Spark National Office

Chris Balme, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Chris has seen the education system from a variety of angles and is dedicated to helping students find motivation and inspiration. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School of Business, Chris first taught with the Breakthrough Collaborative, and then worked to develop and teach new science curricula in the Philadelphia public schools. In 2004, Chris co-founded Spark with fellow educator Melia Dicker. He was honored in July 2008 with the Bay Area’s Jefferson Award for Public Service and later with the Draper Richards Kaplan Fellowship in recognition of Spark’s potential for broad social impact. More recently, he received the “Forty Under Forty” Leadership Award from the New Leaders Council, and the Ashoka Fellowship for social entrepreneurship. Chris is a passionate believer in the power of hands-on, real-world learning and apprenticeship to change lives and create profound change in our education system.

Allison Dusine, Grants Manager

Allison is a Bay Area native. She spent the better part of her childhood accompanying her mother to the homeless shelter where she volunteered, instilling at an early age a dedication to humanitarian work. Allison studied Sociology at UC Berkeley and was active in Cal Habitat for Humanity. She coordinated Cal Habitat’s CollegeTrak program, a mentorship and college preparation program for kids living in Habitat for Humanity homes. After graduating, Allison lived in Dublin, Ireland for a year and a half, where she worked as an English teacher and volunteered at Fighting Words, a childrens’ creative writing center inspired by 826 Valencia. Allison is excited to have the opportunity to combine her passions for writing and youth development as Spark’s Grants Manager.

Kelly Dwyer, Director of Evaluation & Impact

A native of the Chicago area, Kelly’s passion for education reform has taken her across the globe, working to improve and develop systems that support equal access to high quality educational experiences for children from birth to college. After completing her BA in English and Human Development at Boston College, Kelly served for two tours in the U.S. Peace Corps, teaching English in Ukraine (2000-2002) and working with the Ministry of Education in Zambia (2003-2004). Upon returning to the U.S., Kelly worked at the headquarters of Citizen Schools in Boston, developing and implementing systems for the management of volunteer Citizen Teachers. After completing her master’s degree at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, where she focused on education policy evaluation and analysis, Kelly has led strategic projects for the Oakland Unified School District, the Ounce of Prevention Fund in Chicago, and most recently, as Senior Data and Strategy Analyst for Chicago Public Schools, overseeing the creation, collection, and analysis of metrics related to school-level Board policy compliance and school performance. As Director of Evaluation and Impact for Spark, Kelly applies these skills to oversee Spark’s data systems and impact analysis, and to make program and policy recommendations to ensure high-quality, replicable programs.

Perry Gold, Operations Coordinator

Perry is committed to systemic social change work and promoting excellence in education. After majoring in Religion and History at Tufts University, where she focused primarily on the ways in which social structures and institutions perpetuate inequities, Perry moved to San Francisco and joined the staff of the Women Donors Network (WDN). As a member of WDN’s program team, Perry planned educational events on the subject of impactful philanthropy for a specialized group of progressive donors. At WDN, Perry pushed for the integration of racial and gender justice lenses in WDN’s philanthropy. Perry joined Spark’s fabulous team of changemakers in 2011 and is enthusiastic about Spark’s innovative approach to providing students in underserved communities with access to social capital and renewed engagement in their education.

Katie Krummeck, Director of Program Quality, Western Region

Katie has been thrilled to be a part of the Spark team, watching the program grow from a single city program serving 60 students a semester to serving hundreds of students in four cities in three states. After working remotely to help establish Spark in Los Angeles, Katie was excited to transition to the National Team to continue to support Spark’s expansion efforts across the nation. Katie’s previous work was focused in education; she was a teacher for five years, working with both middle and high school students. After graduating from Whitman College, she received her secondary education teaching certificate. Shortly thereafter, she co-founded a small, independent middle and high school where she taught for three years. Built on a foundation of community-based, interdisciplinary learning, the school’s progressive approach closely mirrored the educational philosophy at Spark: making education relevant to students’ interests and passions. Katie has also taught English at Yunnan University in southwest China, and trained election workers for the City of San Francisco. She is extremely excited to continue to support Spark in its mission to engage and empower students as life-long learners.

