Renee Becker-Blau
President at FIRST Indiana Robotics- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Chelsea Bowen
I worked with Renee for 6 years during my tenure on the Board of Directors of FIRST Indiana Robotics. She was fresh out of college and the first employee that we hired to lead the non-profit and help us grow. During that time, the organization grew by leaps and bounds in terms of organization infrastructure, key stakeholder involvement, and corporate and foundational engagement. Renee is good at leading integrated teams, developing and managing an operational budget that fits the needs of an organization, and excels at engaging potential donors and sponsors by being able to identify how the organization fits into the mission of their company for a mutually beneficial relationship. She is fantastic in her capacity as a President of a non-profit organization. Renee is a builder. She has built on the good idea and core values of FIRST Indiana Robotics and infused her own creativity to foster growth and help achieve success well into the future. She builds within the community engaging current volunteers and staff to be at their best, but is also good at identifying potential in contacts and bringing them into the fold. She builds a brand that is recognizable, succinct, and uniquely fit for purpose.
Sean Neal
There are many problems in the world considered far-reaching because they require a certain level of time, effort, and coordination; it takes the effort of superhuman movers and shakers to accomplish these problems. I've come to realize who one of these superhumans are. It's the mavericks like Renee that work tirelessly to build the foundations of communities to create meaningful change. I've personally and professionally been touched by not just how much Renee gets done, but HOW she does it. She enthusiastically spends her time coordinating, organizing, and uplifting people in and around the community to tackle big issues in a way that makes sure everyone feels connected, heard, and seen. She is more than capable of taking charge and moving mountains, or hanging back and contributing when only necessary. She truly knows how to bring out the best in others and how to navigate complex and intricate situations. Whether it's setting up a dinner for an entire robotics team, coordinating a state championship competition for FIRST, or working to help out someone realize their passions in launching a magazine solely about women in STEM in her offtime, Renee is your person. She is constantly connecting with people to help them reach their full potential. She truly has a gift for cultivating people’s skills and helping them realize their passions. She unites the skills and passions of a community, leading them to work effortlessly. If I haven't made it clear enough by this point, working with Renee has been nothing but bliss. Her versatility as a team member has always inspired and motivated me. I am confident that Renee could solve any problem thrown at her in a precise and organized manner making sure you feel heard, seen, and valued as a team member or stakeholder.
Chelsea Bowen
I worked with Renee for 6 years during my tenure on the Board of Directors of FIRST Indiana Robotics. She was fresh out of college and the first employee that we hired to lead the non-profit and help us grow. During that time, the organization grew by leaps and bounds in terms of organization infrastructure, key stakeholder involvement, and corporate and foundational engagement. Renee is good at leading integrated teams, developing and managing an operational budget that fits the needs of an organization, and excels at engaging potential donors and sponsors by being able to identify how the organization fits into the mission of their company for a mutually beneficial relationship. She is fantastic in her capacity as a President of a non-profit organization. Renee is a builder. She has built on the good idea and core values of FIRST Indiana Robotics and infused her own creativity to foster growth and help achieve success well into the future. She builds within the community engaging current volunteers and staff to be at their best, but is also good at identifying potential in contacts and bringing them into the fold. She builds a brand that is recognizable, succinct, and uniquely fit for purpose.
Sean Neal
There are many problems in the world considered far-reaching because they require a certain level of time, effort, and coordination; it takes the effort of superhuman movers and shakers to accomplish these problems. I've come to realize who one of these superhumans are. It's the mavericks like Renee that work tirelessly to build the foundations of communities to create meaningful change. I've personally and professionally been touched by not just how much Renee gets done, but HOW she does it. She enthusiastically spends her time coordinating, organizing, and uplifting people in and around the community to tackle big issues in a way that makes sure everyone feels connected, heard, and seen. She is more than capable of taking charge and moving mountains, or hanging back and contributing when only necessary. She truly knows how to bring out the best in others and how to navigate complex and intricate situations. Whether it's setting up a dinner for an entire robotics team, coordinating a state championship competition for FIRST, or working to help out someone realize their passions in launching a magazine solely about women in STEM in her offtime, Renee is your person. She is constantly connecting with people to help them reach their full potential. She truly has a gift for cultivating people’s skills and helping them realize their passions. She unites the skills and passions of a community, leading them to work effortlessly. If I haven't made it clear enough by this point, working with Renee has been nothing but bliss. Her versatility as a team member has always inspired and motivated me. I am confident that Renee could solve any problem thrown at her in a precise and organized manner making sure you feel heard, seen, and valued as a team member or stakeholder.
