GEARED UP Mentor Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to the GEARED UP: Mentor Conference, where innovation meets inspiration!

Join us on May 17, 2025, from 9 am to 4 pm at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Kossiakoff Center, for a day filled with knowledge-sharing, networking, and empowerment.

We want to hear from you! What topics are most important and critical for you? What topics can you share with the community? Help us program and plan the 2025 conference to be the most impactful yet.

This conference is proudly presented by Aramco America and aims to equip mentors with the tools and insights needed to effectively guide an increasingly diverse generation of students.

9:00am EDT

Opening Keynote: Mentors Make the Mission – Launching FIRST’s Mentor Development Initiative

Saturday May 17, 2025 9:00am - 9:45am EDT

11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, USA

Kick off the FIRST Chesapeake Mentor Conference with an energizing welcome and a powerful call to action from Lisa Mooney of FIRST HQ. In this opening keynote, we’ll celebrate the critical role mentors play across the FIRST ecosystem and unveil the brand-new Mentor Development Initiative—a national effort to elevate, support, and grow the mentor community.

Learn how this initiative will shape the future of mentoring through training, recognition, and tools that help both new and seasoned mentors thrive. Whether you’re here to level up your skills or renew your sense of purpose, this is your launchpad.

Speakers

Alex Bryant

Executive Director, FIRST Chesapeake

Alex Bryant is committed to serving his communities. Bryant graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Music and a minor in Biology. He currently works for FIRST Chesapeake, an arm of the International FIRST Inspires, a global robotics community preparing young people... Read More →