Sarah Schramm, Development & Communications Manager

Through a variety of professional and personal experiences, Sarah has witnessed the power of education as a catalyst for empowerment and social change. After completing her undergraduate studies in music performance, Sarah moved to Costa Rica to focus on arts education’s effect on orphan populations. Inspired by the arts’ impact on local communities, Sarah then joined the development department at The Philadelphia Orchestra to expand her knowledge of the nonprofit arts sector, and later pursued an interdisciplinary arts administration graduate degree at Columbia University. While Sarah expected to continue down the arts management career path with this degree, she instead discovered a passion for social enterprise – businesses employing innovative business models to address important social issues. During the summer between her two years of graduate study, Sarah ventured to South Africa for a short-term consulting project with a social enterprise employing HIV+ artists. Here again, Sarah witnessed education as an agent of empowerment in underserved communities. Inspired by this experience, Sarah decided to focus her career on social enterprise in the education space, and was thrilled to discover Spark’s innovative business model, its dedication to spreading the Spark mission across the country, and its commitment to broad-scale social change. New to the west coast, Sarah is excited to join the Spark team and the progressive San Francisco business community.

Jon Spack, Chief Operating Officer

After receiving his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Jon began a nine-year career at Citizen Schools. He began in 1999 as a Teaching Fellow and later took on the organization’s Boston area recruitment and training for over 1,000 volunteers. While eventually leading Citizen Schools’ volunteer support nationally, Jon was one of 50 professionals selected for the Boston’s Future Leaders Program, sponsored by Harvard Business School. In 2005, Jon moved to California to launch a new Citizen Schools program at Monroe Middle School in San Jose, CA. Jon received his M.S. in Non Profit/NGO Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania and was selected as an Education Pioneers Bay Area Fellow and supported Summer Search through an intensive five-year strategic planning process. As COO, Jon leverages his years of educational program management and his academic exposure to take Spark to new communities, build core infrastructure to sustainably expand high-quality programming, and lead overall operations throughout the organization. Originally from Brookline, MA, Jon speaks Spanish and Portuguese and has lived in Seville, Spain and traveled extensively in Brazil, Morocco, Panama, Israel, and Europe.

Nathalie Wade, Director of Program Quality, Eastern Region

A strong believer in the power of learning, Nathalie Wade has devoted her career to various aspects of education. While studying child development and international relations at Tufts University, Nathalie conducted a project on the rural education system in a Senegalese village which motivated her to further explore the world where learning, community and social justice meet. Her interests led her to teach in the US and in Guadeloupe, lead a high school abroad program for The Experiment in International Living, and design the French language curriculum for a Connect18 exercise education course. In the Bay Area, Nathalie has worked with multiple nonprofits, including for HEROES, the volunteer program for the Oakland Unified School District, as Director of Volunteer Projects. She is thrilled to be part of the Spark team and looks forward to bringing community members and students together to promote a positive, connected society, ultimately giving students a chance to explore their futures in a whole new way.

Spark LA Office

Laurie Bailon, Los Angeles Program Coordinator

Born and raised in the Los Angeles area, Laurie is a recent graduate of the University of California at Berkeley with a B.A. in Peace & Conflict Studies and a minor in Global Poverty & Practice. She is committed to working toward social justice and equality, with a deep passion for education and youth empowerment. While in the Bay Area, she worked for two years with Jumpstart for Young Children, helping to develop the language and literacy skills of preschool students in low-income communities. She was also heavily involved with Pilipino American student organizations, obtaining a better understanding of the needs of people of color. These experiences have motivated her to work towards deep and lasting change for marginalized communities. Laurie is inspired by the mission of Spark and is thrilled to join the LA team in empowering young students to reach their full potential.

