Elise Cronin-Hurley

Elise was the team lead for Exploding Bacon 1902 for the 2016-19 season.  Working with an incredible group of mentors - both inheriting the team and passing it forward to another mentors, together we learned many lessons on sustainability. In addition, she spent most of her time with the students on the business and awards side of the team.

She felt the call to share what she had learned with others to help make their experience more enjoyable in the moment with the students. Over the past decade, she has witnessed how the challenges of youth development team management has become increasingly exhausting for leaders, but the FIRST community offers so much opportunity to collaborate, grow, and build and strengthed leaders.  

Elise became involved with FIRST in 2011 when her son found his people in this organization, and so did she. There are so many students who find a safe place to grow in this organization, to belong, and gain a support system.  With a focus of Gracious Professionalism, students learn how to work together as a team to develop the best possible solutions.  She wants FIRST to be there for those students who continue to search for that group of people to laugh and grow with, to find opportunities to pursue their dreams, and learn how to make their impact in the world.

Volunteer Experience:

  • 4-H Exploding Bacon Team 1902,
    Website, Imagery, Outreach & Awards
    Mentor, since 2011
    Team Lead, 2016-2019
  • Volunteer, Judge & Judge Advisor, FIRST LEGO League, FIRST TECH Challenge, and FIRST Robotics Competition events since 2012
  • Orlando Regional Planning Committee,
    since 2020:
    • Communications Director
    • Judge Advisor
    • Volunteer of the Year, 2026
  • Tallahassee Regional Planning Committee,
    since 2021: website, digital graphics, and branding
    • Communications Director
    • Judge Advisor
    • Volunteer of the Year, 2026
  • FIRST Hall of Fame, Communications, website, digital graphics, and branding,  since 2019
    • Chair, 2025 - 2027
    • Vice Chair, 2023 - 2025
  • FIRST Mentor Conference, San Jose
    • Planning Committee Member since 2024
    • Presenter: 2023, 2024, 2025, & 2026
  • Southeastern FIRST Mentor Conference
    • Planning Committee Member since 2026
    • Presenter: 2026
  • Viva Los Mentors conference
    • Presenter: 2026
  • FIRST Communications Network
    • Founding member
  • Orange County 4-H, Board member and Treasurer, since 2020

Professional Web & Graphics Designer

  • Graphics designer, since 1986
    • Print Graphics & Promotional Materials
    • Digital Media
    • Branding & Identity
  • Marketing, since 1991
    • Management & Collaboration
    • Project Management
  • Website Design & Management, since 2001
    • WHM & CPanel 
    • HTML, CSS & WordPress
    • Web hosting 
  • Software Technical Proficiency
    • Adobe: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Acrobat
    • Microsoft: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Outlook
    • Google Drive Suite: Docs, Sheets, Presentation
    • Additional tools: Slack, Zoom, DropBox

Education

  • Masters in Public Administration,
    Emphasis in Non-Profit Management
    Capstone project: Strategic Planning
    University of Central Florida, 1994
  • Bachelors of Arts, Organizational Communication
    Minor: Public Relations
    University of Central Florida, 1990
  • Bachelors of Arts, Political Science
    University of Central Florida, 1990
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate, USF Corporate Training and Professional Education, Dec 2021

Survive and Thrive, FMC CA 2023

by | Aug 27, 2023 |

Presenters: Amanda Little , Elise Cronin-Hurley, and Joyce Walters and Wendy Austin presented this workshop at the FIRST Championship 2023. Thank you for joining us at the 2023 FIRST Mentoring Conference Survive and Thrive Workshops.    If you have any questions,...

What is FIRST Team Branding?

by | Dec 19, 2022 | ,

Your team branding is simply what makes your team YOU! This could include team colors, a mascot, your uniform, your team's mission and/or values. It is that extra special zest that makes you stand out as memorable in your community, to the judges, and other teams. Why...