Say hello to our Mentors!
Jillian Ray
Team Advisor
As an advisor, I am there to help with organization and communication, and general support. Because I have a background in graphic design and media, I have helped with creating newsletters for parents and guardians. My favorite thing about being an advisor for robotics is seeing students helping each other to solve complex problems while still being silly and having fun.
Brent Taira
Electrical Mentor
As a mentor, I strive to provide a safe and inclusive working environment where everyone feels that they are valued and engaged. I also help the team understand the basic concepts of electrical engineering and steer them towards a deeper understanding of topics. I also initially trained the team on wiring and soldering concepts, but now provide oversight as they have a self-sustained training from the experienced to new department members.
Chris Barreras
Mechanical Mentor
As an Aeronautics Systems Engineer at NASA Ames Research Center, I work with project managers, a team of engineers and technicians to ensure NASA research projects meet the objectives and needs of customers such as the American public. LO Robotics is an opportunity for students to come together and accomplish a goal which involves team work to solve technical, logistical and schedule challenges. This forum allows all students to bring their respective talents to help meet these challenges. It also provides the students an awareness of the skills needed to meet the demands of the professional post high school world.
Aaron Blasdel
Software Mentor
As a robotics engineering leader with over a decade building autonomous systems. I'm here to help students bridge the gap between ideas and relilably working robots. I've spent my career turning complex problems into real, deployable systems, and I love bringing that hands-on mindset to the team. My goal is to help students think like engineers: break down hard problems, iterate quickly, and take pride in what they build. Robotics taught me that the best solutions come from curious people who aren't afraid to try, fail, and try again — and that's exactly the energy I see in this team every week.