FIRST Indiana Robotics Welcomes New Board Members
FIRST Indiana Robotics (FIN) is proud to announce the addition of three exceptional individuals to our Board of Directors: Dimple Shah, Mary Baker, and Grant Carlile. Each brings a wealth of experience, a passion for the mission of FIRST, and a deep commitment to youth development through STEM education. Their unique perspectives and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to expand our programs and support our community.
Dimple Shah
Dimple Shah takes pride in having a home in two different countries. Originally from India, she’s currently living in Carmel, Indiana with her family – her husband of 19 years and her 13-year-old son. With over two decades of work experience in the IT industry, she has held various roles, demonstrating a strong commitment to agility and diversity.
Dimple was first introduced to FIRST only 3 years back when her son became a part of a First Lego League (FLL) team. Almost immediately, she recognized the profound impact these programs have on youth development and their future prospects. Her dedication to FIRST Indiana Robotics has grown significantly over the years. Dimple will serve as the Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee in the FIN board. Her passion for fostering an inclusive environment is a tremendous asset to the FIN community.
Mary Baker
Mary Baker is the Director of Customer Service & Marketing for AndyMark, Inc,. Prior to AndyMark she had a brief stint as a stay-at-home mom, and was the Director of Marketing and Community Relations for St. Joseph Hospital in Kokomo for 10 years. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University Bloomington in Journalism and Political Science.
Mary began her involvement with FIRST as a supportive spouse in 1997 for her husband, Andy, who was a mentor on FRC 45 TechnoKats. In 2004 she took a more active role when Andy started AndyMark with Mark Koors to provide robotics parts for educational robotics, primarily FRC teams. Mary was a mentor for her three amazing daughters’ FIRST LEGO League team before helping start FRC Team 3940 CyberTooth where she was a mentor until 2023. She has volunteered in various roles in all of the FIRST programs including Judge, Volunteer Coordinator, Pit Admin Supervisor as well as serving on district planning committees. Mary is an active community volunteer, serving on several local boards. Her dedication to FIRST and community service shines through in every role she undertakes.
Grant Carlile
Grant Carlile is the Managing Director at Mountains. Over the past 25 years Grant has facilitated teams and events for impact by pouring into three buckets: running, startups, and robotics. Grant believes in leveraging diversity as a place to start, and working shoulder-to-shoulder with passionate people on projects they believe in.
Since starting with FIRST Robotics in 2004, Grant has held most roles related to the FIRST Robotics program including: Volunteer, Coach, and Organizer. Grant is an alumni of FIRST Robotics – he credits the trajectory of his life in part to his time as a FIRST Robotics participant. Grant joined the FIRST Indiana board of directors in his crusade to advocate for, and increase access to, impactful educational and life experiences.
FIRST Indiana is excited to welcome these new board members. Their expertise, enthusiasm, and dedication to the mission of FIRST will undoubtedly enrich our efforts to inspire young people through STEM education.