SparkPath is a small organization with a mighty purpose! We treasure our board members’ creativity, problem-solving abilities, and diverse life experiences. New members bring fresh perspectives, unique skills, and positive energy.
What makes SparkPath’s mission important to you?
The programs that SparkPath coordinates provide an outlet for kids who may not have that outlet at home and are usually the first things cut when a school district has funding challenges. This is why SparkPath’s mission is critical now more than ever.
What motivated you to become a SparkPath Board member?
As part of the community, I play a role in building and supporting our community for the future. Talent abounds in youth today, but not all have access to the needed opportunities to develop their talent and align with a future career. Helping to ensure all have a chance to channel curiosity into a career path is a powerful way to keep our community flourishing.
What makes SparkPath’s mission important to you?
SparkPath’s mission is important to me because of the organization’s passionate commitment to providing educational experiences and opportunities to students to help them develop confidence and foundational skills, learn new passions, and grow as individuals as they follow their educational path.
What motivated you to become a SparkPath Board member?
I have been fortunate to have received guidance when I was young from people in different professional fields. That exposure was valuable for me because it gave me more confidence in choosing my field of study, which kick-started a wonderful career. I was reflecting on how wonderful the last 25 years of work had been, and that was due in part to people who gave me an expanded view of what was out there. So I asked myself, “How could I offer the same support to others?”. I am happy to be part of a support system for SparkPath because its mission and vision, and my desired outcomes are aligned—to help students expand curiosity, confidence, and creativity.
What makes SparkPath’s mission important to you?
Since being in my Social Investments Role at Xcel Energy, I have seen all of the positive outcomes when the right support to students is given (in a way they might not have gotten elsewhere), and those magical moments that push students towards their potential take place. I see SparkPath living out this mission in every event all year round.
What motivated you to become a SparkPath Board member?
For me, it is about taking a step towards making a change in someone’s life. Joining SparkPath is an opportunity to bring awareness to the endless possibilities SparkPath has to offer.
What motivated you to become a SparkPath Board member?
Education is the bedrock of being able to make informed choices and to live one’s best life. This belief is why I embrace how SparkPath creates programs to engage young learners, opening up the world to imagine their potential, while encouraging them to envision the vast opportunities to be successful beyond the classroom. It’s why I accepted the call to join SparkPath’s board.
What makes SparkPath’s mission important to you?
School experiences can be very narrow for many students. SparkPath’s programs provide opportunities that truly go beyond the classroom and allow students to view themselves from new perspectives. I love watching students discover that they are part of a broader community and a bigger world.
What motivated you to become a SparkPath Board member?
I was a brand consultant with SparkPath in 2019 before I presented at Creativity Festival, CreativeCon, and YAC, so I interviewed all staff and got a close look at the operation. Even having worked with so many organizations over two decades, I was struck by how incredibly well SparkPath worked. I so admire the iterative approach SparkPath takes toward every event to improve the outcome. The team is nimble and flexible in the face of challenges, where instead of “Not my job,” the team’s approach is, “How do we solve this together?”.
© 2025 SparkPath, Inc.
SparkPath@brightworksmn.org
612-638-1500
2 Pine Tree Drive, Suite 101
Arden Hills, MN 55112
EIN: 41-1948020
SparkPath is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that presents its programs in collaboration with BrightWorks, a Minnesota Service Cooperative. BrightWorks member districts/schools save 30-50% on SparkPath registration fees. For more information, visit www.brightworksmn.org.
