Who does what at FIRST Texas?

Written By Natasha Wilkerson

Statewide Leadership

  • Natasha Wilkerson: Oversees Texas program delivery and staff. Your resource for questions around contracts, payments, budgets, fundraising, and coordination with other FIRST departments.

  • Emily DeMille: Your main point of contact for FLL and FTC program operations. Works closely with RPAs to set regional program direction and season planning.

  • Erika Diggs: Your resource for all things event delivery. Works closely with Event Directors and leads community engagement work such as alumni groups.

  • Patrick Michaud: Your resource for questions around team payments, team grants, livestreaming, and equipment. Deep knowledge across programs and available for general advice.

Regional Program Administrator

A Regional Program Administrator (RPA) provides administrative, coordination, and operational support for FIRST program delivery in a defined region for either FIRST LEGO League or FIRST Tech Challenge. If the role is handled by an organization, we are calling it a “Regional Program Partner”. Both roles have Program Delivery Partner (PDP) access to various FIRST HQ systems.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Identify and coordinate school and community partners to deliver local qualifying events.

  • Engage with the Regional Planning Committee for input and support on event delivery.

  • Provide informational sessions, kick off events, scrimmages, and other activities as determined necessary by the RPA.  

  • In partnership with Event Directors, support the recruitment of volunteers and ensure all volunteers are registered in the Volunteer Management System and complete the required training.   

  • Serve as the primary regional contact for coaches, teams, event hosts, and volunteers. 

  • Work with Event Directors to ensure important event information is communicated to teams and volunteers. 

  • Coordinate with FIRST Texas team to ensure all events have the required supplies, materials, and equipment. 

  • Surface and escalate regional issues to FIRST.

  • Contribute to the statewide FIRST Texas Advisory Council meetings.

Meet the Team

Texas Event Partners

FIRST Texas partners with coaches, schools, nonprofit organizations, and companies to host our robotics events. We separate our event partners into two roles, which may be the same person.

A Venue Host is responsible for:

  • Signing an agreement with FIRST to provide access to the facility the day of the event.

  • Managing venue-specific requirements such as security and custodial support

  • Coordinating tables, classrooms, network access, parking, and other facility needs

An Event Director is responsible for:

  • Working with the Venue Host on the layout and flow of the event

  • Generating judging and robot game schedules

  • Creating the coaches’ packet using a provided template to share critical event information to teams

  • Recruiting volunteers with support from the local Regional Program Administrator

  • Assigning volunteers through the Volunteer Management System, either directly or through a Volunteer Coordinator

  • Working with FIRST Texas to coordinate delivery and ordering of equipment, supplies, and volunteer meals

  • Coordination of event onsite including overseeing the set-up, tear-down, team check-in process, and volunteer management

Natasha Wilkerson
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FIRST Texas Event Partner Stipends