Board of Directors

Becky Zajdel is a proud "citizen of the world," maker, and a huge fan of comic books and ice hockey. She has been a member of HackPGH for ten years, serving on the Board of Directors for almost eight. Becky has over a decade of non-profit management experience and has written almost half a million in grants - $50,000 for HackPGH alone! She brings her "Becky magic" talents to our organization including fundraising, legal writing, event planning, forging relationships with local businesses, and outreach efforts. Becky believes that makerspaces should be accessible to anyone regardless of prior experience or socioeconomic barriers. Her goal is to establish HackPGH as the ultimate "third place".

Slack: @beckytheicebox
Email: becky@hackpgh.org

My name is Brian Esch, but I'm known as Beebo around the space. I've been a member for over eight years now and have come to see the space as a second home to me and its members as family. I'm currently an Electronics Bench Shop Lead, Instructor, and have experience and helped in the administrative duties of HackPGH. With my wide multitude of skill sets, I tend to look at anything with more than one angle. I also make it a point to listen to whatever anyone has to say, as they'll likely know things that I don't. I like to understand where others are coming from and offer my view, knowledge, and help if they want it.

Slack: @Beebo Esch
Email: brian@hackpittsburgh.org

I'm Aaron Stein, and I am the Soft Arts and Graphic Design ShopLead. Outside of HackPGH I am a full time Professional Dungeon Master and freelance Graphic Designer. I have been a member of Hack for 2 years now. HackPGH has truly become my "Third Place" where I have been able to complete a number of projects including leather jewelry, Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) props and terrain, and wooden CNC and laser cutter projects. I also lead HackPGH's popular bi-monthly D&D campaign and train members on the laser. As a Shop Lead, I already help HackPGH with its social media and graphic needs. I am also working on re-launching our Cosplay Club and teaching a number of different classes in Digital Art, T-shirt Design & Production, Miniature Painting, and more. My personal goal is to expand my skills across all of Hack's shop areas in order to help others and create advanced product prototyping for my clients in the future. I hope to bring new people to our makerspace and guide members to learn the skills they need to make their projects a reality. I truly believe HackPGH's ultimate strength is our community. Without the collective brainstorming and collaboration with our brilliant members, many of my own projects would never have come to fruition. More than anything, I want to see HackPGH grow and prosper as an inclusive space like no other, where people both find refuge and explore their creative passions.

Slack: @Aaron Stein
Email: aaron@hackpittsburgh.org

I'm George and I'm a Welding Shop Lead. I love the community of Hack and you'll often find me in on the weekend working on something (most recently the new dust collector, but I'm also responsible for the industrial side door handles). I want to be on the board to do the behind the scenes work that makes this space possible and make the decisions on what our future will look like. Let's help each other build a great community!

Slack: @GeorgeD
Email: george@hackpittsburgh.org

I’m Feliks RK Pyron (he/they), a Pittsburgh-based printmaker, illustrator, educator, and multidisciplinary artist with an MFA in Printmaking from West Virginia University. My experience spans printmaking, ceramics, prop making, metal casting, puppetry, illustration, and teaching. At HackPGH, I lead the 2D Arts area and have served on the Board of Directors for the past year. I’m passionate about hands-on learning, supporting creative projects, and building connections between HackPGH and Pittsburgh’s broader arts community.

Slack: @Feliks
Email: feliks@hackpittsburgh.org

I’m Ryan Rhoades, a Pittsburgh-based creative entrepreneur, artist, writer, multimedia maker, and licensed real estate agent with more than 20 years of experience bringing ideas to life through art, design, storytelling, technology, branding, product design, and systems development. I’m a lifelong maker and creative problem-solver, and I’ve explored everything from digital media and fabrication to automation, prototyping, and event production. I’m passionate about makerspaces because they give people a place to experiment, collaborate, learn new skills, and turn ideas into something tangible. As a member of the HackPGH Board of Directors, I hope to bring my experience in creative direction, communication, media production, entrepreneurship, event planning, fundraising, process design, and community building to help strengthen the organization. I’m especially interested in connecting artists, makers, technologists, builders, and curious beginners while helping HackPGH continue to grow as a welcoming, sustainable, and innovative creative community.

Slack: @Ryan
Email: ryan@hackpittsburgh.org

I’m Justin Litzinger, a cybersecurity professional and lifelong tinkerer with interests in computers, electronics, 3D printing, fabrication, automation, and anything that gives me an excuse to build, fix, or improve something. At HackPGH, I spend a lot of my time helping keep the space and its equipment running. I help run the 3D printing lab, maintain and repair printers, helped rebuild our resin SLA printing area, take care of computers and software around the space, and pitch in with the day-to-day work that keeps Hack operating. I enjoy helping members work through problems, learn new tools, and get projects across the finish line. As a board member, I want to help HackPGH continue growing as a welcoming, useful, and sustainable community where people can learn from each other, experiment, and make things.

Slack: @Justin Litzinger
Email: justin@hackpittsburgh.org