Welcoming New Global Keys to the Team

FIRST^® Tech Challenge wouldn’t exist without the passion, creativity, and dedication of thousands of volunteers around the world. From event days to behind-the-scenes planning, our volunteers are the heartbeat of this program—and the FIRST Tech Challenge staff is endlessly grateful for the time, talent, and care they bring to our community every single day.

Today we want to highlight a special group of volunteers, our Global Key Volunteers and Senior Head Referees. These volunteers must embody an outstanding example in their respective roles, but they are also tasked with looking at the big picture for our program and sport. These new Global Key Volunteers join the current cohort of Global Key Volunteers that were announced in the Global Key Volunteer Introduction blog from March 2025. 

These volunteers work directly FIRST Tech Challenge staff to help shape the future of the program worldwide. You can read more details in the link role descriptions above, but their focus is to:

1. Strengthen and improve the FIRST Tech Challenge experience through creating team and volunteer resources
2. Act as subject matter experts and advise FIRST^® Staff on multi-year program direction
3. Focus on ways to expand accessibility and inclusivity across our global community
4. Find ways to empower volunteers with the tools and training they need to best support teams

Global Key Volunteers play a critical leadership role, providing training and support for their specialized volunteer groups. Their work carries significant responsibility, and their impact is felt across the entire FIRST Tech Challenge ecosystem.

🎉Please join us in welcoming our new Global Key Volunteers🎉

Below, you’ll find a short bio for each of our new Global Key Volunteers, along with a few fun conversation starters to help you get to know them.

Each of these volunteers is already well known for living the FIRST Core Values, and we’re excited for them to continue serving as role models and leaders to help bring the vision of FIRST to life. Please help us congratulate and celebrate these amazing volunteers as they step into their new roles!

Technology Volunteers (Inspectors, FTAs, CSAs, and WTAs)

Jeramie Vens, Global Key Volunteer

Kansas/Missouri, USA

Jeramie is an embedded software engineer at Pivot International in Kansas City. He started out as a mentor for various FIRST Tech Challenge teams while in college and quickly started helping out in event volunteering roles. Since 2009, he has volunteered in 10 different states in nearly every volunteer role including FTA, CSA, Inspector, Judge, Referee, Score Keeper, and Audio/Video Production.

Outside of FIRST Tech Challenge, he has also volunteered in various roles in FIRST^® Robotics Competition and FIRST^® LEGO League. Jeramie believes that FIRST Tech Challenge is a fun and engaging way for students to get hands-on experience with STEM, and loves seeing FIRST Tech Challenge students grow into passionate and successful alumni.

Get to know Jeramie:

“Two truths and a lie” about Jeramie:

1 - I’ve been playing in a weekly D&D game for 10 years
2 - I’ve read every book in the Wheel of Time series
3 - I have season tickets to the Kansas City Current women’s soccer team

Conversation Starter: What quiz show category would you ace?

Jeramie’s Answer: 19th century farming technology

Jessica Messing, Global Key Volunteer

Michigan, USA

Jessica lives in Michigan and works as a Data Engineer. She is an alumni of both FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Robotics Competition, and began volunteering in 2016. She also serves as Michigan’s Lead FTA for FIRST Tech Challenge, FTAs for FIRST Robotics Competition, and is also a Head Coach for a FIRST Robotics Competition and two FIRST Tech Challenge teams. 

Jessica is excited to continue working to improve the team and volunteer experience in this new role, and continue making friends around the world along the way.

Get to know Jessica:

“Two truths and a lie” about Jessica:

Conversation Starter: What quiz show category would you ace?

Jessica’s Answer: Airline routes

Judges and Judge Advisors

Şefik Emre Coşkun, Global Key Volunteer

Türkiye

Şefik Emre Coşkun is a long-time volunteer within the FIRST ecosystem, contributing to both program quality and volunteer development across multiple levels. Since 2014, he has served in various key roles including Judge, Judge Advisor Assistant and Judge Advisor in FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST LEGO League, supporting events at regional, national, and off-season levels in Türkiye and internationally.

He has played an active role in judge training, award process alignment, and evaluation consistency, with a strong focus on fairness, impact assessment, and volunteer experience. In recognition of his sustained commitment and leadership, he was honored as the 2022 Rapid React Season FIRST Robotics Competition Volunteer of the Year in Türkiye.

Professionally, Şefik Emre Coşkun is an academic in Near East University and project management professional specializing in experiential learning, leadership development, and competency-based education. He continues to support the mission of FIRST by strengthening volunteer systems and contributing to the long-term growth of the FIRST community.

