Mentors
Klint Kirkconnell
Lead Mentor
As our main mentor, Klint is present at all meetings and all competitions. Not only does he provide priceless knowledge about building, SolidWorks, and business, he also mentors the team on a much more personal level. He provides us with snacks, drinks, and dinners, rides to and from competitions, and the valuable time he could just as easily spend elsewhere. He is, by far, one of the biggest supports our team has and we are very grateful for all his help and guidance. It is impossible to imagine our team without him.
Fely Parker
Mentor / FIRST Core Values Coach
For over 7 years, Fely has been a FIRST robotics mentor for FLL, FTC and FRC teams in the PUSD and SDUHSD school districts,. She not only coaches students about FIRST Robotics Core Values, she also handles most of our team''s logistics. As an Emmy-Award winning Operations Technician and a LIVE Newscast Director / APC Operator at NBC7 San Diego, Fely brings over 40 years of television and media knowledge that includes commercial production, sound engineering, visual graphics and automated production control directing. Her love of FIRST Robotics and seeing students grow into their full STEM potential is why she dedicates much of her time to Team 3647.
Jonathan Tator
Engineering Teacher
Mr. Tator is a CAD and engineering teacher at Torrey Pines High School. He helps manage the club and make decisions for the club, and even sometimes lets us use his machines. He comes in whenever he can and is very dedicated to the club. He helps spread awareness for STEM through the club and through his CAD/Fabrication and Engineering classes. He helps with recruitment, woodworking, design, CAD, and school relations.
Klaus Gubernator
Mentor
Before coming to our team, Klaus has worked as a Chemist and also been involved with youth projects around San Diego for the past 15 years. From Speech and Debate to FIRST Lego League, Klaus has given a large part of his life to educating students. After joining our team in the spring of 2022, Klaus has helped our team in a multitude of ways that we've never imagined he could. From helping us with fun raising to upgrade our pit and workspace to giving leadership advice to even planning large team events, there's almost nothing Klaus couldn't do. Currently a board member at the Del Mar Rotary Club, Klaus has also been integral to our relationship to the Rotary Clubs of San Diego and their gracious support. We are very thankful for his dedication and help.
Pam Hendrickson
Parent Mentor
Pam Hendrickson is a huge help to our team in many ways. She helps coordinate parent affairs and helps our team fill in any gaps that we may have missed. She helps us plan the logistics of any competitions that are coming. From flights to carpools to meals, she arranges it all out. Her communication with the school and the Foundation is integral to our team. With her, we have been able to learn about more school events and have more school support.
Alex Grant
Technical Mentor
Through a large grant from the National Science Foundation, Alex is designing a lightweight electro-mechanical system that is to autonomously navigate between crop rows and measure growth indicators of a given crop. Collecting stalk size, plant height, leaf angle and inflorescence over time will give us a better understanding of environmental interactions that impact growth and production. Alex has been in FIRST since 2009, starting as a student on team 3042 and then going on to mentor team 3928 before joining our team.
Don
Mentor
Don is a mentor who works as an Engineer for Nordson. His experience during build season is extremely valuable, and you will be hard pressed to find a day during build season where he is not present. He is always proving to be a helpful mentor during those 6 weeks.
Paul Breed
Mentor
Paul Breed is a new mentor who has taken his experience with rocketry, aviation, drones, and remote control vehicles to good use by volunteering his time in the room. He helps give the team direction and is incredibly helpful during manufacturing. His valuable experience is versatile and applicable to almost any field, and his guidance is greatly appreciated.
Larry the Lizard
Mentor