TEAM 341 - Key Persons
Adam Nedorezov first joined the team in 2002 after his 9th grade physics teacher, and team founder, Mr. Ostrow, kept showing team propaganda in class; he rejoined as a mentor in 2014. On the team, he was an operator of the robot, and now mentors our electrical and programming subteams. Adam got his B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering. He currently works as an R&D Engineer at The Applied Research Lab at Penn State.
Hobbies: Bowling, gaming, searching for Decepticons, crocheting
Favorite Color: Plaid
Favorite Food: Cheesesteak
Andrew Kamerosky's experience on the team allowed him to meet some of the most important and memorable people in his life. During his high school career he was on the team for one and a half years helping build the robot and developing the business plan. After graduation in 2006, he went on to double major in Environmental Science and Geology with a minor in Dance at Dickinson College. Some of his best memories include winning the Kleiner-Perkins Caufield and Byers Award at Nationals.
Adam Nedorezov spent three and a half years on the team prior to his graduation in 2006. He worked on the electrical team and as an operator. He earned his Bachelors degree in electrical engineering and is currently working as an R&D engineer for The Applied Research Lab at Penn State. Adam is also working on his Masters degree and is planning to pursue his PhD. His favorite memory is of all the laughs shared while working on the robot with teammates. Robotics influenced what he wants to become in the future as he found his love for electrical engineering. Some advice he would like to pass on to current team members is to do everything as best as you can because only then will it be significant.
Mr. Ostrow began as a small child. He then grew up. After spending his time gathering various degrees (B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Temple University, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and M.S. in Education from Drexel University, and a 2-year Associate Degree in Drafting and Design from the American Institute of Design), working as a draftsman for an engineering consulting company, engineer for Keebler Company (think delicious snacks), and an engineer for Gemini Bakery Equipment, Mr. Ostrow finally decided to settle down and start a family…. a robotic family. After teaching at Wissahickon High School for only one year, Mr. O became inspired. Thanks to a random promotional email, Mr. O stumbled into his first FIRST® Robotics Competition. Now, more than 25 years later, he has retired from teaching but still remains the team's biggest supporter. Mr. Ostrow has been (and will always be) a driving force behind Daisy's success.
Hobbies: Ice hockey, hiking, drawing, sending emails when the recipient is most likely to be sleeping
Allen Hu graduated in 2014 after two seasons on the team. He now studies Pre-Med at the University of Pittsburgh. While on the team, he assisted in mechanical build.
Ben Cole graduated in 2014 after 4 years on the team before moving on to American University for computer sciences. While he was known for being energetic at competitions, his focus on the team was in animation and media.
Brian Chiou was a senior when he joined Team 341. His role on the team was Animation. After graduation in 2001, he went on to study Computer Science at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. He is now a Project Manager at a web development firm. When thinking back on his experience with the team, he mostly remembers how great of an experience it was for his career. If he could advise students currently on Team 341 he would say not to worry too much about what's ahead, but truly enjoy what you're doing now.
Dave Isaac graduated in 2005 and went on to earn his Bachelors in broadcast journalism from Temple University. He is now pursuing his sports journalism career. During his 4 years on the team he worked on Media, Chairmans, and Team in a Box. His favorite memory of the team is the atmosphere at competitions. Some advice he would like to pass on to current robotics students is that the most important thing is to treasure the experiences you have, make contacts, and have a blast; it's not about winning competitions or trophies.
David is relatively new to the world of FIRST® Robotics, having been introduced to the team by a 341 alum in 2016 and signing up as a coach the following season. He studied Mechanical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. David currently works for Globus Medical, designing spinal implants. When he's not working or helping the design and CAD subteams, he enjoys traveling around the U.S. and visiting new places.
Hobbies: Running and reading
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Food: Fried okra
Eli Wrasman now studies structural engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. He worked with the mechanical build team and was the third of three scout leaders during 2013-14.
Elliot Konstant went on from Wissahickon to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. After joining in 2011, he worked on Mechanical and Design, as well as being given the title of ‘Team Cheerleader' due to his spirit at competitions.
Emily Vo joined the team in 2012 and was a proud Electrical and Scout leader through 2013-14. Now attending the University of Pennsylvania, she puts her knowledge to use as she studies computer engineering.
Erik Lydick, more commonly known as Tito, spent 4 years on the team. He was on pit crew in 2013 and 2014, and was Mechanical Leader in 2013, which prepared him to be Team Captain in 2014. Tito now attends RIT for Engineering.
