LaGuardia TechHire – OpenCode:
Summer 2018 Graduates
LaGuardia TechHire – OpenCode is a public-private partnership between LaGuardia Community College, The Software Guild, Udacity, General Assembly, and Uncubed. It is funded by a highly selective grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, and the result of a White House initiative under President Barack Obama called TechHire.
The goal of LaGuardia TechHire – OpenCode is to provide innovative, high-quality tech training and career assistance to young adults (17 – 29 years old), keep and create jobs in local economies, and provide employers with the skilled technology workers they need to grow and expand.
Graduates of LaGuardia TechHire – OpenCode represent an extremely talented and diverse group of tech professionals.
The candidates below include a former Solution Engineer @ Salesforce (who spent 3 years in that role), a U.S. Chess Champion, a Northwestern University engineering alum, and more.
Scroll down to review all candidates, or jump to…
- Full Stack Developers (in partnership with Software Guild)
- Web Developers (in partnership with General Assembly)
Full Stack Developers
in partnership with Software Guild

OFFER ACCEPTED
Altafur Rahman – Full Stack Developer
I am a full stack web developer with the ambition to create technology that can help shape society in an impactful way. My inspiration to delve into the world of technology and software development started with the creation of a website based on my hobby of gaming. By being able to teach myself how to create something from start to finish with no prior background, I was hooked and driven to learn more about software development so that I can bring my ideas to life.
After finishing my training in full stack web development with The Software Guild boot-camp, I have not only developed the technical skills to be able to create web applications using a wide range of technologies, but I have also gained valuable skills in team collaboration using agile and scrum methodologies, which are crucial in the modern tech industry. Furthermore, I believe my background in finance will greatly complement and accompany the skills that I have gained in web development and technology, which will serve to diversify my knowledge and skillset and allow me to be more versatile so I can venture into a broad range of opportunities.
The ideal workplace that I am targeting is an ecosystem where I can utilize and hone my skills as a professional developer while being able to make a difference through my contributions. I strive on the impulse of challenging myself, and I greatly believe life is a never ending adventure of learning, which epitomizes the tech industry.
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OFFER ACCEPTED
Asher DeMadet – Full Stack Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Personal Website | My Tech Journey | Email
I am a New York-based fullstack developer who combines a background in psychology with a dedication to accessible online spaces. I use my experience building Java web applications to create environments that may otherwise be unavailable. My frontend skills capture a user’s attention, while I also use a scientific understanding of human motivation to keep a user engaged. Additionally, my key backend skills develop the engineering processes necessary for user experience. It is my passion to create communities that foster positive connections, and my abilities as a fullstack developer allow me to bring that passion to life.

Brandon Mathura – Web Developer
LinkedIn | GitHub | Personal Website | Email
My name is Brandon Mathura and I’ve been developing for a little over 3 years. While I mostly specialize on the front end, I know a fair amount of backend work. I work well with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Ajax, and I’m pushing myself to become better with Java, MySQL, and Ruby.

OFFER ACCEPTED
Danny Lantigua – Back-End Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Bitbucket | Email
I am a software developer who focuses on BackEnd development for Web Applications in Java. What I look for as a professional is to deliver software solutions to the public as I believe Technology can change lives and make processes more productive.
I enjoy being in a quiet environment for coding, being surrounded by people I can rely on and have fun with, and I’m flexible to code individually or paired programming. I like to learn new things and do other activities on my free time. There are a few details that make it more enjoyable like having coffee and occasionally playing some music for myself. For me to code means being in the right path.