Nurjahan H Bruce Boulden, Los Angeles Program Director

Born and raised in a small town on the East Coast, Jahan has always been passionate about traveling and eager to explore the world. She struggled through middle and high school during a time when budget cuts limited the arts and extracurricular activities available to students. During her junior year, she moved to Kobe, Japan where she attended an international school. Throughout the year, she was surrounded by students who were encouraged to pursue whatever it was that they were most passionate about, without restrictions or limitations. She finally started to understand how education could work as a tool to uplift and empower students without limiting or discouraging them. Upon graduating high school, Jahan moved to Southern California and began attending Pitzer College in Claremont. In Claremont, she volunteered as a dance and English as a Second Language instructor, and was able to pursue her interest in alternative approaches to education. She was later selected by Teach for America to work in Los Angeles as a 7th grade Special Ed teacher. Her passion for improving the educational experience of at-risk teens led her to take on extra responsibilities and leadership roles at Lynwood Middle School. She developed a successful literacy intervention program that focused on improving reading skills in low-performing students, and she also coordinated and led American Heritage Trips across the East Coast for underprivileged 8th grade students. While she will always be passionate about the quality of education within the classroom, Jahan felt limited by the required classroom curriculum as a teacher. She saw the position of Program Manager at Spark’s newly founded Los Angeles Office as the perfect opportunity to step outside the classroom and pursue an exciting alternative to traditional approaches to education. She is honored to be a part of Spark’s budding revolution and is eager to join its passionate staff who are true to its mission to change the future of public education throughout the country.

Loren Oranski, Los Angeles Managing Director

Loren serves as the Managing Director of Spark Los Angeles, the first Spark region to launch outside of the Bay Area. Prior to joining Spark, Loren was Director of Alumni Affairs at Teach For America Los Angeles where she established and significantly increased alumni fundraising and volunteer programming for teachers, district leaders, and education policy advocates. Loren was a middle school teacher in Harlem through Teach For America and eventually taught in New York City for four years. Loren began her career at Oracle Corporation and later Intershop Communications where she worked in the sales and marketing divisions in California and Germany. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Loren is proud to now call Los Angeles home. Loren holds a Bachelor of Arts from Arizona State University and a Master's Degree in Education from Fordham University.

Kristen Torres, Los Angeles Program Coodinator

As a recent graduate from California State University Long Beach with a B.A. in Human Development, Kristen is a firm believer that education is a portal that opens many doors of possibility. Passionate about education and youth empowerment, Kristen believes that Spark is the key to empowerment for many underserved middle school students. Kristen served as an A.V.I.D tutor at a middle school in Long Beach, CA for two years. Her experience in working with adolescents has enabled her to recognize the powerful voices, ideas, and passions of the future generation of leaders. Many of the at-risk students Kristen worked with were at a crossroads in life, some drawn into gangs and others with behavioral issues. Kristen saw an opportunity to show these students their potential to lead positive lifestyles. Despite enduring trying life obstacles, the students she worked with were able to resist the temptation of giving up. Through these experiences, Kristen learned that students’ capabilities and possibilities are not limited by their socioeconomic standing. In college, Kristen experienced firsthand the profound impact of mentorship – a critical component of Spark’s program – through her own personal mentorship by Dr. Katherine Van Giffen from the department of Human Development. Kristen is committed to the mission and values of Spark and is very eager to join the new Spark office in Los Angeles. In her spare time Kristen enjoys running, spending time with family, playing with her dog Smush, consuming cupcakes, and watching musicals.

Spark Bay Area Office

Jane Choi, Interim Bay Area Program Director

A lifelong learner and committed educator, Jane discovered her dream job after graduating from Columbia University with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering. She soon transitioned out of the medical field to join the Teach for America movement as a middle school and high school science teacher in Los Angeles, where she was recognized as a Hero Teacher of the Year and featured on a CBS Education Special segment. She continued her love of learning and teaching every summer as an Earthwatch Education Fellow in the Yukon and Golden State Examination Committee Member in Sacramento. Following her teaching experience, she pursued a Master’s Degree in educational policy studies at Stanford University, where she also acted as the Graduate Chair Representative for the School of Education and coached the cheerleading team (Go Cardinals!).  Seeking an opportunity in education reform, Jane joined Citizen Schools as the Founding Campus Director in Redwood City. She managed a team of educators and community partnerships, ranging from school administrators to corporate volunteers, to ensure the delivery of a high-quality, high-impact extended learning time programs. This was only the beginning of Jane’s five-year career at Citizen Schools – she left the Bay Area to support program launch efforts and engage in national expansion strategies in New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Texas as the National Program Director, Interim Executive Director, and National Curriculum and Training Officer.  Her passion and drive motivated her to grow as a community advocate and trainer for external organizations such as City Year, California School-Age Consortium, and YMCA of the Mid-Peninsula. Jane is excited to embark on her next journey towards educational equity with Spark!