Get to know Şefik:

"Two truths and a lie" about Şefik:

1 - I started working with young people and volunteers during my university years and have been actively involved in volunteering and education for over 15 years.
2 - Within FIRST events, I have a strong interest in improving judging processes, evaluation systems, and deliberation dynamics.
3 - I have never used LEGO in my life, and robotics projects are really not my thing.

Conversation Starter: What movie would be better if you added dinosaurs? 

Şefik's Answer: 12 Angry Men

1. Same jury room, same ethical debates — but this time, there’s also a dinosaur at the table.
2. Logic, power, and instinct all in one room.
3. Honestly, watching the group dynamics would be fascinating.

Danah Screen, Global Key Volunteer

New York, USA

Danah Screen is an educator, engineer, and a longtime advocate for FIRST Robotics at the Dalton School in New York City, where she serves as Head of the K-12 Engineering Department and the Director of Robotics. Her connection to FIRST began over 15 years ago as a student on FIRST Robotics Competition Team 1594, a joint all-girls team, and has since evolved into a wide-ranging leadership journey that includes coaching, refereeing, judging, and serving as a judge advisor in New York City and Jamaica.

At Dalton, Danah inspires students through hands-on STEM learning and competitive robotics, building programs that emphasize both technical excellence and personal growth. Danah strives to create inclusive, supportive learning environments where students develop confidence alongside engineering skills. 

From 2017 to 2019, Danah co-founded and ran a free computer science summer camp in Barbados for students ages 5-18, working to expand access to technology education across the country. During the summer of 2019, she extended this work through a partnership with a not-for-profit organization in Rwanda, an initiative that was unfortunately cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Danah is a frequent speaker on the topic of digital morality at national and regional conferences. She collaborates with fellow tech educators across New York City to engage in critical conversations about how we teach students, who are digital natives, and examine standards for engagement, observation, and responsible internet use in an increasingly connected world.

Danah is deeply committed to equitable access to STEM education and strongly believes in the mission of FIRST to inspire young people to become science and technology leaders while fostering values of gracious professionalism and coopertition.

Get to know Danah:

"Two truths and a lie about Danah" 

1 - I bumped into Sarah Jessica Parker and we both fell down
2 - I played 5 different instruments in 5 different orchestras my senior year of high school
3 - I'm the middle child and middle cousin on one side of my family

Conversation Starter: What movie would be better if you added dinosaurs?

Danah's Answer: Forrest Gump with dinosaurs would be better because Forrest's oblivious luck becomes even funnier when he's accidentally dodging velociraptors while on his three-year run. Or if Forrest unintentionally fostered a dinosaur thinking it was another domesticated animal and sets off Jurassic World. 

Referees and Head Referees

Dr. Trey Woodlief, Global Key Volunteer

Virginia, USA

Trey Woodlief is a professor, FIRST alum, & FIRST volunteer. He is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at William & Mary where his research focuses on robot/autonomous system safety. Trey began his FIRST journey as a student on FIRST Robotics Competition 1533 Triple Strange in Greensboro, North Carolina.

He has volunteered as a Referee and Head Referee for 3 FIRST programs along with various technical roles. Trey has been a FIRST Tech Challenge Head Referee/Referee since 2015, a co-creator and developer for the FIRST Tech Challenge Live Scoring System since 2019 and was recognized with the FIRST Tech Challenge Volunteer of the Year award in 2021.

Get to know Trey:
“2 truths and a lie” about Trey:

1 - I am named for a character in Robin Hood
2 - I can juggle
3 - I can recite 60 digits of pi

Conversation Starter: If you were on a quiz show, what category would you ace?

Trey’s Answer: Recognizing actors by their voice (but still not being able to tell your their name - I think they were the one from that other thing?)

Demi Outman, Senior Head Referee

Washington, USA

Demi Outman is an alum of FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Robotics Competition Team 33, The Killer Bees. She has been involved with FIRST since 2007 as a student, mentor, and volunteer throughout Michigan, South Carolina, Pennsylvania/Mid-Atlantic, and Washington, USA. Demi has served as a FIRST Tech Challenge referee since 2018, a FIRST Tech Challenge FIRST Championship Head Referee, and recently began volunteering as a Game Announcer for FIRST Robotics Competition events. Outside of FIRST, she works as a Systems Engineer at The Boeing Company, visits tea cafés with friends, and goes camping at local Washington state parks.