Evan Ostrow has a long history with Team 341. With his father as the team founder and former head coach, he was introduced to the world of FIRST® Robotics in elementary school. He joined the team in high school, and became a part of the Strategy, Design and Build subteams, and he gained leadership experience as team captain in 2011. Evan earned his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Drexel University. Now, he works as a systems engineer at Lockheed Martin in the Space Systems Company.
Hobbies: Ice hockey, ultimate frisbee, hiking, camping, and traveling when he can
Favorite Color: Orange
Favorite Food: Pizza with WD40 and aluminum shavings on a build season night … actually though, pizza is pretty good
Favorite Quote: "Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." - John Wooden
Greg Walter spent three years on the team and two years as a mentor. He graduated in 2003 and went on to study Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Engineering Mechanics at Penn State. He is currently working for General Dynamics Electric Boat. His company designs, builds, and maintains nuclear submarines for the U.S. Navy. While in high school he worked on the build and design team and was also a human player. FIRST® taught him the skills and importance of scheduling, multi-tasking, and testing. This helped him greatly in his career. His favorite memory of the team is meeting his wife, Melissa. His advice for current students is to ask many questions, no matter how small and insignificant they may seem, as well as to cherish everything you do because time goes by fast.
Ian Rafter graduated from high school in 2008 and was a member of FIRST® Robotics Competition Team 486, Positronic Panthers. He received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University and an M.S. in Robotics from the University of Pennsylvania. He has been working in the semiconductor manufacturing industry for the past nine years and has spent time designing actuators, and programming robotic handlers. He has been more recently involved in project management. Ian came to our team because he is a member of our local community and wanted to get involved in the fun, learning environment that happens in FIRST®.
Hobbies: Dog training, gardening, kayaking, hiking, cooking
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Food: Mint chocolate chip ice cream
James Jackson joined Miss Daisy in 2012. He worked on the media subteam in 2012, and worked on mechanical build the following year. He now attends Montgomery County Community College for computer sciences.
Jared Russell spent two years as a student on the team and another six as a coach. He graduated in 2003 from Wissahickon. While on the team he first worked on media and the website, then programming, and then design. After graduation he went on to study at the Rochester Institute of Technology and has a Bachelor and Masters in Computer Engineering. He is currently working as an engineer at Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories. Robotics helped him with his career because it opened his eyes to what he could do with his lifelong fascination with science and technology. He also cultivated communication skills that have helped him get through college and as a professional. His favorite moment on the team was getting engaged on Friday night of the 2008 Philadelphia Regional and then winning both the competition and the Chairman's Award 24 hours later. His advice to current team members is to listen to the mentors.
Jason Chen graduated from Wissahickon in 2005. He spent four years on Team 341, working on CAD and Animation. After Wissahickon, he went on to study Premedicine, Biobehavioral Health, Journalism, Graphic Design, Information Science, and Technology at Penn State. He mostly remembers crying with the other CAD and Animation students about how slow the computers were. If he could give any advice to the students on the team he would say to always have a plan so at least you'll know when something isn't right.
Jess Klitsch joined the team the team in 2013 joining the Mechanical Build team. Following her first year on the team she had become the Operator in 2014 as well as the Assistant Captain. In 2014 she graduated and move on to major in Mechanical Engineering at Pitt.
Kara Bakowski moved to the Philadelphia area from Michigan, her home state, where she was once a FIRST® Robotics Competitionn FRC student on Team 1189, the Gearheads. She earned a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Michigan Technological University and moved out to the East Coast, where she stayed five months before deciding she needed something to do and looked for a team to mentor. She is currently a Quality Systems Manager for Cleveland-Cliffs, and is a mechanical/build mentor on our team.
Hobbies: CrossFit, doing her cats's bidding, and napping
Favorite Color: Yellow
Favorite Food: Blueberry pie
Katie Trageser was on the team for four years and graduated in 2008. While on the team she worked on design, build, and Chairman's. She then went on to Penn State University to study aerospace engineering. Robotics helped her change her mind about what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Her favorite memory of the team was winning Drexel twice and being given the position as booth coach her sophomore year. Some advice she would like to give to current team members is to enjoy the time you have on the team, to ask a lot of questions, and to not be discouraged if things seem challenging.