OFFER ACCEPTED
Jesse Azubuike – Full Stack Java Developer
A solution-oriented software developer, driven by the desire to learn rapidly and vigorously apply that knowledge towards whatever challenge lies ahead. Always assessing the best course of action needed, while actively looking for insight from peers to forge the most optimal path forward. Eager to thrive in team-based environments in any capacity required, whether that entails taking the lead or taking direction. Let’s build solutions to tomorrow’s problems.
Languages: HTML5, CSS3, Java, Javascript, C#, SQL, XML
Frameworks: jQuery, Bootstrap, Spring (Dependency Injection, AOP, Security), asp.NET
Management: Microsoft Office Suite, Agile Methodologies, Spring MVC, GIT, JIRA

Jessica Gross – Full Stack Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | My Tech Journey | Email
My current skill stack includes Spring MVC Applications using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Java, SQL, AJAX, JSON, AJAX, jQuery, and working with API’s.
I am a New York City native. I love all things tech related. I envision the evolution of society through technology and love that it can be used in many ways to advance civilization and help solve social, economic, health problems and many more. I love to code. My dream job would be to help society solve these issues using programming.
When I am not coding I love spending time with friends and family, going to the park, taking photos, reading and playing video games. I am an extremely friendly and all around hard worker.

Jose Sosa – Java Web Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Personal Website | My Tech Journey | Email
I am a Java Web Developer with a background in mathematics. The problem solving aspects of math go a long way whenever I find myself coding. Backend resonates with my inquisitive nature and desire to solve complex problems. My web development education was structured and began with a frontend approach: HTML, CSS and JavaScript led to many other areas of programming. From AJAX calls to exploring JSON and APIs. Next I transitioned into the world of Java, OOP and DDWA. Backend Java, frontend JSPs and JSTL were blended together and culminated in the use of MySQL databases.
Coding aside, I am an outgoing and charismatic individual with a passion for math, chess, and ultimate frisbee. I got into coding at the recommendation of a friend and I am eternally grateful. A better match may never be found. Developing offers me the opportunity to bring others’ visions to life and at the same time pursue my dreams and aspirations. Once we get past the poor math jokes you will find an individual with an affinity for coding and a knack for getting the job done.

OFFER ACCEPTED
Kellie Porter – Designer + Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Personal Website | My Tech Journey | Email
Skills: HTML, CSS, Javascript, JQuery, Java, Spring MVC, RESTful APIs, JDBC templates, MySQL, AJAX, JSON, Relational Databases, and Jira.
My life’s work is design and development. A good day involves long hours in front of the computer and being completely surrounded by paper and pens. From color, typography, and layout to prototyping and coding, my long time love of creativity has led to a path of innovation and collaboration. My background in Communications Design inspired my love for Visual Design, User Experience Design, and Full-Stack Development. Besides brand guides, marketing campaigns and Java web applications, I spend my time taking photographs, playing tennis, and catching up with the lastest Mixed Martial Arts news.

OFFER ACCEPTED
Kenneth Melendez – Web Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Email
I’m a Web Developer with a passion for technology and design. My hobbies include browsing CodePen, learning new programming languages, and reading documentation. I have experience creating full stack web applications in Java, using technologies such as Bootstrap, JQuery, Spring, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and MySQL.

Matthew Williams – Full Stack Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Email
Skills: HTML, CSS, Java, JavaScript, AJAX, Spring MVC, JSON, JQuery, MySQL
I am a full stack engineer who enjoys coding, writing, and drawing. Taking something from an idea that captures all the creativity, emotion and research to create something visually pleasing and dynamically incredible is the greatest feeling in the world.

OFFER ACCEPTED
Mohamed Barry – Software Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Email
Each time I fire up my laptop and start coding I’m confronting a new fear or a new challenge. And the question is, “why do I code with this purpose in mind?” Well, I do it because I used to be intimidated by code. Now I eat it 8 hrs a day. I’m a Full Stack Java Developer that builds web apps. I code to confront fears. I code to challenge stereotypes. I code to empower people to believe in themselves first. I also have 6 years of experience in a client facing capacity providing solution consulting, business development and technical leadership.

Richard Taveras – Full Stack Java Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Email
I am a Full Stack Developer and I graduated from Software Guild’s Java Bootcamp. I strive to connect the world with innovative evolving ideas. Making ideas reality was why I became a developer, with intentions to utilize my interdepartmental skills to contribute towards the amazing advances in the world. Photography is my main hobby, and always catching up on the latest tech news and reviews. My full stack experience entails Java, JavaScript, HTML, CSS and MySQL.

