Team Leaders

*  The Drive Coach position is not a student role at this time.

Team Captain - Kyle Thompson

The Team Captain is the leader of the team. The Captain provides leadership for the team, works with the different teams, and communicates with all the members.

• Work safely and promote safe work practices
• Provide leadership example to team members – Lead Student meetings
• Coordinate and supervise Team Identity based on goals and spirit of FIRST
• Lead and assemble awards – Especially Chairman’s Award
• Work on business plan with Marketing and Finance Mentors
• Track and monitor deadlines and deliverables on schedule
• Communicate to team members about upcoming events – text, email, phone, etc.
• Communicate with Team mentors about progress, issues and team needs

Past Team Captains: Matt Gates (2015), Austin Lantz (2016), Sid Agarwal (2017), Austin Gates (2018), Todd Stancil (2019), Alannah Napast (2020), Alex Valdman (2021), Carter Lamson (2022)

FIRST Mate - Thomas Drake

The FIRST Mate works closely with the Team Leaders and Team Captain.  The First Mate makes sure that goals are met and schedules are followed.

• Work safely and promote safe work practices
• Coordinate and supervise Team Leaders to meet schedules
• Supervise Shop facility with a focus on safety and productivity
• Coordinate with Team Captain to meet goals and schedule
• Coordinate with Team Leaders to meet goals and schedule
• Track and monitor deadlines and deliverables on schedule
• Confirm Attendance – check in with missing students
• Communicate with Team mentors about progress, issues and team needs

Past FIRST Mates: Logan Bagley (2015), Crishaun Hardy (2016), Lily Huo (2017), Wyatt Tripp (2018), Alannah Napast (2019), Victor Pagona (2020), Anna Below (2021), Nikita Sadhale (2022)

Safety Team - Rachel Nelson

The Safety team's main priority is to ensure that throughout the experience everyone does their duties in a safe and productive manner. Throughout this, we are keeping up with new safety methods and procedures. We make it possible for everyone to have fun and a safe time with the Pitt Pirates.

• Work safely and promote safe work practices
• Work with Team members to promote safe practices at shop and home
• Spearhead safety animation
• Develop marketing materials to promote safety – Coordinate with Marketing Team
• Develop and document safety practices
• Maintain and monitor build schedule
• Communicate with Team Captain and Mentors regarding project status and needs

Past Safety Captains: Sunny Le (2015), Sid Agarwal (2016), Caroline Doherty (2017), Paxton Cole (2018), Nikita Sadhale (2019), Abigail Campbell (2020), Nikita Sadhale (2021-2022)
Past Shop Safety Supervisor: Caleb Collins (2019), Nikita Sadhale (2020)

Marketing Team - Carson Fraley

The Marketing Team promotes our robotics organization.  It gains support from local businesses and is involved in local and community events. Their goal is to get the Pitt Pirates Robotics name out to the public.

• Work safely and promote safe work practices
• Coordinate and design Team Identity and image based on goals and spirit of FIRST
• Maintain outreach and communication with Pitt Pirate Robotics, Other Teams, Sponsors
• Maintain relevant information on social media and news posts
• Develop marketing materials and documents
• Develop a look and image plan for competition
• Assign Marketing Team members to support  outreach events
• Assign Marketing Team members to support competition events
• Coordinate with Engineering, Design, and Safety Teams to develop pit area materials
• Maintain and monitor marketing schedule
• Communicate with Team Captain and Mentors regarding project status and needs
• Document events through photography and video
• Develop and maintain the Team Handbook

Past Leaders: Serena Mooney (2015-2016), Ami Vaidya (2017-2018), Anna Below (2019-2021), Kailee Grubbs (2022)
Past Lead Ambassadors: Kennedy Hughes (2015), Kelsey Law (2019), Kobe Tyson (2020), Carson Fraley (2022)
Past Social Media Coordinators: Tanya Chu (2017), Daphne Meyer (2018), Emily Grubbs (2019-2022)
Past Photographers/Videographers: Tanya Chu (2017), Anna Below (2018), Henry Phillips & Emily Grubbs (2019)
Past Webmasters: Tanya Chu (2017), Anna Below (2018), Kailee Grubbs (2019-2022)
Past Historians: Dasola Olanrewaju (2015), Tanya Chu (2016-2017)

Design Team - Azariah Rouse

Our Design Team creates the robot in a virtual world through a program called "SolidWorks 2014". They make sure that the robot works in the simulated world correctly before turning the design over to the Engineering Team for fabrication.  In this way we save time and money.

• • • Work safely and promote safe work practices
    • Coordinate with Engineering Team leader to design robot
    • Coordinate and assemble plans and materials for Design Award
    • Coordinate top level CAD model of robot with all subsystems
    • Assign team members to develop subsystems
    • Assist team members to develop improved CAD and Design skills
    • Coordinate with Marketing Team leader to design pit area materials
    • Assemble and check BOM with engineering team
    • Store and Maintain designs for future reference
    • Maintain and monitor build schedule
    • Communicate with Team Captain and Mentors regarding project status and needs

Past Leaders: Charley Goodman (2015), Allen Stork (2016-2017), Kelsey Law (2017-2019), Taylor Cash (2019-2020), Hunter Dail (2020-2021), Azariah Rouse (2022)

Engineering Team - Joonoh Lee

The Engineering Team constructs the robot. They use the designs made by the Design Team to make the awesome robots that we always make from the help from all of the teams.