Katrina Selverian graduated in 2008 and is currently a communications major at Fordham University. She spent four years on the media team specifically working on Team in a Box. Her favorite memory was planning sessions for Team in a Box and winning their first President's Circle Award. Her advice for current team members would be to not be afraid to suggest new ideas - many of the best features and methods of Team 341 have been thought of by students like you.
Kirsten Jahn Richardson is Daisy's official paparazzi, biographer, videographer, photographer, webmaster, visual designer, and mass organizer. She's come a long way since joining the team as a student in 2001: Kir has earned her B.S. in Digital Media Arts from Canisius University, gotten married, and found a day job as a Senior Director of UX/UI Design. Other than that, though, not much has changed. Kir still spends long nights with Miss Daisy, only now in a more managerial role. She has brought her professional skills, personal obsessions with organization and efficiency, and vast photo, media, and video knowledge to the students.
Hobbies: Photography, traveling, CrossFit
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Food: Spaghetti/Anything Pasta
Mrs. DiGregorio is a Math teacher at our school, Wissahickon High School. She joined our team as a mentor in 2023, assisting with our awards submissions and outreach programs. Both of her children are alumni of FIRST® Robotics Competition and she wants to give the students of Miss Daisy the same quality experience that her children had. She looks forward to learning more about the team and watching the season unfold as time goes on.
Hobbies: Baking, cooking, crocheting
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Food: Chicken
Logan Moloshok graduated from Wissahickon in 2008. He was on CAD and Animation for two years and on Design and Build for another two. Upon graduation, he went to study Digital Media at Drexel University. His favorite memory is winning the Philadelphia Regional two years in a row. Some advice he has for current team members is to not be afraid to experiment; if you think something looks interesting, give it a shot.
Lou Orehek began his journey with the team after seeing several of his kids join and pass through the program. After seeing the success of both the team and his children, he felt inclined to offer his help wherever necessary. With a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, he is currently employed at Comcast NBCUniversal. He is equipped to take on a variety of challenges. On the team, he is a tool specialist in our shop while also helping with constructing field parts, assembling our pit display, building robust robot bumpers, and assisting students carry out their goals.
Hobbies: Skiing and exercising
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Food: Pizza
Louis Orehek joined the team in 2011 joining the Mechanical Engineering team. He stayed on the Mechanical Engineering team for 4 years on the team and became the Mechanical Leader in 2014 as well as the Human Player. Graduating in 2014 he moved on to the University of Akron to major in Mechanical Engineering.
Job Titles:
- Engineer at a Robotics Company Kulicke & Soffa
Matt is an engineer at a robotics company Kulicke & Soffa, based in Fort Washington, PA. He is a Penn State graduate with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering with a focus in electronic control. He joined Miss Daisy in the the fall of 2023 as a way to share his engineering knowledge with the next generation of roboticists. This year, he hopes to learn how a top tier FIRST® team works and contribute to a winning season!
Melissa Walter (Slobodzian) graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a Bachelors degree in accounting and a minor in business law. After graduation, she moved to Rhode Island and currently works at KPMG in Boston where she specializes in financial crime investigations and regulatory compliance. Melissa spent one year on the team working on the business plan. Her time on the team inspired her to pursue a career in business. Her favorite robotics experience was meeting new people. After all, if it weren't for the team, she would have never met her husband. Her advice for current team members is to cherish every moment on the team, and learn from your experiences.
Michelle Zhong joined in 2013 with a focus in media. She now studies computer science at Carnegie Mellon.
Logan Moloshok graduated from Wissahickon in 2008. He was on CAD and Animation for two years and on Design and Build for another two. Upon graduation, he went to study Digital Media at Drexel University. His favorite memory is winning the Philadelphia Regional two years in a row. Some advice he has for current team members is to not be afraid to experiment; if you think something looks interesting, give it a shot.
Natalie Morris spent four years on Miss Daisy's Design and Build team and Chairman's team. After graduation in 2008, she went on to Carnegie Mellon University to study Computer Science and Physics. She is currently pursuing her degree and planning for grad school. Her favorite moment on the team is realizing that she knew what she was doing for the first time. Some advice she would like to give current students is to enjoy everything about robotics. Whether it's the learning, frustration, or success; you have to enjoy it.