Get to Know Demi:
“2 truths and a lie” about Demi:

1 - I’m currently taking Korean language lessons.
2 - My favorite variety of tea is matcha.
3 - I read 19 books in 2025. 

Conversation Starter: What movie would be better with dinosaurs?

Demi’s Answer: Ferris Buller’s Day Off or Back to the Future.

Erik Orlowski, Senior Head Referee

Wisconsin, USA

Erik is a FIRST Alum, starting as a FIRST LEGO League student way back in 2006 and later a student on a FIRST Robotics Competition team. After graduating, he became a mentor for a FIRST Robotics Competition team for the past 11 years. As an event volunteer, he’s been a referee and head referee in all three programs!

Outside of FIRST, he’s a college soccer referee, an avid runner and an embedded software engineer at Rockwell Automation. When we asked him to tell us more about himself, he also added: “Like many FIRST participants, I'm a person with autism. While this comes with its challenges, many of my autistic traits have helped me to become the referee, mentor and engineer that I am today.”

Get to Know Erik:

“2 truths and a lie” about Erik:

1 - I played the viola through college
2 - I'm addicted to coffee
3 - I'm left-handed

Conversation Starter: What movie would be better with dinosaurs?

Erik’s Answer: The Spongebob movie.
 

Production and Show (MC/GA)

Josh Klar, Global Key Volunteer

Washington, USA

Josh Klar is a software engineer, a FIRST alum (of FIRST Robotics Competition Team 3138, Innovators Robotics), and has been volunteering in show, production, and referee-related roles in FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST Robotics Competition since 2014 across the US Midwest, US Pacific Northwest, and Western Canada. You may recognize him as a recurring Game Announcer at FIRST Championship in Houston since 2019, including for 2024’s Einstein celebration. He believes strongly in, and advocates for, the A (for "art") in STEAM, and loves the fusion of performance art and engineering that the show side of a FIRST event represents. Josh has been recognized with FIRST Robotics Competition Regional or FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship Volunteer of the Year awards in 2019, 2023, and 2025. Outside of FIRST or his software career, you'll find him hiking, sailing, gaming, or attempting some new cooking recipe trial by (possibly catching) fire.

Get To Know Josh:

"2 truths and a lie" about Josh:

1 - I have conducted a training webinar while aboard a sailboat in 45mph winds
2 - I was briefly the drummer for an obscure ska-punk cover band
3 - I think the only thing wrong with salt & vinegar potato chips is that they usually aren't strong enough 

Conversation Starter: If you were on a quiz show, what category would you ACE?

Josh's Answer: The subset of music trivia relating to rock and metal music from about the 1980s onwards. Who cares who the original bassist of that one weird post-grunge band was or which record label signed them? ME.

Volunteer Coordinators and Event Directors

Nicolle Visschers, Global Key Volunteer

The Netherlands

In 2009, Nicolle first came into contact with FIRST when her oldest son joined a FIRST LEGO League team. Her other son also participated in FIRST LEGO League for many years (until 2015). Throughout those years, Nicolle was an enthusiastic supporter and experienced firsthand the positive impact of the FIRST program.

In 2015, Nicolle was asked to become involved with FIRST Tech Challenge, after which she co-founded the STEAMup foundation in The Netherlands. In the years that followed, she worked to promote FIRST Tech Challenge both in the Netherlands and internationally. Nicolle frequently traveled to countries such as Italy, the Czech Republic, and Germany to share knowledge and support various events.

Working with young students gives her a great deal of energy. She sees how they grow, not only in technical skills, but also in their personal development. That is truly the most beautiful aspect of the entire  FIRST program and the reason Nicolle remains enthusiastic about continuing this work.

In addition to her work at STEAMup, she also works at a large hospital in Eindhoven, where she is involved in the training of medical specialists. In short, her schedule is very full, but that’s exactly how she likes it.

Get to know Nicolle:

"Two truths and a lie" about Nicolle:

1 - I have more than 1,000 books on my e-reader that I still want to read.
2 - I’m not really very technically skilled.
3 -  I speak 5 different languages 

Conversation starter: If you were on a quiz show, what category would you ACE?

Nicolle's Answer: Useless but entertaining facts that suddenly come in handy.

FIRST Tech Challenge Global Volunteer Leaders

Here are all of the current FIRST Tech Challenge Global Key Volunteers. Thank you all for all that you do to support FIRST Tech Challenge!