Meet the Mentors
Thanks to all of our mentors for coming to support the Tameside Hack! Below, you can read about a few of them, find out what they’re interested in, and start thinking about how you can use them to help you Hack your chosen challenges!
Toby Griffiths – Cubic Mushroom
“I'm a professional geek, running my own business building web software that tries to help make the world a better place.
I'm passionate about making awesome web things that work really well (& look great too) and I’ve just started playing with building real world toys using Raspberry Pis.
Oh, and I love inspiring people to explore programming, tech, and the web.”
Follow Toby on Twitter @ToG
Tom Cheesewright – Book of the Future
“As the founder of applied futurism practice, Book of the Future, and creator of the Futurist’s Toolkit, I help people to see, share and respond to a coherent vision of tomorrow.
I appear frequently in the media with hundreds of appearances across TV, radio, print and digital providing insight and analysis of the latest technology news and future trends.”
Follow Tom on Twitter @bookofthefuture
Andy Johnson – Brother UK
“Hi, I’m Andy Johnson and I’m Head of Product Management at Brother UK. My interests are Football (Man City fan……hope that’s ok) and technology. I’ve worked at Brother for 20 years, it might seem a long time at one company but it’s a great company to work for and gives you real opportunities to try new things to improve yourself as well as the business – this is why I’m excited to be part of the Tameside Hack as I cannot wait to see what ideas you come up with for our new AiRScouter Head Mounted Display – See you at the Hack!”
Charlotte Lee – Tameside and Glossop Care Together
“Hello, my name is Charlotte Lee and I have worked in the Public Health Team at Tameside council for the past 3 years. My work is engaging schools in the importance of health and wellbeing including sex and relationships, drugs and alcohol and mental health, and helping residents of Tameside to be clear on health messages and how little changes to lifestyles can make a big difference! I am really excited to come to the Tameside Hack as I believe through technology we can make a big difference– who better to do it than the next generation of Tameside adults! Also, I am a bit of a nerd and love all things techie! I’m really looking forward to meet you all.”
William Hughes – STEM Ambassadors
“My friends call me Billy, I’m a retired Head of Technology and now I volunteer as a Stem Ambassador attached to MOSI, where I go into schools and Code Clubs to help students develop coding skills.
I have a lot of programming experience including Python Scratch and Control Basic. Having also taught Electronic Products my knowledge of circuit design and assembly includes robotics and programming microcontrollers including Picaxe. I’m also a Raspberry Pi certified educator and BBC Microbit educator.
I’m looking forward to working with you!”
Gemmer Crozier – Brother UK
“I started at Brother UK just over 2 years ago as a Business Apprentice, now I’m the Community Engagement Co-ordinator supporting all Internal and External Community Engagement.
I am an Apprenticeship Ambassador, engaging with many schools and colleges within the local community, providing independent talks on my personal apprenticeship journey, offering one-to-one mentoring and supporting skills gaps and employability preparation.
I am now working towards starting my 3 year Business Degree this year as I am keen to gain new skills and knowledge and always seeking to educate myself.”
Follow Gemmer on Twitter @GemmerCrozier
George Konstantakopoulos – Social Growth
“I have 15 years’ experience with a diverse background ranging in the telecoms, sales, marketing and business development fields. Now, I’m putting my skills into practice as a Digital Innovation marketer for Banter Media, an award-winning digital marketing and creative agency with strong ethical values. I also run my CSR Innovation agency,Social Growth, helping businesses and social enterprises with their strategy and business development, and I’m the founder of Manchester Social Entrepreneurs.
I attended the first ever Tameside Hack in August 2016 as a mentor, and had such a good time I’ll be returning for the next Hack.”
Follow George on Twitter @konstant_g
Nic Holt – STEM Ambassadors
“I’ve worked in the IT industry for over 40 years.My most recent job was as an ‘Enterprise Architect’, devising coherent solutions that balance the vision and aspirations for customers’ businesses with the ‘art of the possible’ (technical feasibility, cost, timescales, risk and flexibility) and human factors (organisational, cultural). An inveterate innovator, I am a named inventor of 11 patents.I’m also a DIY enthusiast, designing, building, making and repairing (almost) anything from home extensions to computers, from sound recordings to woodwork.My other hobbies include music (I sing in two choirs), walking and photography.”
Katie Flynn – Tameside and Glossop Care Together
“Hello my name is Katie Flynn and I have worked in the Public Health Team at Tameside Council for the past 3 years. My main roles are in driving the Mental Health and Wellbeing programme and the Suicide and Self Harm Prevention Programme. I work with different organisations across Tameside such as housing providers, the NHS, Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Active Tameside and voluntary organisations to help the people in the borough have good mental health and wellbeing. I am really looking forward to meeting you all at the Hack, if you have any questions please come over and say hello!”