Sara Draffin, Bay Area Program Coodinator

Sara is a California native, whose passion for working with youth began when she was in high school, and was an assistant coach for a young girls’ soccer team. This experience brought to light the power of a positive role model, and sparked Sara’s interest in youth empowerment and education. Due to Sara’s newfound passion, she spent a summer in college teaching English at an orphanage in Thailand. Upon her return, Sara sought out organizations that focused on education and youth empowerment, which is when she began working for Spark, as an intern in October 2009. After graduating from San Francisco State University with a BA in Psychology in the spring of 2010, Sara became an Americorps VISTA Outreach Coordinator for Spark, and focused on volunteer recruitment and support for Spark’s programs in Redwood City as well as the pilot program in San Rafael. As of August 2011, Sara is the Program Coordinator for the Redwood City programs at Spark, where her passion for working with youth continues to grow stronger with every student Spark empowers.

Margaret McCarthy, Bay Area Program Coordinator

Margaret is passionate about working to address educational inequity. After graduating with a B.A. in Theater and English Literature from San Francisco State University, Margaret spent two years teaching English as a foreign language in Poland and Germany, working primarily with teenagers. She then worked for two years as the Volunteer and Events Coordinator at 826 Valencia, an educational nonprofit dedicated to supporting students with their writing and literacy skills, and to providing support for public school teachers. She is thrilled to join Spark and continue working with volunteers and with middle schoolers (arguably the most amazing people in the world).

Becca Velasco, Bay Area Program Coodinator

Before joining the Spark Bay Area team, Becca worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA Outreach Coordinator on the founding team that launched Spark LA's first program in 2010. Even though she was born and raised in Los Angeles and will always call it home, she is thrilled to be back in the Bay Area where she attended Stanford University. While at Stanford, Becca worked at East Palo Alto Tennis & Tutoring, an after-school program that uses one-on-one tutoring and tennis instruction to help students thrive academically, socially, and athletically. At EPATT, Becca saw how one-on-one mentoring gave students the confidence to find success both inside and outside the classroom, and since then Becca has gained extensive experience working with middle- and high-school students in a variety of contexts as an after-school program coach, tutor, and mentor. Motivated by her passion for youth development and social justice, Becca is a strong proponent of education reform and believes that Spark's work is inextricably linked to the reform movement. Becca is honored to work at Spark with such a passionate, amazing and talented group of people. In her spare time Becca enjoys cooking, trying new restaurants, jogging, reading, and spending time with her friends and family.

Devon Young, Bay Area VISTA Outreach Coodinator

Devon hails from a small town in upstate New York. In 2007, she spent a summer in rural India teaching English to young children. Upon returning home Devon decided the New York winters were too much for her and fled west to attend the University of San Francisco. She spent a summer participating in a study abroad program in Zambia where she worked with Fountains of Hope and Friends of the Street Children, which greatly influenced her view of education as a vehicle for social change and empowerment. After interning at Spark for 5 months, Devon is thrilled to expand her role as a VISTA, where she will work more closely with the students and mentors! In her spare time Devon enjoys reading, doing yoga, and trying to accomplish her goal of eating at every restaurant in San Francisco.

Spark Chicago Office

Sarah Mayeda, Chicago Managing Director

Originally from Long Island, NY, Sarah long ago adopted Chicago as her hometown. Sarah has spent the last 11 years deeply involved in the nonprofit sector in Chicago, specifically in education. As a former middle school teacher in Chicago Public Schools, she knows firsthand how important it is to keep 7th and 8th graders engaged in school and excited about learning. Prior to joining Spark, Sarah managed program investments at The Chicago Public Education Fund, focusing on improving teacher and principal quality. In addition to her teaching experience, Sarah has also coordinated teacher candidates and external partnerships at National Teachers Academy, a professional development school within Chicago Public Schools. Sarah earned an M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a bachelor's degree in public policy from Northwestern University.