Travon Campbell – Full Stack Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | My Tech Journey | Email
Full stack web developer with a genuine interest in teaching and music. My innate ability to spot problems from a distance, combined with my desire to see all things work flawlessly, allowed me to transition from hardware-focused IT to programming.
Front End Technologies: HTML5, Bootstrap, JavaScript, Angular 6, JQuery, CSS3, Sass
Back End Technologies: Java, Spring, MySQL, Maven
Web & Front End Developers
in partnership with General Assembly

OFFER ACCEPTED
Berniris Coleman – Front End Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Personal Website | Email
Detail oriented and design-driven front-end web developer with some back-end experience. I first developed a passion for web development as a teenager and after a year or so of self-teaching decided to leave my registration management position in the museum field and commit to a formal bootcamp experience at General Assembly. There I spent over 500 hours working with cutting-edge technology building full-stack applications with CRUD functionality. I take joy in deconstructing big problems into smaller digestible pieces and love coding daily. When not coding, I enjoy reading and going for walks around the city. I am eager to join a strategic thinking company that values best practices and encourages their employees to always be learning.

OFFER ACCEPTED
Dara Sy – Web Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Personal Website | My Tech Journey | Email
My name is Dara. I graduated from Queens College with a B.A. in Economics, Cum Laude on September 2017. I come from a background in marketing where I operated brand and email campaigns of over 1.8 million contacts. During my time at Fullbeauty Brands, there was a lot of cross-collaboration with the marketing and web development teams. The design and development of the company’s websites and daily emails drew my interest to web development.
I am interning as a Full-Stack Web Developer and Designer at Hunter Digital, and I was previously a Web Development Immersive Engineering Fellow at General Assembly and TechImpact graduate with the TechHire OpenCode program.
I am in the process of building my career as a Web Developer and completed several projects in Node.js/Express, React, and Ruby on Rails. I am actively seeking ways to stay up-to-date with the latest technologies. I am excited to join the Tech industry and work in a team of talented developers!

OFFER ACCEPTED
Janell Anderson – Web Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Personal Website | Email
I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Web Design where I learned the fundamentals of HTML, CSS and Javascript. Wanting to sharpen my web developer skills, I joined General Assembly’s Web Development Immersive Program. There I learned more in-depth Javascript along with jQuery and React front-end frameworks. For back-end I learned Express, MVC, Node.js. For databases, we used PostgreSQL. I am looking forward to sharing my experience and knowledge with my future colleagues.

Jovan Georgievski – Web Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Email
Outgoing full stack web developer with a passion for creating modern applications and websites with good design and functionality using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, and Node.js. Experienced in working with teams and client-facing interactions, quick learner with a knack for building products from scratch and grasping new concepts in a rapidly evolving tech industry.

Linda Zhou – Front End Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Personal Website | Email
Focusing on design and front end coding, my background is in Graphic Design and Web Development. I like to think about how to style a site to the target audience and how to make the site visually appealing while being readable. First Place for GA’s Team Hackathon.

Said Mayan – Front End Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Personal Website | Email
Hi, I’m Said. I was an editor in branded content, and a production manager in a design studio before learning to code. Now I spend my days mulling over design, performance and architecture. I have experience in building front-end/back-end applications and visualizing the most effective way (or least obstructive way I should say) of hosting/presenting content. The affinity between design and code is what drives me, along with a monastic curiosity in converting complex problems into simple solutions.

Sameer Thokar – Full Stack Web Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Personal Website | Email
I am a full stack web developer, who has fallen in love with how programming can turn imagination into creation. I am passionate and driven to achieve my dream. I want to work for a company that also has that same drive, and ambition. I have been developing my skills every day, so one day I can make a good impact on the world. Besides programming, I am also a competitive athlete and a guy who loves to play classical guitar. I believe in keeping things simple.

Sudipta Sarkar – Front End Developer
Resume | LinkedIn | GitHub | Email
I am a Full Stack Web Developer with the discipline to work under any circumstances. Acquiring my previous knowledge about the visual aspect of a web app, I was left with the craving to learn more in order to develop the necessary skills for a future career. In the next phase of my career, I want to use the knowledge I have obtained to work on challenging facets of an app and meet the clients requirements. My vision of an ideal company entails working with a team that carries best practices like pair programming and test driven development to help me learn and strive as a developer.