Mentors

 

Co-Lead mentor Terry Heath helps students repair robot at competition.

Although PHRED is a student lead team, PHRED would not be what it is without our amazing mentors. All our mentors donate their time to teach the students skills ranging from engineering related skill such as machining parts for the robot and designing electrical systems, to marketing and team management.

Thank you mentors, PHRED would not be the same without you!

  • Bill Atkinson — Object Manipulation
    “These kids are our future and the future looks great!”
    — Bill Atkinson
    Bill Atkinson is a mechanical engineer at Korvis. He joined PHRED in the first build season, left, and then came back 6 years later when his children were old enough to enjoy the benefits of the program. Bill is a year round mentor and helps with giving rides to sponsor presentations and other events.
  • Bruce Bricker — Object Manipulation
    Bruce Bricker is a mechanical engineer who is very good at inventer and other CAD software. He is a returning mentor from the team's beginning.
  • Ron Burchard — Frame and Structure
    Ron Bruchard is a mechanical engineer and parent with a son on the team. Ron helps our students design and build the chassis for our robot.
  • Doug Edmonds — Drive Train and Co-Lead Mentor
    Doug Edmonds is an electrical engineer and one of our co-lead mentors. He started PHRED, the first FIRST robotics team in Oregon, in April of 2001. Doug helps organize not only our team but also the Oregon Regional and the league of local teams.
  • Rob Fitzsimmons — Animation
    “There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.”
    — Rob Fitzsimmons
    Rob Fitzsimmons is graphic designer at Summit Information Systems. He joined PHRED in 2005 and is our animation mentor. Rob is a build season mentor although he does come every month or so during off season to keep in touch with the team.
  • Terry Heath — Electrical and Co-Lead Mentor
    Terry Heath is the instructor for the robotics class a Phiomath High School and one of our co-lead mentors. He joined PHRED half way through the first build season in 2001. Terry helps set up off-season projects as well as keep order and herd cats during weekly meetings.
  • Daylin Oakes — Chairmen's
    Daylin Oakes is a former PHRED team member who came back to mentor after attending college. She worked on the chairmen's award the year we won, so she is using her experience to be the mentor for the chairmen's team.
  • Ed Payne — Finance and Fundraising
    Ed and Linda Payne are the parents of two of PHRED's team members. Ed is the mentor in charge of making sure the team has enough money. He also hunts down new fundraising ideas and possible sponsors.
  • Linda Payne — Marketing
    Linda Payne works with the marketing team to make sure that our team design matches PHRED's professional image.
  • Tom Thompson — Programming
    Tom Thompson first became part of the team as a science teacher at Philomath high school. In 2002, Tom was one of the mentors that helped Doug get PHRED started. In the past Tom has been our pneumatics mentor, this year he will also be mentoring our software team. Tom is the mentor for our award winning OGPC team as well.