Meha Davé, Chicago Program Manager

Meha discovered her passion for working with children while teaching reproductive health education to Los Angeles middle school students through Planned Parenthood. Given the chance to travel and teach in middle schools across the city, she was able to see how critical it was to get students engaged and provide a relevant context for their classroom learning. Since then, she has explored her interests both in working directly with at-risk children, youth, and families and in effective program development and management for nonprofit organizations. Having served as a therapist, mentor, and resource for youth and their families, she is passionate about building networks of support and opportunities for underserved populations. She is thrilled to be joining the passionate and talented Spark team in expanding their efforts of empowering youth to the city of Chicago. Meha earned an MBA and MSW from Washington University in St. Louis, and a BS in business administration from the University of Southern California.

Tienne Harris, Chicago VISTA Outreach Coordinator

In 2011, Tienne graduated from Arizona State University (Go Sun Devils!) with a B.S. in Political Science and a minor in Non-Profit Administration. She has always been interested in the impact of education and passionate about the big changes small groups can make when they work together.  Her dedication has led her to great volunteering opportunities with nonprofit organizations where she focused on formal education with smaller groups of people. Prior to joining the Spark team, Tienne volunteered with homeless and at-risk youth in Phoenix, AZ. Tienne is excited about her recent move to Chicago where she will help middle school students learn about their dream jobs while she learns about fun new things like rain and snow!

Amanda Hope, Chicago VISTA Outreach Coordinator

Amanda hails from Chicago’s Southside but has spent the last 7 years living in Whittier, CA and Washington, D.C., respectively. While studying at Whittier College, Amanda discovered a passion for youth and community development work. In her junior year, she became a McCabe Scholar, a group of specially selected Whittier College students who facilitate “The Fifth Dimension," a multi-activity after-school program at the Whittier Boys and Girls Club. The Fifth Dimension allowed Amanda and her fellow McCabe Scholars an opportunity to engage with Whittier residents outside of the college. In the 2 years she participated in The Fifth Dimension, Amanda witnessed the impact her team made on their students. The one-on-one attention given to the students allowed them to realize their value and actualize their potential. Therefore, Spark was a natural transition. Amanda is grateful to be a part of such a thoughtful organization and is thrilled to share this amazing opportunity for community involvement with her hometown.

Amanda Kilibarda, Chicago VISTA Outreach Coordinator

Amanda is a graduate of Indiana University with a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish and minors in Latino Studies and Western European Studies. As a student, Amanda volunteered with several organizations committed to improving educational opportunity for at-risk populations. These experiences included three years as an in-school English as a Second Language tutor through the Monroe County Community School Corporation, as well as involvement in after-school programs with El Centro Comunal Latino and F.L.A.M.E. (Family Learning: Aprendiendo, Mejorando, Educando). Through her work with these programs, Amanda saw firsthand how crucial community member involvement was in providing individualized help that schools could not have on their own, as well as how one-on-one attention empowered students who were disengaged at school due to language barriers. Amanda firmly believes that all students should have the opportunity to reach their full potential and knows that Spark will help students discover new possibilities for the future. Amanda is very excited to be joining Spark Chicago!

Lauren Kreibich, Chicago VISTA Development Coordinator

Lauren grew up in southern Wisconsin and attended college at Beloit College, where she earned her B.A. in Modern Languages with a minor in Asian Studies.  At Beloit, Lauren found her passion in Habitat for Humanity, where she served as the campus chapter president.  During this time, she learned about nonprofit development and gained experience writing grants while working with her local Habitat affiliate.  She loves being able to connect donors who have a desire to serve with nonprofits who are addressing pressing community issues.  Also at Beloit, she worked with the Community-Based Learning office to help college students enhance their academic experience with learning opportunities outside of the classroom.  She experienced firsthand how these experiences made her academic experience more tangible and meaningful.  She is excited to tell Spark’s story to Chicago and to help Spark grow!