Chelsea Bowen
I worked with Renee for 6 years during my tenure on the Board of Directors of FIRST Indiana Robotics. She was fresh out of college and the first employee that we hired to lead the non-profit and help us grow. During that time, the organization grew by leaps and bounds in terms of organization infrastructure, key stakeholder involvement, and corporate and foundational engagement. Renee is good at leading integrated teams, developing and managing an operational budget that fits the needs of an organization, and excels at engaging potential donors and sponsors by being able to identify how the organization fits into the mission of their company for a mutually beneficial relationship. She is fantastic in her capacity as a President of a non-profit organization. Renee is a builder. She has built on the good idea and core values of FIRST Indiana Robotics and infused her own creativity to foster growth and help achieve success well into the future. She builds within the community engaging current volunteers and staff to be at their best, but is also good at identifying potential in contacts and bringing them into the fold. She builds a brand that is recognizable, succinct, and uniquely fit for purpose.
Sean Neal
There are many problems in the world considered far-reaching because they require a certain level of time, effort, and coordination; it takes the effort of superhuman movers and shakers to accomplish these problems. I've come to realize who one of these superhumans are. It's the mavericks like Renee that work tirelessly to build the foundations of communities to create meaningful change. I've personally and professionally been touched by not just how much Renee gets done, but HOW she does it. She enthusiastically spends her time coordinating, organizing, and uplifting people in and around the community to tackle big issues in a way that makes sure everyone feels connected, heard, and seen. She is more than capable of taking charge and moving mountains, or hanging back and contributing when only necessary. She truly knows how to bring out the best in others and how to navigate complex and intricate situations. Whether it's setting up a dinner for an entire robotics team, coordinating a state championship competition for FIRST, or working to help out someone realize their passions in launching a magazine solely about women in STEM in her offtime, Renee is your person. She is constantly connecting with people to help them reach their full potential. She truly has a gift for cultivating people’s skills and helping them realize their passions. She unites the skills and passions of a community, leading them to work effortlessly. If I haven't made it clear enough by this point, working with Renee has been nothing but bliss. Her versatility as a team member has always inspired and motivated me. I am confident that Renee could solve any problem thrown at her in a precise and organized manner making sure you feel heard, seen, and valued as a team member or stakeholder.
Chelsea Bowen
I worked with Renee for 6 years during my tenure on the Board of Directors of FIRST Indiana Robotics. She was fresh out of college and the first employee that we hired to lead the non-profit and help us grow. During that time, the organization grew by leaps and bounds in terms of organization infrastructure, key stakeholder involvement, and corporate and foundational engagement. Renee is good at leading integrated teams, developing and managing an operational budget that fits the needs of an organization, and excels at engaging potential donors and sponsors by being able to identify how the organization fits into the mission of their company for a mutually beneficial relationship. She is fantastic in her capacity as a President of a non-profit organization. Renee is a builder. She has built on the good idea and core values of FIRST Indiana Robotics and infused her own creativity to foster growth and help achieve success well into the future. She builds within the community engaging current volunteers and staff to be at their best, but is also good at identifying potential in contacts and bringing them into the fold. She builds a brand that is recognizable, succinct, and uniquely fit for purpose.