Orion Pullman graduated with the class of 2002 and spent his senior year on the team. After graduation he went on to study Chemical Engineering at Drexel University. Upon graduation from college he worked as a chemical engineer in the Virgin Islands. Orion then went back to school and plans to become an orthopedic surgeon. His favorite part of robotics was watching everyone's efforts come together at competition. Some advice he would give current team members would be to find something that you like and stick with it.
Paul was introduced to the team in 2019 after his son joined, and has been hooked ever since. He has a B.S. in Chemistry from University of Virginia, and a PhD in Biochemistry from Duke University. He works in preclinical drug discovery as a scientist at a pharmaceutical company. On our team, he can usually be found making our field parts each year. He also helps manufacture machine mechanisms, playing a key role in the production of our competition robot.
Hobbies: Woodworking
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Food: Fajitas
Rob Samuel became interested in getting involved with the robotics team after seeing Miss Daisy at local community events and then attending Ramp Riot in 2018 with his son. Rob has graduate degrees in Electrical Engineering and Information Science from Widener University, Penn State University, and Robert Morris University. He is currently a professor of engineering at Widener University and Penn State University, specializing in systems design and innovation. On the team, he mentors the electrical team on installation, wiring repairs, and soldering techniques.
Hobbies: Golf, watersports, Philly Sports fan, vehicle repairs
Favorite Color: Stainless steel
Favorite Food: Smoked BBQ
Scott England's journey with FIRST® began when the world was young, when FRC was a more savage place. Before COTS parts, before bumpers, even before alliances. In that time he's worked with 4 different teams (122, 401, 118, and 341). Scott got his B.S. and M.S. in Engineering Science & Mechanics from Virginia Tech. He spent the first 11 years of his engineering career at NASA Johnson Space Center playing with astronauts and can personally verify that microgravity is as much fun as it sounds. Scott took a job doing human factors engineering for Johnson & Johnson to be closer to his ancestral homeland of the Northeast. With Miss Daisy, Scott can usually be found huddling over a 3D printer or working with students to prototype overly-complicated mechanical systems.
Sean Stevens graduated from Wissahickon in 2012 and received his B.S. and M.S. from Drexel University in Electrical Engineering. He now works as a Product Engineer at FRED Automation, where he does electronics and programming for their autonomous vehicle. Sean came back to the team because he can't leave; he loves the environment and wants to give back to our community. In the shop, he mentors the build subteam through design and manufacturing, and acts as our drive coach at competitions.
Hobbies: Robotics, gaming, disc golf
Favorite Color: Yellow
Favorite Food: Cheesesteaks
Sophia Capaldi joined the team in 2011 joining the CAD team. She had stayed on the CAD team all 4 years on the team as well as being one of three Scout Leaders from 2013-2014. Graduating in 2014 Sophia Capaldi moved on to major in Art at Penn State.
Tim George joined the team without any prior experience in FIRST® Robotics. His first encounter with FIRST® was attending a Ramp Riot event years ago, followed by volunteering for two seasons with his son's FLL team before becoming a member of Miss Daisy. Since joining, Tim contributes to field element construction, assists in mechanical and electrical troubleshooting, works to optimize the team's competition packing process, and most recently, he has been mentoring the programming team in improving our digital scouting system. With a background in Electrical Engineering (B.S.) and Computer Engineering (M.S.), Tim currently serves as a Principal Software Architect at a tax technology software and solutions company for businesses.
Hobbies: Robotics, cooking on a smoker
Favorite Color: Dark green
Favorite Food: BBQ pork ribs
Tom Varughese joined the team in 2012 joing the Mechanical Build team. Tom was on the Mechanical Build team from 2012-2014, and was also the Safety Captain (Won team's only safety award). Tom graduated in 2014, and moved on to major in Mechanical Engineering at Penn State. He comes back to help mentor the team.
Trevor Walsh graduated from Wissahickon in 2006 and went on to earn a Bachelors of Science in Industrial Design from Philadelphia University. He is currently the Design Resource Manager at Philadelphia University. During his four years on the team he worked on building and operating the robot. Robotics helped Trevor find something he wanted to do with the rest of his life. His fondest memories include the long bus rides and the rush he got from fixing a machine seconds before a playoff match started. His advice to current robotics students would be to focus on your goals and to let nothing dissuade you from them.
Willow Baker joined the team in 2012 joining the Mechanical & Design team. By 2013 she had become the captain of the Mechanical team. As 2014 was her last year on the team she became the Assistant Captain of the Mechanical team. Graduating the same year she moved on to RIT to major in engineering.