• • • Work safely and promote safe work practices
    • Coordinate with Design Team leader in development and design of Robot
    • Assist team members to learn about and use tools properly
    • Lead construction of robot and be familiar with all systems on robot
    • Assign team members to subsystem for development
    • Coordinate and assimilate robot subsystems into complete chassis
    • Work with drive team to troubleshoot and test robot
    • Check BOM with design team
    • Maintain and monitor build schedule
    • Coordinate with Marketing Team Leader to build and assemble pit area materials
    • Communicate with Team Captain and Mentors regarding project status and needs

Past Leaders: Nicole Allen (2015), Lily Huo (2016), Todd Stancil (2017-2018), Keenan Wasklewicz (2019-2020), Abigail Campbell (2021-2022)

Programming Team - Rylan Tuten

The Programming Team creates the instructions for the robots basic and advanced movements. They also connect all the motors and the parts that move the robot to the CPU. This allows the robot to accomplish anything that we need it to do. They are the best of all the teams.

• • • Work safely and promote safe work practices
    • Lead Programming effort for robot – Assemble top level robot control program
    • Assign programming team members to sub system programming tasks
    • Store and maintain programs for future reference
    • Coordinate with Engineering and Design teams to develop programs
    • Coordinate with Drive Team to test and troubleshoot program
    • Support Web site, Scouting crews and Pit Crew for IT needs
    • Assign team members to support and create web site content
    • Maintain and monitor build schedule
    • Communicate with Team Captain and Mentors regarding project status and needs

Past Leaders: Reilly Edwards (2015), Noah Mansfield (2016-2017), Daniel Martinez (2018), Dylan Thorne (2019-2020), Anisha Sadhale (2021-2022)

Drive Team - Rylen Tuten

Our Drive Team operates the robot during competitive match play.  They coordinate with our alliance members to develop strategies and promote goodwill.

• • • Work safely. Promote and demonstrate safe practices
    • Drive the robot during match play
    • Coordinate with alliance members to develop a strategy and promote goodwill
    • Communicates with Scouting Team regarding competitor information
    • Communicates with Pit Crew regarding robot operation and issues
    • Communicates with Team Captain and Mentors regarding competition status
    • Communicates with Programming Team for driving instructions and mechanics

Past Coaches: Mrs. Pate (2015), Matthew Gates (2016-2018), Lucas Gresham (2019), John Tinker (2020-2022)
Past Lead Drivers: Jack Reckord (2015), Austin Gates (2016-2018), Matt Lower (2019), Keenan Wasklewicz (2020), Bryson Bowen (2022)
Past Drivers: Jack Reckord (2015), Austin Gates (2015-2018), Matt Lower (2016-2019), Keenan Wasklewicz (2017-2020), Alex Valdman (2019-2020), Carter Lamson (2020-2022), Bryson Bowen (2022)

Pit Crew - Saline Kulas

• • • Work safely and promote safe work practices
    • Coordinate and direct robot repair and maintenance at competition
    • Assign team member to perform repairs
    • Manage pit area activities: repair, fabrication, housekeeping
    • Assemble and break down pit at competitions
    • Work with drive team to asses and resolve robot problems
    • Communicate with Team Captain and Mentors regarding robot status and needs

Past Chief: Daniel Napast (2018), Victor Pagona (2019), Daniel Franklin (2020), Brighton Hou (2022)

Scouting Team - Dakota Coburn, Ariana Lee, Chris Saji 

The Scouting Leader coordinates with team members to scout and collect data on other teams. The Scout Leader communicates with the Team Captain and Mentors during competition on status of the robots. The Scout Team collects data on other teams prior to and during competitions.

• • • Work safely. Promote and demonstrate safe practices
    • Coordinate with Programming Team to collect and record competitor information
    • Assign team members to scout competitors
    • Assign team members to scout competitors
    • Prepare assessment of competitors for Friday night alliance selection
    • Communicate with Team Captain and Mentors regarding competition status

Past Leaders: Zack Matis (2015), Jillian Nguyen & Wyatt Tripp (2016), Elliot Schultz (2017), Kamdon Pilgreen (2018), David Massey (2019),  Delali Dodor (2020),  Jackson Brooks (2022)

Inspiration - Carson Fraley 

• • • Work closely with Marketing and Social Media teams
    • Compile data concerning the team, outreach, and community support
    • Prepare Chairman's application submission
    • Coordinate the production of Chairman's materials, presentation, and video
    • Communicate with Team Captain and Mentors regarding project status and needs

Past Leaders: Alannah Napast (2018), Kelsey Law (2019), Kailee Grubbs (2020-2022)

Chief Ambassador - Carson Fraley

Past Ambassadors: Wyatt Tripp (2017), Kobe Tyson (2020), Carson Fraley (2022)