Joanna joined Mission Spark in 2016. She has worked for and alongside nonprofits and other social impact organizations for more than 20 years, with a particular emphasis on those serving children and families. Joanna is a seasoned researcher, project manager, and management consultant with specialties in stakeholder engagement and strategic planning. She holds a BA in Sociology from Rice University and an MPA from the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Colleen Quinn Church is a mission-driven executive leader with over 25 years of experience across the nonprofit, philanthropic, public, and corporate sectors, specializing in strategy, organizational leadership, community engagement, and health equity. Most recently serving as Deputy Director at the Ludeman Center for Women’s Health Research at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, she led strategic growth, stakeholder engagement, and high-impact initiatives, including hosting the First Lady of the United States. Previously, at Caring for Colorado Foundation, she spearheaded statewide philanthropic efforts totaling over $22 million, directed emergency response grantmaking, and advanced equity-centered community investments. With earlier leadership roles at The Colorado Health Foundation, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Accenture, Colleen has a proven track record in driving collaborative impact, developing high-performing teams, and building strong partnerships. A Boettcher Scholar and Presidential Management Fellow, she holds a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University and a BA from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Jourdan McGinn is a Senior Consultant with Mission Spark. Jourdan brings over 15 years in the social impact space, working to pioneer innovative solutions to advance equity, health access, address poverty, and support economic justice.
Jourdan served on the senior leadership teams and in executive leadership roles for large non-profit and social enterprise organizations domestically and across the globe. She has managed teams as large as 1,400 staff, including clinical, finance, operations, fundraising, research & evaluation, and marketing teams. Throughout her career, Jourdan has generated over $50 million in revenue to advance social justice and impact organizations, and managed portfolios serving hundreds of thousands of individuals. She has advised the World Bank, Global Fund, and country governments on advancing more equitable health policies, and supported city, county, and state governments in building resilient, equitable programs to advance economic justice.
Jourdan has lived in a half dozen countries across North America, Europe, and Africa, and brings deep cross-cultural experience and expertise. She is a specialize in human-centered and participatory co-design methods that aim to shift power to those most proximate and impacted by the issues organizations are working to solve. Jourdan holds an MSc in Public Health & Economics from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and a bachelors degree in Strategic Communications.
Shivani is the founder and facilitator at Tulsi Strategies, an equity and justice studio for people at the intersections of privilege and oppression. She brings creativity, care, and collaboration to disability, gender, racial, and reproductive justice. She has advised boards of directors, tech startups, small businesses, community organizations, and government agencies on developing and executing equity strategic plans. Shivani holds an MPH from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and an AB from Dartmouth College.
Kate is a rising junior at the University of Colorado Boulder studying Business Administration with emphases in Marketing, Real Estate, and Management, along with a minor in Leadership and a certificate in Global Business. She is a Boettcher Scholar, United States Presidential Scholar, and a member of the Presidents Leadership Class and Leeds Scholars.
On campus, Kate serves as New Member Educator for Chi Omega, Deep Dive Coordinator for the Presidents Leadership Class, and previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff in CU Student Government. She will also serve as Assistant Chair of Spirit for the 2025 Homecoming Coalition. Kate is excited to bring her passion for equity-driven leadership, education access, and systems-level thinking to the Mission Spark Fellowship.
Svetlana Mikhaylova is a Lead HR Project Manager at Lumen Technologies, where she leads HR transformation initiatives that strengthen organizational effectiveness and inclusivity.
Drawing on her experience as an immigrant raised by a single mother entrepreneur, Svetlana is committed to expanding access to opportunity and resources for underrepresented communities. She serves on the board of the Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute, coaching underserved entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, and volunteers with the Justice & Mercy Legal Aid Clinic, guiding immigrants through the citizenship process.
Svetlana holds an M.S. in Organizational Leadership from the University of Denver and a B.S. in Management, graduating Magna Cum Laude.
Caroline is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Analytics at Georgia Tech. Before joining the Mission Spark team as a Senior Fellow, she worked as a software engineer at Capital One and most recently served as the Technology Innovation Manager at ReMade in Cambodia. Based in Phnom Penh as a Christianson Fellow, she helped ReMade measure and track its social impact. Caroline is excited to bring her technical expertise and passion for mission-driven work to the Mission Spark fellowship. Caroline graduated from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Kenna is pursuing a Master of Arts in International Development at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies and is passionate about the capacity of the social sector to promote development at every level. Being born and raised in Colorado, and having completed her B.A. in Geography & International studies at the University of Denver, she is eager to gain social impact experience that promotes the development of her own Colorado community.
Casey is a former Fulbright Scholar and recently completed a master’s degree in international development from SOAS (University of London). He is passionate about social innovation consulting, having spent three years conducting research and strategizing with numerous small non-profits on environmental and labor issues in India. Casey has additionally contributed to instrument design and data analysis for monitoring and evaluation efforts for US government clients internationally. He is excited to explore social sector consulting with impactful organizations in the US. Casey is a graduate of Brown University.
Megan Waitman is a senior Boettcher Scholar at the University of Colorado at Boulder where she is obtaining a double major in Psychology and Leadership and Community Engagement (LCE). She is passionate about leadership and service and strives to build a career in strategic consulting where she can utilize her passions to spark social change. Throughout college, Megan has worked with various non-profit organizations which has enabled her to gain a deeper passion for social justice work, especially in areas involving youth. In her free time, Megan enjoys tutoring K-12 students, serving on local community service committees, and embracing all the outdoors have to offer.