Demand for FIRST has increased so rapidly and organically that it continues to face a growing challenge to sustain the infrastructure needed to support this growth. Founded in 2005, the FIRST Senior Mentor program prides itself in its cross-program, grass-roots approach. Through outreach events, expositions and demonstrations they are able to attract new Volunteers, Mentors and Coaches to sustain and support both rookie and veteran teams.
The FIRST Senior Mentor program is a critical addition to an organization that needs people on the ground, working in a hands-on environment, filling in the gaps of support to whomever and whatever is needed. FIRST Senior Mentors, or FSMs, are both technical and non-technical individuals and bring with them a vast array of background and experience.
FIRST Senior Mentors are recruited through a cross-program nomination process that occurs locally at the collaborative recommendation of their Regional Directors and Partners because of their previous relationships with FIRST Programs and their general understanding of the culture of FIRST. Most, if not all FSMs have had existing relations with FIRST as Team Mentors, Coaches or event Volunteers. They work in a part-time capacity, (10-15 hours per week), in constant communication and collaboration with each Program Lead; their area Regional Director, Regional/Planning/Operational Committees, Program Partners, and VISTA Volunteers (if applicable).
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FIRST Senior Mentors
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Location
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Name *click name to access bio
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Contact Information
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| UNITED STATES |
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| AR |
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John Novak |
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jnovak@usfirst.org |
| AZ |
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Armand Gahol |
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agahol@usfirst.org |
| CA, Los Angeles |
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Eileen Kahn |
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ekahn@usfirst.org |
| CA, Northern Los Angeles |
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Ty Fredriks |
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tfredriks@usfirst.org |
| CA, Northern |
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Rob Greene |
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rgreene@usfirst.org |
| CA, San Diego |
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Rick Sisk |
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rsisk@usfirst.org |
| CT |
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Stacey Gray |
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sgray@usfirst.org |
| DC |
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Don Brobst |
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dbrobst@usfirst.org |
| DC |
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Angie Fontanilla |
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afontanilla@usfirst.org |
| FL, Gainesville |
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Andrew Milluzzi |
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amilluzzi@usfirst.org |
| GA |
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Linda Pham |
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lpham@usfirst.org |
| IA |
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Emmaly Burklund |
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eburklund@usfirst.org |
| IA |
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Andy Marshall |
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amarshall@usfirst.org |
| IL |
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Diane Cabiness |
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dcabiness@usfirst.org |
| IN |
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Keith Hall |
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khall@usfirst.org |
| KS/MO |
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Jean Melech |
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jmelech@usfirst.org |
| KY |
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Jeff Slaton |
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jslaton@usfirst.org |
| LA |
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Daniel Eiland |
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deiland@usfirst.org |
| MA |
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Dana Henry |
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dhenry@usfirst.org |
| MD |
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Dana Aucoin |
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daucoin@usfirst.org |
| MN |
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Evan Hochstein |
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ehochstein@usfirst.org |
| MN |
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Laurie Shimizu |
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lshimizu@usfirst.org |
| MO, St. Louis |
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Henry Graham |
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hgraham@usfirst.org |
| MS |
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Kevin McKone |
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kmckone@usfirst.org |
| NC |
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Fiona Last-Powell |
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flastpowell@usfirst.org |
| NJ |
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Lou Okrent |
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lokrent@usfirst.org |
| NV |
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Russel Evermann |
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revermann@usfirst.org |
| NY |
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Rebecca Wasmer |
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rwasmer@usfirst.org |
| NY, Finger Lakes |
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Ron Borden |
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rborden@usfirst.org |
| OH |
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Ted Hood |
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thood@usfirst.org |
| OR |
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Debbie Kerr |
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dkerr@usfirst.org |
| PA, Eastern |
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Doug Williamson |
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dwilliamson@usfirst.org |
| TN |
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Sydney Buckner |
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sbuckner@usfirst.org |
| TX, Brownsville |
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Javier Saenz |
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jsaenz@usfirst.org |
| TX, Dallas |
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Joe Varnell |
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jvarnell@usfirst.org |
| TX, Houston |
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Brenda Meyer |
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bmeyer@usfirst.org |
| TX, Lubbock |
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George Tan |
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gtan@usfirst.org |
| TX, Rio Grande Valley |
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Veronica Baca |
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vbaca@usfirst.org |
| TX, San Antonio |
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Mike Henry |
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mhenry@usfirst.org |
| VA |
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Kevin 'KP' Pardus |
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kpardus@usfirst.org |
| WA |
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Eric VanBuren |
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evanburen@usfirst.org |
| WV |
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Jaime Ford |
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jford@usfirst.org |
| CANADA |
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| AB, Calgary |
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Craig Maynard |
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cmaynard@usfirst.org |
| AB, Edmonton |
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Russell Weir |
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rweir@usfirst.org |
| ON, Greater Toronto |
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Paul Keenan |
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pkeenan@usfirst.org |
| ON, North Bay |
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Nancy Dewar-Stenning |
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nstenning@usfirst.org |
| ON, Southern |
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George Chisholm |
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gchisholm@usfirst.org |
| ON, Southern |
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Lynn Rampertab |
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lrampertab@usfirst.org |
| ON, Windsor |
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Sheri Lynn Koscielski |
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skoscielski@usfirst.org |
| Québec |
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Serge Audet |
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saudet@usfirst.org |
Senior Mentors strengthen and expand FIRST partnerships with businesses, educational institutions, and communities. In doing so, the Senior Mentor program has moved us closer to achieving the goal of FIRST - to change society by providing youth with experiences that give them not just the skills, but also the desire, to solve problems through scientific and technological innovation.
Read more about becoming a FIRST Senior Mentor.
Read the FIRST Senior Mentor bios.
Read about the FIRST Senior Mentor Emeritus group.
Read about our Ask an Expert Calls for rookie teams, Mentors and Coaches, cross-program.
