Announcing the 2024 Volunteers of the Year!

eCYBERMISSION is only possible due to the hundreds of volunteers who donate their time as CyberGuides, Ambassadors, and Virtual Judges. These dedicated individuals serve as mentors, supporters, advocates, and inspiration for thousands of eCYBERMISSION students across America. Each year, eCYBERMISSION identifies one CyberGuide, one Ambassador, and one Virtual Judge who have gone above and beyond to name Volunteers of the Year. Without further ado, please join us in congratulating our 2024 Volunteers of the Year!

CyberGuide of the Year
Dr. Gregory Garrett

Dr. Gregory Garrett is a physicist at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM-ARL). At DEVCOM-ARL, he runs an optical spectroscopy lab, where he uses lasers to study novel semiconductor materials that could be used to develop optoelectronic devices with new capabilities. Dr. Garrett enjoys volunteering with eCYBERMISSION because "helping with development of the next generation of STEM professionals is a rewarding experience as they will be the ones solving future problems that society may face." His favorite part of being an eCYBERMISSION CyberGuide? "Learning about new ideas to address today’s problems is exciting. I look forward to having discussion with you about your next eCYBERMISSION project!"

Ambassador of the Year
Dee D.W. Richardson

Dee D.W. Richardson is a retired Education Officer for the New York City USARMY. Dee served as Adjunct Professor for Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts, president of the Association for Counselors and Educators in Government (American Counseling Association), worked as New York City Military Entrance Processing Station Program/Career Counselor, and supported counselors in South Korea. She received The Sterling Award from the Area Support Group Commander of Hanau, Germany, the U.S. Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Services, and is a recipient of numerous Civilian Awards from U.S. Army Wiesbaden, Germany, and West Point U.S. Military Academy. Dee enjoys spending time with her family, daughter, Lige’ Sade’, son, Lige III (Jeralyn) and her three grandsons, Jhase, Michael (MJ) and Ayden Lige. Dee also enjoys traveling, reading, golfing, bike riding, and touring museums.

Virtual Judge of the Year
Sachin Vighe

With nearly two decades of rich and diversified experience in the information technology domain, Sachin has established himself as a preeminent authority in leading large-scale digital transformations, implementing cutting-edge cloud solutions, and driving software product development initiatives to execution. Throughout his career, Sachin has specialized in implementing DevOps practices within organizations, streamlining processes, and fostering collaboration between development and operations teams, thereby accelerating software delivery and enhancing overall efficiency. Recently, Sachin has embarked on a pioneering endeavor to transform employee and developer productivity within organizations by exploring and implementing cutting-edge use cases of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Sachin's favorite part of being a Virtual Judge is "the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by the creativity of young minds. Interacting with these students as they tackle real-world challenges ignites my own motivation and passion for innovation. Witnessing their fresh perspectives and innovative solutions is incredibly rewarding and reminds me of the boundless potential of the next generation."

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Thank you so much to all of the eCYBERMISSION volunteers that dedicated their time this year to support and encourage eCYBERMISSION students. Thank you especially to our three wonderful Volunteers of the Year! To learn more about eCYBERMISSION volunteer opportunities, visit www.ecybermission.com/VolunteerOverview. The 2024 eCYBERMISSION National Judging & Educational Event takes place this June in Chantilly, Virginia. Join us for our two event livestreams, the National Showcase on June 27 at 1PM ET and the National Awards Ceremony on June 28 at 10AM ET. 

Faith Benner

Sr. Communications and Marketing Specialist