What is a Mentor?
Our mission is to create programs that give young people skills, confidence, and resilience to build a better world, and mentors are a key component to that in FIRST ® Robotics Competition. Adult mentorship is part of what makes FIRST ® so effective, and it’s been core to our programs from the very beginning. This is also true for the support given to teams by non-technical mentors in areas like logistics, business planning, fundraising, and outreach. Part of being successful as an organization is knowing what you are and knowing what you aren’t. FIRST Robotics Competition is not a program where youth build a robot exclusively on their own to compete against another robot built exclusively by youth. It is a program where youth work both with each other and with adult mentors who help them learn new skills and grow as individuals.
Our Mentors!
Kevin McKay
FOUNDING MENTOR
Mentor Since 2014
Kevin graduated from Drexel University with a BS in Electrical & Computer Engineering and an MS in Electrical Engineering & Engineering Management. He is also a graduate of Temple University with an MBA and a Juris Doctorate. He currently works at Boeing as a Systems Engineer. He enjoys mentoring the team because he gets a free t-shirt every year. His time as a mentor awarded him the Duel on the Delaware Duelmaster Award.
Fun Fact: The only thing he's ever consumed from Taco Bell is a carton of milk
Virginia McKay
LEAD NON-TECHNICAL MENTOR
Mentor Since 2015
Virginia is a graduate of Stony Brook University with a BS in Political Science & American History and currently works as a Senior Associate for an insurance company. She joined the team in 2015 as a way to spend quality time with her husband, Kevin. In the robotics lab she can be found doing a wide variety of things from writing press releases and organizing team travel to teaching students to how to analyze data in Excel/Tableau.
Fun Fact: Was batgirl for the New York Yankees in 1993
Steve Rosenberg
FABRICATION & INTEGRATION MENTOR
Mentor Since 2016
Steve went to the School of Hard Knocks. He might be a full time tinkerer, but for work he is a Parts Manager, Prototyper, and R&D for a Wrecker Building Co.. As a mentor he loves seeing the shy kids learn a new skill and become a leader of their team.
Fun Fact: Knows a little about a lot of things
Jim Winward
ELECTRICAL & INTEGRATION MENTOR
Mentor Since 2018
Jim majored in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University and is employed by NSWCPD (Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division) where he has over 30 years experience working with U.S. Navy shipboard machinery systems. He began mentoring the team because he was impressed with the FIRST organization, and the real world experience that students get.
Fun Fact: Got volunteered for the team by his wife
Kathy Seidman
INTEGRATION & SAFETY MENTOR
Mentor Since 2019
Kathy majored in Chemical Engineering at Drexel University. She has over 20 years experience being a HEUR Technology Specialist at Dow, supporting the development of a thickener for paints. Mentoring the team, she finds it rewarding to inspire and support the ideas of the next generation. Each year she loves being amazed by the accomplishments of the students in such a short times and their passion for robotics.
Fun Fact: Has taken vacation days to play the latest video games
Katherine Matvekyina
NON-TECHNICAL MENTOR
Mentor Since 2022
Katherine is an alumni of the team, being a member in 2019. She went to Drexel University and majored in Business Administration, with a focus on Business Innovation and Engineering. Today, she supports resident services at WHHOA. She loves mentoring to give students opportunities to develop their passions and enjoys supporting the inclusive environment of the team.
Fun Fact: Sells Pokémon cards at card shows
James Chi
FABRICATION MENTOR
Mentor Since 2022
James went to Rutgers University for Physics, Astrophysics, and Mathematics. Now he works for Raytheon Technologies. As a mentor he enjoys being able to see the young people grow and become something better than they were.
Fun Fact: Raises chickens
Natalie Ralston
DESIGN MENTOR
Mentor Since 2023
Natalie is an alumni, being a member on team from 2014-2018. She went to Widener University for Robotics Engineering & Electrical Engineering. Currently, she is an electrical engineer at NDI Engineering. As for the team, she loves to help the students not only think creatively but also develop a passion for STEM just like the team did for her previously. Her mentorship and dedication inspired the team, which led her to be nominated for and win the FMA Donald Bowers award.
Fun Fact: Bad at fun facts
Eric Rosenberg
SOFTWARE & DRIVE MENTOR
Mentor Since 2023
Eric is one of our alumni and was on the team from 2015-2019. He has returned to the team as a mentor, but this time with a BS in Computer Engineering from Penn State University. He loves how mutually beneficial mentoring is for him, experiencing the next generation of talented STEAM students while also applying the principles of teaching in later learning concepts.
Fun Fact: Participated in Penn State's Ri3D 2024
John Winward
SOFTWARE MENTOR
Mentor Since 2024
John is an alumni of the team, he was on the team from 2019-2020. He majored in Computer Science at East Stroudsburg University. For work now he is a Software Engineer for Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific. He enjoys being able to give the same guidance to the students that previously helped him. Being able to contribute to the team that made him who he is today is something he loves to do.
Fun Fact: Jim Winward is his dad
Cameron Wodon
SOFTWARE & DRIVE MENTOR
Mentor Since 2025
Cameron is one of our teams alumni! He was a member from 2017-2020. As a graduate of University of Pittsburg, he majored in Chemical Engineering. For Cameron, he loves the team because it's great to be involved in something that challenges him and helps other students develop their technical and team skills.
Fun Fact: Played soccer for 12 years
Brian Carty
INTEGRATION MENTOR
Mentor Since 2025
After high school, Brian served in the US Air Force. Currently, he works as a Senior Threat Detection Engineer Specialist at Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. He holds Information Security certifications from SANS GAWN, GPEN, GCSA, GNFA, GMOB, GCIH and the OffSec OSCP. As a mentor though, he loves helping to build the next generation of skills and inspire new ways of problem solving.
Fun Fact: Is an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 130 since 2017
Adriana Presiado
NON-TECHNICAL MENTOR
Mentor Since 2025
Adriana is an alumni of the team, being one of our members from 2019-2023. She first obtained her associates in Business Administration at Bucks County Community College. Although since then she has transferred to Penn State World Campus where she majors in Labor and Human Resources. She currently works as a Customer Service Supervisor at Wawa. Adriana loves mentoring the team because she loves to give back. After mentoring an FLL team she decided to move here and she loves helping kids get prepared for college and the real world.
Fun Fact: Has been besties with Katherine since she joined the team in 2019
Our Junior Mentors!
Keira Seidman
JUNIOR MENTOR
Mentor Since 2024
Keira is one of our alumni, she was a member from 2019-2024. Currently she is attending Rowan University and majoring in Mechanical Engineering. During the summer though, she has a reoccurring internship at Exelon. She impressively has a full ride scholarship to Rowan as well. While on the team, she was Chief Engineer during her Senior year and Assembly Lead her Junior year. She chose to come back as a mentor because she loves being able to inspire kids, teach them STEM and robotics, and fostering their love for STEM.
Fun Fact: Loves to go indoor and outdoor rock climbing
Justin Skwirz
JUNIOR MENTOR
Mentor Since 2025
Justin is an alumni of our team, he was a member during the 2021-2025 seasons! Currently he is majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Kettering University. However, he also works as a CNC Machinist. His achievements include being the Assembly Lead, Kevin Proclaimed CNC Guru, and the 2021-2025 Operator for the robot. Justin loves mentoring because he gets to see the spark in the students' eyes that he had when he first started with First. By watching their excitement as the students learn and grow reminds him of why he fell in love with robotics in the first place.
Fun Fact: Has watched all the Harry Potter movies 13 times and has 2 tattoos related to Harry Potter