Our people

Chatty was a word that always came up on Paige’s school reports, but now she uses that skill to her advantage in her role as Outreach and Partnerships Manager. Paige has 6 years experience in STEM outreach education where her most recent role focused on supporting schools and industry partners to make the most of their relationships. Paige is eager to extend the reach of the FIRST Tech Challenge by making sure that everyone hears our story. At our events, you’ll find Paige behind the mic bringing matches alive, and in her free time there’s usually 2 places you’ll find her: in her home office crafting or in the kitchen cooking up a family feast!

Kayla thrives on helping others achieve greatness! She spends much of her time coordinating the charity’s interactions with schools, teachers and teams – the people we’re here to serve. From engaging and on-boarding new organisations to supporting existing – Kayla ensures their journey to impact is a positive one.

If we had to describe Toni in one word, it would be “connector”. Her mission? To establish Hubs throughout the UK for the FIRST® Tech Challenge programme. By engaging with key players in each region, she’s helping us extend our reach and provide essential STEM opportunities to young people who need it most. Toni has 15 years of experience in STEM education, five of which saw her responsible for the delivery of the FIRST Lego League programme in Trinidad and Tobago. She’s passionate about making sure every young person has the opportunity to engage with STEM, regardless of their background or circumstances, and is excited to see the FIRST Tech Challenge programme grow in the UK. When she’s not busy connecting the dots, Toni enjoys scenic walks and hikes with her family, exploring the stunning Scottish landscapes (though she not so secretly despises the exercise). A self-proclaimed Harry Potter fanatic and musical aficionado, Toni has made it her mission to rally the team for a group outing to see Hamilton on West End.

Amy is our resident matchmaker. As Programme Manager (Partnerships) she’s focused on finding the right friends to collaborate with in order to amplify impact for the young people we serve. Amy works with corporate partners to maximise effective employee engagement, whether that’s regular mentoring, ad hoc volunteering opportunities through to leadership and team building days. Prior to joining us at FIRST UK, she used her relationship-building and analysis skills to execute events at firms in Vancouver and Toronto. With a shift in focus, she’s now working to identify opportunities for leveraging income, people, and resources to achieve our mission sooner. Since it’s always easier to make friends with food, Amy’s experience as a trained pastry chef will be a critical on the job asset.

As Chief Operating Officer, Muktar is living out his dream job here at FIRST UK. A teacher and former Director of Robotics at the American School in London, he’s responsible for our day-to-day operations. With a decade of experience engaging young people with STEM, his secondary role could be dubbed ‘Master of Robots’. As a young student, he was offered the opportunity to participate in FIRST programmes – an experience which he cites as the driving force behind his decision to study Architectural Technology at Westminster University. Muktar has mentored hundreds of young people over the years and is now translating his experience into inspiring the next generation of science and technology innovators.

Patrice owns all things impact, brand, comms and marketing in her role as the Head of Impact & Engagement here at FIRST UK. Operating across all channels and events, she builds a narrative that resonates with our audiences, making sure that everyone feels part of an epic experience. A Graphic and Media Designer from the University of the Arts London, Patrice honed her craft delivering consumer marketing campaigns and games with digital and creative agencies. While leading comms programmes at Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s Open Data Institute, she developed influencer strategies for public sector agencies. When she’s not working, you can find her binge-watching documentaries, hiking, dad dancing, rallying causes for diversity and inclusion, or presenting to young people and grown ups about opportunities in STEM.