Our Mentors
We are grateful to all our wonderful mentors, especially:
Raymond Gerstner (Coach)
Why did you choose to mentor?
To give back to the students of Glenelg and students within FIRST.
What is your profession
I am a teacher here at Glenelg
Candice Gerstner
Tell us a little about yourself
Candice is a proud mother of three, a coach, and a long-time robotics mentor. She grew up in Rochester, NY where she met Mr. Gerstner. She went to grad school at ODU and then moved to the Glenelg area after graduating.
What is your profession?
Candice is a Mathematician for the Department of Defense.
Why do you choose to mentor?
I choose to mentor because I enjoy giving back and watching the students grow as they work together for a common goal. The opportunities that robotics offers the students is wonderful and being able to share my knowledge to help the students think in different ways is very rewarding.
Charles Lange
Why did you choose to Mentor?
My son was interested in robotics and was a robotiator in 2011 and I started mentoring to help him and I enjoyed the challenges and seeing the kids grow and devolop over time so I kept doing it.
Professions I've been working for over 30 years in inertial sensors and control systems.
Free Time: I enjoy working with honey bees.
Kate O'Brien
Why did you choose to mentor?
Mr. Gerstner told me I had to. It provides great opportunities for students, but particularly helps them grow in social aspects, such as present and explaining their thought processes to others.
Leazley Humphrey
Tell us a little about yourself
I am an Army Veteran with over 20 years working in the government sector. I have a Bachelors of Science in Interactive Media and Web Design and I am currently working on my Jack Welch Management Institute MBA at Strayer University.
What is your profession?
Director of Consulting Service at CGI Federal and currently working as the Contractor PM for DISA’s Web Content Filtering Program.
Why do you choose to mentor?
It started out as a way to get involved with my son's interests, but has become so much more over the years. I love working with the kids and seeing how much they learn and grow. Being a mentor of a team that helps so many other robotics teams and the community is very special. FIRST is a great With my son now being a freshman and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, I miss seeing him around the shop, but I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experiences with the team and look forward to many more years supporting them!
Liam Williams
What is your profession?
I am currently working full time as a Digital Systems Engineer at Clarity Cyber where I develop hardware and software applications, as well as design and build networks and networked systems. Additionally, I also work part-time as an Adjunct Faculty of Engineering at Capitol Technology University.
Tell us a little about yourself
In the 2016 FRC season I helped found team 5979 Apex Energized. That was my first introduction to FIRST Robotics and FIRST as a whole, and I couldn’t get enough of it. When 5979 unfortunately met with funding issues and had to disband shortly before the 2018 season started I refused to let that be the end of my time as a student with FIRST. I and one of my friends got special permission from the Howard County Board of Education to join team 888 despite them being on the opposite end of the county from the school we attended. That year we went all the way to world championships, and I’ll never forget that experience. After graduating from high school, I’ve volunteered as a Control Systems Advisor at every event I could go to, and have been mentoring team 888 in electronics and programming since then.
Why do you choose to mentor?
I strongly believe that students’ experience in FIRST is extremely valuable in both college and the professional world. Additionally, I really enjoyed my time at world championships in 2018, so I wanted to stick around and help future team members have a shot at making it all the way up to world championships as well
Amalan Iyengar
Why did you choose to mentor?
I enjoy the passion the students bring to robots. I love teaching. I had great mentors when I went through the program and I just want to give back to the students.
What is your profession?
I'm a computer engineer at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab for three years.
What do you do in your free time?
In the spare time, I love riding trains.
Rachel Linder
Why did you choose to mentor?
To learn more about the applications of what I teach in the classroom.
What is your profession?
Computer science teacher at Glenelg
What do you do in your free time
Work with a scout troop, and play hockey.
Carrie McGrath
Why did you decide to mentor?
After seeing the excitement of robotics through my older son's eyes inspired me to see what I can do to help out. I enjoy interacting with the kids and providing my experiences from crafting to engineering to enhance the robot.
What is your profession?
I am a Network Systems Engineer for 25 plus years.
What do you do in your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy sewing, running, and being outdoors.
Stanley Thomson-Harmon
Ben Miller
Kurt Stetser