Sean Neal
There are many problems in the world considered far-reaching because they require a certain level of time, effort, and coordination; it takes the effort of superhuman movers and shakers to accomplish these problems. I've come to realize who one of these superhumans are. It's the mavericks like Renee that work tirelessly to build the foundations of communities to create meaningful change. I've personally and professionally been touched by not just how much Renee gets done, but HOW she does it. She enthusiastically spends her time coordinating, organizing, and uplifting people in and around the community to tackle big issues in a way that makes sure everyone feels connected, heard, and seen. She is more than capable of taking charge and moving mountains, or hanging back and contributing when only necessary. She truly knows how to bring out the best in others and how to navigate complex and intricate situations. Whether it's setting up a dinner for an entire robotics team, coordinating a state championship competition for FIRST, or working to help out someone realize their passions in launching a magazine solely about women in STEM in her offtime, Renee is your person. She is constantly connecting with people to help them reach their full potential. She truly has a gift for cultivating people’s skills and helping them realize their passions. She unites the skills and passions of a community, leading them to work effortlessly. If I haven't made it clear enough by this point, working with Renee has been nothing but bliss. Her versatility as a team member has always inspired and motivated me. I am confident that Renee could solve any problem thrown at her in a precise and organized manner making sure you feel heard, seen, and valued as a team member or stakeholder.
Experience
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FIRST Indiana Robotics
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United States
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Non-profit Organizations
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1 - 100 Employee
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President
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Sep 2014 - Present
- Cultivating and growing IndianaFIRST partnerships - Maintaining a database of donors and key partners - Assisting VIP Program Coordinators in the state to support events that recognize donors and other key partners. - Creating PR/promotional material- Supervising the local FIRST AmeriCorps VISTAs- Supporting the move to the District Model of Competition for IndianaFIRST - Cultivating and growing IndianaFIRST partnerships - Maintaining a database of donors and key partners - Assisting VIP Program Coordinators in the state to support events that recognize donors and other key partners. - Creating PR/promotional material- Supervising the local FIRST AmeriCorps VISTAs- Supporting the move to the District Model of Competition for IndianaFIRST
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FIRST
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United States
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Events Services
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500 - 600 Employee
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FIRST Fundraising Toolkit Coordinator
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Feb 2013 - Present
- Investigated successful FIRST team fundraising methods and developed materials for approximately 6,000 high school and middle school FIRST Robotics teams to use in the process of generating funds for their program- Organized and ran 14 webinars utilizing GoToMeeting software and Google+ Hangouts on a wide range of fundraising, presentation, and organizational topics
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FIRST Robotics Alum
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Sep 2009 - Present
After graduating from high school I remained involved with the FIRST Robotics program as a FIRST Alumni. I worked to support the local Twin Cities area FRC teams through the creation of a FIRST Support Organization called GO FIRST. As a FIRST Alumni I am passionate about STEM Education and work to help FIRST students learn more about the STEM opportunities that are available to them.
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FIRST Senior Mentor
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Jul 2012 - Jun 2013
- Facilitated the scheduling of eight team sustainability presentations for the 2013 MN FRC Regional Competitions- Coordinated 15 STEM demonstrations of FTC and FRC robotics teams at FLL Tournaments in the state of Minnesota- Introduced the concept of Hub Teams, groups of local teams that provide support through common challenges, to the FIRST Minnesota community and ran the first “Hub Facilitation” meeting for team leaders to discuss solutions for team challenges
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MKE Tech Hub Coalition
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United States
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IT Services and IT Consulting
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1 - 100 Employee
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Talent Development Associate
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Sep 2020 - Jun 2021
As the Talent Development Associate, I reported directly to Laura Schmitt, Chief Talent Development Officer with MKETech. I contributed to the following projects:MKE Hour of Code 2020The development of a Computer Science Toolkit for local school districtsThe launch of Tech Apprenticeships in MKE,And various blog posts providing updates on the coalition's goals and achievements. As the Talent Development Associate, I reported directly to Laura Schmitt, Chief Talent Development Officer with MKETech. I contributed to the following projects:MKE Hour of Code 2020The development of a Computer Science Toolkit for local school districtsThe launch of Tech Apprenticeships in MKE,And various blog posts providing updates on the coalition's goals and achievements.
