweb community with the desire to innovate in an open source, values-driven space. Her professional journey has been marked by a deep commitment to enhancing user experiences and optimizing social information concepts, first, openly on the web 2.0 internet and now, embedded, within several decentralized, freedom tech, open source communities.
Susan’s legacy projects include the 2RowFlow Cultural Commons and PeaceMakerAI.net, which mark almost a decade of careful consideration in the researching of tech stacks, doing UX studies, planning, imagining, testing, and the conceptualization of key components that could emerge in a virtual space known as a cultural commons. Her love for the conceptual layer of UX led her to create an educational online course called Social UX for Indigenous Youth and most recently to become a Tech Steward. As a tech steward, she leverages her skills in tech sales and online marketing, media communications, art, design and technology to assist teams in the Dweb space. She just wrapped up a one-year contract with Personal.AI. As a Brand Partner, she was focused on positioning its small language model as the ultimate grassroots tool for African entrepreneurs. Alliances like these highlight her commitment to social entrepreneurship and innovative solutions in various communities including Holochain and Ethereum as well as NOSTR/Bitcoin communities.
Jazeer Ahammed (Platform Architect)
Jazeer is a seasoned engineer with over 8 years of experience in DevOps, Cloud, and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT). As a Web3 enthusiast from the early days, he is passionate about innovation and problem-solving. His expertise spans Linux, Kubernetes, Docker, AWS/Azure, automation, and CI/CD practices. Jazeer thrives in collaborative environments and continuously enhances his skills, making him a valuable asset to any team looking for cutting-edge solutions.
Harish Haridas (Application Architect)
Harish is an experienced full-stack developer with over 8 years of experience, specializing in web development and blockchain technologies. His expertise lies in JavaScript, Node.js, Python, and building scalable microservice architectures. He has a strong background in developing end-to-end web applications and APIs, with a passion for blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). Harish has hands-on experience creating Web3 applications on platforms like Hedera, Ethereum, and Solana. He is a continuous learner and team player, always seeking innovative solutions in the fast-evolving tech landscape.
Arun Menon (Business Architect)
Arun is a seasoned business architect with over 12 years of experience in the IT industry. He excels at aligning business objectives with technical capabilities and has a proven track record of managing complex projects. Arun is a visionary leader with a strong focus on the future of Web3 and AI technologies. His expertise in identifying opportunities for improvement and leading cross-functional teams makes him a key asset in driving innovation. Arun is also a skilled communicator, able to bridge the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders.
Jelena Gjorgev (Technical Advisor)
Jelena is a seasoned full-stack developer and educator deeply involved in blockchain and Web3 technologies. With extensive experience in software development, she actively participates in academia as a university lecturer and mentor. Jelena’s work emphasizes the integration of cutting-edge technologies with practical applications, aiming to foster inclusive and equitable digital solutions. Her role as a technical advisor highlights her expertise and commitment to advancing the field through both educational endeavors and strategic development.
https://cryptosiren.siher.eth.link/
Anupa Dasgupta (Human-Centered Service Design)
Anupa is Web3 Service Designer with a background in design strategy, leveraging a combination of human-centered design with technological and business frameworks to develop innovative solutions. She has spearheaded service design interventions in Web3 projects for healthcare, Afrovalley (agrotech) and is currently supporting SI<3>. She also co-runs Rolemodelrebels, a platform dedicated to amplifying women’s voices in the web2 and emerging tech space. Anupa is also a part of Mission Impact, NFT Talents and SheFi.
Asad Khan (AI Bot Development Lead)
Asad is an experienced AI bot developer, with over 3 years of expertise in transforming businesses through automation. He specializes in shifting customer support from manual processes to seamless, bot-powered interactions, ensuring lead and order generation are handled effortlessly. His strength lies in designing natural, human-like conversational flows, so users feel like they’re chatting with a person, not a machine. Beyond bots, Asad is also a versatile full-stack developer, managing projects from understanding business needs to developing and launching innovative products.
Brenda Chavez (Design)
Brenda is a creative professional with a focus on project growth and visual communication. With over 5 years of experience in marketing and graphic design, she combines a strong eye for visual quality with strategic thinking to create impactful experiences. Her work is centered on helping online communities thrive by fostering engagement and innovation. She’s been active in Web3 projects like Nova Finance, Zealy and Mineral, creating compelling content. Brenda finds constant inspiration in the innovative and collaborative spirit of the Web3 community, which drives her passion for creating meaningful connections in the ecosystem.
Portfolio: https://www.brendaaltamirano.com/