Built by Builders

John Witzigreuter

Board President

Professional Engineer, serial entrepreneur, and co-founder of Cherokee Makerspace. John brings decades of experience in prototyping and product development, backed by over 49 U.S. patents and a strong passion for mentoring robotics students. He also serves as a mentor with the North Atlanta Venture Mentoring Service.

Rudy Weekley

Board Treasurer

Safety & Training Manager at Morrison Products. Rudy brings a strong background in workplace safety protocols to support Cherokee Makerspace’s commitment to a safe, well-equipped community workshop. He also organizes and leads our annual Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) event, connecting local youth and members with regional industry partners.

Justin Monzon

Board Secretary

Etowah High School and Kennesaw State University graduate, Firestorm Robotics alumnus, and founder of Monzon Design and Build. Justin led the physical rebuild of Cherokee Makerspace and, as our youngest board member, oversees our education initiatives and youth STEM programming.

Dave Etchells

Outreach Coordinator

Semiconductor physicist turned computer architect turned web publisher, now retired after founding and running the #2 camera review site for 22 years. Dave loves the machines for making as much as the making itself, and teaches laser certification, keeps the equipment tuned, and heads up our outreach.

Alexander Cua

Executive Director

Co-founder and Executive Director of Cherokee Makerspace. Recognized as a 2020 Georgia FIRST Woodie Flowers Finalist, Alex oversees the space's growth, strategy, and 3D printing workshop—dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment for builders, innovators, and future engineers.

Brian Alexander

Community Coordinator

Business Analyst at Kennesaw State University. Brian manages member onboarding, access, and billing while helping members connect with the people, tools, and resources they need to turn questions into progress.

Joshua Jameson

Project Advisor - JoyRyde

Joshua Jameson is the dedicated engineer supervising JoyRyde, an adaptive mobility project. Josh works hands-on with the student, providing technical guidance, design strategy, and engineering support as they build custom power control systems and attachments.

Andrew Cua

Lead Programming Mentor

Georgia Tech Computer Science graduate (Highest Honors) and Firestorm Robotics alumnus. As Lead Programming Mentor, Andrew draws on his industry background and deep technical knowledge to mentor our youth robotics teams—leading them to a Georgia State Championship title.

Harrison Forsythe

Lead Engineering Mentor

Kennesaw State University Mechatronics Engineering graduate and Firestorm Robotics alumnus. Harrison mentors our youth robotics teams, drawing on his background in multidisciplinary engineering to help students build and troubleshoot complex systems.

Elijah Wells

Build and Outreach Mentor

Kennesaw State University Mathematics major and Firestorm Robotics alumnus with engineering experience at Johnson Controls. Elijah combines a rigorous analytical approach with hands-on technical experience to guide our students through math, logic, and robotics engineering.

Mason Hu

Programming Mentor

Georgia Tech Computer Science graduate and Software Engineer at NCR Voyix. Mason applies his background in back-end systems, C++, and algorithm design to mentor our youth teams in software development and technical problem-solving.

Robert Henderson

Automation Mentor

Automation Engineer at Rockwell Automation. Drawing on his background in industrial controls and smart manufacturing, Robert mentors our youth teams on automation concepts and system design—helping students build rugged, durable robots engineered to withstand tough competition.