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AmeriCorps VISTA
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United States
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Government Administration
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700 & Above Employee
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FIRST VISTA - Indiana
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Aug 2013 - Aug 2014
- Produced IndianaFIRST, Inc. conference materials to promote the Indiana FIRST Robotics STEM programs at outreach events - Designed an IndianaFIRST, Inc. newsletter template and provided semimonthly updates on five FRC teams for a local Sponsor- Mentored five local high school FRC teams by creating a social media marketing strategy, providing mentor support through design decisions, and assisting with team award submissions - Ensured Indiana FRC program sustainability by contacting the 58 FRC teams in Indiana to open communication lines and establish that teams would have a completed product by the end of a six week build period
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Marketing Associate
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Sep 2012 - Jul 2013
- Designed event booklets, coordinated event materials, assisted with audio visual needs, and checked in conference attendees at four 150 person and one 500 person Inside Sales professional conferences throughout the country over a period of nine months- Facilitated over 300 company marketing campaigns and local chapter campaigns through Campaigner, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook allowing for lead generation of prospects related to company events and products- Wrote and edited company event web pages, overviews of company products, and press releases to successfully generate interest in the company and future events
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University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, College of Liberal Arts
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United States
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Higher Education
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1 - 100 Employee
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CLA Employer Relations Assistant
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Jan 2011 - Aug 2012
- Prepared documentation and marketing materials for the 2011 College of Liberal Arts Job and Internship Fair- Approved and managed job posts and contact information for employers on GoldPASS, the University of Minnesota job and internship database- Generated multiple comprehensive reports in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, and Google Documents based on survey information from employer and student evaluations- Used the Constant Contact marketing tool to email employers about upcoming events hosted on campus- Successfully trained in and mentored a new Employer Relations Assistant on how to use GoldPASS and Microsoft Access
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University of Minnesota Robotics
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United States
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Non-profit Organization Management
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1 - 100 Employee
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President and Founder
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Sep 2009 - May 2012
-Founder of University of Minnesota Robotics (Formerly GO FIRST), a student group that helps support high school robotics teams in the Minneapolis and St. Paul areas through planning team events, mentoring individual teams, and volunteering at area regionals-Expanded a six-person student group that managed a budget of approximately $150 in the 2009-2012 school year to a 25-person student group that manages an $81,000 budget in the 2011-2012 school year-Managed a nine-person officer group and gained important team building and group management skills-Created outreach brochures & handouts with Adobe Illustrator to promote the organization at FIRST events-Coordinated multiple FRC design programs, including a Post Kick-Off Design session with ten FIRST teams and 200 people that helped FRC teams with initial brainstorming for their robots and a Mock Kick-Off event that prepare teams for the 2012 FRC season
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Milwaukee County Lifeguard
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May 2007 - Aug 2010
- Became certified in CPR, AED, and First Responder allowing me to understand how to handle an emergency- Developed communications skills that allowed collaboration with other guards to keep the pool safe- Responded to emergencies at the pool with a team of lifeguards, aiding in the rescue and medical procedures required to save patrons lives - Became certified in CPR, AED, and First Responder allowing me to understand how to handle an emergency- Developed communications skills that allowed collaboration with other guards to keep the pool safe- Responded to emergencies at the pool with a team of lifeguards, aiding in the rescue and medical procedures required to save patrons lives
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University of Minnesota- Twin Cities
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United States
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Education Management
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ExploRobotics Mentor
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Feb 2010 - May 2010
- Interacted with high school students as a mentor in the ExploRobotics program and taught them how to build a robot- Brainstormed ideas, designed a challenge, and created a manual for a robotics game that allowed the students to test the robots they built - Interacted with high school students as a mentor in the ExploRobotics program and taught them how to build a robot- Brainstormed ideas, designed a challenge, and created a manual for a robotics game that allowed the students to test the robots they built
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Education
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2017 - 2021
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Master of Public Affairs, Nonprofit Management -
2017 - 2018
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management, Nonprofit Management -
2009 - 2012
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Bachelor of Science, Scientific and Technical Communications -
2006 - 2009
Rufus King High School
Community
