Team 1676 is very grateful for the endless support of their mentors, parents, friends, and family. Proving the team saying, "Once a Pi-oneer, always a Pi-oneer, " our mentors are not only our teachers, but also parents of team members and alumni. We have mentors from the local business community who caught "FIRST Fever" and continue to mentor the team year-after-year.
Our Mentors:
Kevin Killian (Head Coach):
Mr. Killian has been a coach on the team for eleven years; this is his seventh year as head coach. He has been teaching math at Pascack Hills for the past ten years, but before his teaching career, Mr. Killian was an engineer for 19 years in the fields of satellite navigation and fiber-optic communications. He worked for Allied Signal Aerospace Company and Corning Incorporated. Mr. Killian is the holder of six US patents. He has two sons who are team veterans and one son who is a team freshman.
Don Rotolo:
Mr. Rotolo has been the Electrical Sub-Division mentor since the inception of Team 1676 eleven years ago. As a long time Mercedes-Benz employee, he became one of the original mentors when Mercedes-Benz first sponsored the team. Mr. Rotolo is well known on Chief Delphi having posted 6,575 times since he first joined the site in January 2005. Mr. Rotolo is the winner of the prestigious Woodie Flowers Finalist Award at the 2012 MAR Region Championship. He has a daughter who graduated from the team.
Lisa Ruggieri:
Mrs. Ruggieri has been with the team for eleven years. She began as a parent when her son was an original team member, when she founded the Pascack Pi-oneers Parents Association, and is a past Co-President. Mrs. Ruggieri is Co-Lead Mentor for the Non-Tech Division, as well as liaison between Team 1676 and the FIRST LEGO League Teams the Pi-oneers mentor in the district. She is also a coach for the Junior FIRST LEGO League teams the Pi-oneers mentor each summer.
Joe Pantalone:
Mr. Pantalone has mentored the Pi-oneers for eight years as part of the Mechanical Sub-Division and trains the novice mechanical group members during Pi-Tech Academy. In 2009, he guided students to design our moon rock-gobbling "shepherd," and in 2010 his team designed our lifting hook delivery apparatus. Joe is the proud parent of a Pi-oneer alumnus and has stayed with the team after his daughter's graduation. He is a market manager for a composite materials distributor and is an expert in the field of composite materials, specializing in foam core and balsa core fiberglass-reinforced structures.
Jack Teadore:
Mr. Teadore is the mentor for the Programming Sub-Division for the past seven years, as well as a mentor for a FIRST LEGO League team in the district. Mr. Teadore owns a computer consulting company, JGT Computer Solutions, building systems and small networks for businesses. Robotics was one of his hobbies in the past, leading him to discover the Pi-oneers. Mr Teadore has a daughter who was a team member.
Steve Mertz:
Mr. Mertz has mentored the Integration and Testing Sub-Divison for the last seven years. He caught FIRST Fever and has returned to mentor even though his daughter graduated four years ago. He is the Regional Manager for Xerox Global Services and has a background in electro-mechanical technology, business management, and is a certified technical trainer.
James "Doc" Whitfield:
This is Dr. Whitfield’s 6th year with the team as the Chassis Sub-Division mentor. He has been with the Pascack Valley Regional High School district for nine years teaching Biology, Anatomy, and Physiology. Prior to coming to our district, he taught in college and in medical schools; he has a PhD in Pathology.
Ilene Rein:
Mrs. Rein is Co-Lead Mentor for the Non-Tech Sub-Division working with the animation and media teams for the past five years. She is also Co-President of the Pascack Pi-oneer Parents Association and currently owns DesignTides, a business that helps others with graphic design, logos, websites, etc. She also is an engineering sales recruiter for her family business Sales & Marketing Resources, Inc.. Mrs. Rein has a son who is a team veteran and a daughter who is a sophomore on the team.
Adam Ostrowski:
This is Mr. Ostrowski’s fourth year being a mentor for the Mechanical Sub-Division and his fourth year teaching Technology in the Pascack Valley District. Before joining our district he worked as a contractor for more than 20 years.
DJ Solleder:
Mr. Solleder has been a mentor for the Electrical Sub-Divison for the past three years. He is a Senior instructor for Local 164 IBEW and is also a certified instructor for solar and alternate energies as well as fire protection/life safety systems. Mr. Solleder graduated from New Jersey Institute of Technology with a Mechanical Engineering degree. His son is a junior on the Pi-oneers.
David Warsoff:
After attending several Team 1676 events as a parent and spectator, Mr. Warsoff became a mentor for the past three seasons for the Non-Tech Sub-Division focused on the implementation of the team performance review process. Mr. Warsoff is currently an Operations Manager for JPMorgan Chase Bank and has over 25 years of Financial Service industry experience in Operations and Client Services. Mr. Warsoff has a son who is a team veteran.
Robert Nussbaum:
Mr. Nussbaum is a mentor for the team's Non-Tech Sub-Division for the past three years. He assists the Pi-oneers with fundraising and writing grants to obtain corporate sponsorship. Mr. Nussbaum graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a major in Political Science and an English minor and from Seton Hall University School of Law. Mr. Nussbaum is an attorney, who specializes in civil litigation. His son is a team veteran.
Frannie Capodicasa:
Mrs. Capodicasa or Mama DiCasa as she is known, has mentored the Non-Tech Sub-Division for the past two years. She is Co-President of the Pascack Pi-oneers Parents Association as well as a Platinum Sponsor of the team along with her husband. Her daughter is a junior on the team.
Alumni Mentors
Robert Levy:
Mr. Levy graduated as a Co-CEO of the team and picked up where he left off, now as mentor of the Info-Tech Sub-Division for the past three years. He also volunteers for FIRST competitions. Mr. Levy is a graduate of Rensselaer PolyTechnic Institute.
Danielle Fischer:
Ms. Fischer graduated as a Co-CEO of the team and leader of the Non-Tech Division. She has continued to mentor the Non-Tech Awards Sub-Division for the past three years, as well as volunteer as a judge for many FIRST Robotics competitions. Ms. Fischer is pursing her Masters degree in Engineering Management from Stevens Institute of Technology.
Eric DelSanto:
Mr. DelSanto graduated as Co-CEO and has mentored the Mechanical Sub-Division while pursuing his Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. He is a founding member of the organizers to host an off-season event at Stevens and volunteers at FIRST competitions.