Our team is passionate about driving change in education, nonprofits, government organizations and businesses around the world. Get to know the people behind SPARC.
LEADERSHIP
Mathew Johnson, Ph.D.
Co-Founder, Co-CEO
Dr. Mathew Johnson is a globally recognized leader and change agent who has led higher education institutions, nonprofits, and businesses through strategic and transformational change and partnered with organizations worldwide to develop strategic, sustainable, equitable growth. Across his career, Dr. Johnson’s deep commitments to diversity and inclusion have led to fundamental changes in staffing, orientations to partner organizations and communities, and institutional commitments at every institution he has served.
Shannon O’Neill, Ph.D.
Co-Founder, Co-CEO
An accomplished and award-winning higher education leader and advocate, Dr. Shannon O’Neill served as the Executive Director for Workforce and Professional Education at Vermont State University, securing and managing over $6 million dollars in grant funds to support and build new STEM pipeline programs and leading a diverse team of professionals to meet the varied training needs of employers and industries in Vermont. Prior to that role, she was the Associate Dean for Student Success and founding Director of the Cutler Center at Albion College.
ASSOCIATES
Peter Ellard, Ph.D.
Associate
Consulting Areas: Change Management, Retention and Student Success, Constructing Success Centers and targeted programs for At-Risk Students.
Dr. Peter Ellard has been working in the education field for 32 years. Most recently, he served as the Vice President for Student Outcomes and Success at Merrimack College, a cabinet-level position responsible for planning, implementing and managing Merrimack's student success, retention and outcomes, with oversight of a $7 million budget.
Kevin Ellis
Associate
Consulting Areas: Crisis Communications, Communications Strategy, Message Strategy, Public Relations, Fundraising, Political Strategy
Kevin Ellis is a communications consultant and writer working at the nexus of political and cultural change. His has deep experience as a senior consultant leading strategy campaigns, crisis communications, speech writing and public relations efforts for clients nationwide.
Christa Grant, Ed.D.
Associate
Consulting Areas: DEIB Strategy and Organizational Change; Intergroup Relations; DEIB Crisis Management; DEIB training development in K-12 and Higher Education with a specialty in Catholic Higher Education; Sense of Belonging for Historically Underserved Student Populations; Human Resources in Non-Profit Sector
Dr. Christa Grant has 18+ years of experience working in higher education and non-profit organizations. She has served in DEI leadership roles for over a decade and her work has been regionally and nationally recognized. She is currently serving as the Director of Staff Learning at a national non-profit organization.
Savannah-Jane Griffin
Associate
Consulting Areas: Strategic Planning, DEIA, Community Building, Social Media Management, Fundraising
Savannah-Jane Griffin is a nationally-recognized leader specializing in non-profit leadership, strategic planning, DEIA, and community building. She currently serves as CEO of the Neighborhood Center of West Volusia, the leading non-profit organization benefiting the homeless in Central Florida. She previously worked at Stetson University for 15 years, leading and managing the campus's efforts in community engagement, diversity and inclusion, and religious and spiritual life.
Yalitza Negron-Rivera, M.Ed.
Associate
Yalitza Marie Negron-Rivera has 15+ years of experience as a program designer, project manager, administrative leader and strategic planner. Yalitza was a founder of one of the largest AmeriCorps VISTA programs and helped lead the creation of a nationally recognized public service institute at Siena College. She has a national reputation in higher education partnership development. Yalitza has served leadership roles in regional nonprofits and across multiple higher education institutions.
Tony Rivera
Associate
Tony Rivera has over 15 years of experience working in secondary, public and private post-secondary education institutions. His expertise is in the college admission process, recruitment, retention, constructing college access programs and strategic planning. He is a participant and administrator of one of New York's State college access programs, the Educational Opportunity Program(EOP). The program is known for its nationally leading graduation rates.
Joaquin Romero
Associate
Through over eight years in higher education, Joaquin Romero has demonstrated an established track record in partner relationship management, project management, business development, and fundraising. He is currently a Fund Officer for the Rhode Island School of Design. Joaquin's wide breadth of experience in institutional development, program management, and student support roles has honed his ability for strategic planning.
John Saltmarsh, Ph.D.
Associate
From 2005-2022, John Saltmarsh, Ph.D. was Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Leadership in Education in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. From 2005-2016, he served as the Director of the New England Resource Center for Higher Education (NERCHE). From 1998-2005, he was the director of the national program on Integrating Service with Academic Study at Campus Compact.
Keena Williams
Associate
Keena Williams has spent more than a decade working to promote diversity, equity and inclusion and support student success in higher education. She most recently served as Chief Belonging Officer and Title IX Coordinator at Albion College, a cabinet-level position responsible for supporting the institution in moving beyond the rhetoric of diversity and inclusion toward a true sense of belonging.
Ashley N. Woodson, Ph.D.
Associate
Ashley N. Woodson, Ph.D., loves solving the problems that stand in the way of justice. As a coach, she's committed to helping clients communicate and live out their visions of inclusion and belonging. As a researcher, she studies leadership and psychological safety with a focus on empowering young change agents. Ashley earned her Master of Arts in Black Studies and Counseling Psychology and Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Michigan State University. She uses her background to support leaders from marginalized communities to prioritize balance and self-care and to design learning materials and policies that align with an organization's mission. Ashley is currently the Research Director for the Black EpiSTEMologies Project, a National Science Foundation grant exploring STEM access on college campuses.