Gotham Mentors (GM) was launched by a group of young professionals who saw a need for mentoring Muslim youth living in New York City. Gotham Mentors creates a bridge between professionals and students by providing career-based, educational and leadership mentoring. By building these relationships, we will help this youth achieve their boundless career potential, and help shape a future generation of leaders who will be major assets to their communities, cities and country.

Meet Our Founders

We chose the name Gotham because the city is a tapestry that provides boundless energy, opportunities and verve. And much like the city as a melting pot that accommodates all, we want to invite  students from all stripes and backgrounds to Gotham Mentors. 

Mehrunisa Wani is a producer at Forbes and an adjunct lecturer. She's been schooled at CUNY, Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and the streets of Gotham (raised in BK and resides in Queens). She moonlights as a photographer and is the co-founder of Qissa Photography Studios. Mehr is also an unrepentant bibliophile and an avid Instagramer.  

Awais Tariq is a passionate tech advocate who has worked for Microsoft in Seattle and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He graduated from Princeton University where he studied Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. A born tinkerer, Awais is constantly thinking of ways to make the world a more efficient and better place. He serves on the board for Ralli, a social enterprise aimed at rescuing South Asian artisans and loves working on startups. 

Taimur T. Malik is an entrepreneur at heart and the co-founder of the socially conscious men's fashion start-up TM Black. Taimur is passionate about the questions of sustainable development, public policy and global governance. He has worked as an Analyst at Citi Bank and served on the board of MUPPIES, NY. He read Middle East, South Asian Studies and Economics at Columbia, where he was President of the MSA and captained the Model UN team. Taimur is a historian manque who can be found library hopping and making political cartoons in his spare time. 

Maliha Tariq is a researcher at the Yale Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation. She graduated from Barnard College at Columbia University with a major in Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures. She is passionate about public health, social justice, public policy and education, and their intersection with religion. In her spare time she enjoys chilling out, maxing and relaxing all cool.