Brooklyn Org Spark Prize Committee
We can’t accomplish our Brooklyn Org Spark Prize without the dedication of Brooklynites who shared their time and expertise as members of the Spark Prize Committee. This diverse group of civic leaders, philanthropists, activists, entrepreneurs, and artists reviews hundreds of applications, interviews the 20 finalists, and ultimately selects five $100,000 winners. Not only do Committee members bring their unique talents to the process—they also discover a side of Brooklyn they never knew, and in turn help spotlight incredible, yet often overlooked, local nonprofits.
2024-2025 COMMITTEE
Ashima Aggarwal
Daisy Auger-Domínguez
Julia Bator
Martin Bell
Tom Bettridge
Lisa C. Cohen
Brooke Safford Cohen
Isabel Cristo
Kenneth Ebie
Adina Erwin
Janeisha Farquharson
Sophie Ferrer
Marcella Gay
Teresa Gonzalez
Erica Hamilton
Gary P. Jenkins
Lori Luis
Deitra Mara
Alison Maschmeyer
Tamika Matheson
Gregorio Mayers
Lindsay McCann
Morgan Monaco
Audrey Moore
Salvador Muñoz
Robyne Walker Murphy
JP Napleton
Angela Outlaw-Matheny
Lindsay Pizzi
Melissa J. Prober
Arcola Robinson
Esmeralda Simmons
Cary Stathopoulos
Alexa Suskin
Laurie Tamis
André Taylor
Nancy Webster
Jackie Wilson
Jessica Yager
Selin Zalma
2023-2024 COMMITTEE
Ashima Aggarwal
Daisy Auger-Dominguez
Julie Badal
Julia Bator
Elizabeth Canela
Madeline Carson
Janeisha Farquharson
Marcella Gay
Teresa Gonzalez
Susan Hagedorn
Gary Jenkins
Lori Luis
Depelsha McGruder
Sanjay Mody
Morgan Monaco
Audrey Moore
JP Napleton
Arcola Robinson
Jason Rosas
Juanita Scarlett
Vishal Sheth
Deborah Sills Iarussi
Alexa Suskin
George Suttles
Laura Washington
Nancy Webster
Kamy Wicoff
2022-2023 COMMITTEE
Martha Berry
Virginia Davis Blair
Elizabeth Canela
Madeline Carson
Janel Callon
Denise Drayton
Susan Hagedorn
Rachel Hines
Deborah Iarussi
Nidhi Kohli
Elizabeth Mallow
Charles McMickens
Depelsha McGruder
Sanjay Mody
Emily Myerson
Maritza Myers
Olivia Peoples
Abigail Pohlman
Jason Rosas
Eliza Rossman
Juanita Scarlett
Nana Samake
Isis Sapp-Grant
Vishal Sheth
George Suttles
Adriene Thorne
Laura Washington
Sharon Wurtzel
2021-2022 COMMITTEE
Martha Berry
Jennie Blair
Russatta Buford
Janel Anderberg Callon
Barbara Chen
Bevin Cline
Kamilah Duggins
Kate Gavriel
Jay Gromek
Rachel Hines
Amanda Hoffman
Hilary Jager
Chris Jean-Baptiste
Melissa Johnson
Kathy Kermian-Leicht
Nidhi Kohli
Elizabeth Mallow
Charles McMickens
Maritza Myers
Katharine Ogg
Khadijat Oseni
Eto Otitigbe
Olivia Peoples
Abigail Pohlman
Eliza Rossman
Nana Samake
Isis Sapp-Grant
Diane Steinberg
Adriene Thorne
Jeremy Travis
Erica Wray
Sharon Wurtzel
2019-2020 COMMITTEE
Jessika Auerbach
Russatta Buford
Saundra Cornwell
Sandra Chapman
Bevin Cline
Jackie Cuscuna
Kamilah Duggins
Torian Easterling
Henry Elsesser
Blake Foote
Kate Gavriel
Ana Gasteyer
Jason Gromek
Stephanie Ingrassia
Asiri Mawalagedera
Kenneth Montgomery
Sonali Mody
Darnell Moore
Kate Ogg
Khadijat Oseni
Charles O’Donnell
Jocelynne Rainey
Hildy Simmons
Saundra Thomas
Andrew Tarlow
Angie Wang
Lola C. West
Erica Wray
2018-2019 COMMITTEE
Zaheer Ali
Tamara Belinfanti
David Belt
Anna Castellani
Sandra Chapman
Saundra Cornwell
Torian Easterling
Isabelle FitzGerald
Blake Foote
Henry Gutman
Anita Khashu
Lisa Kim
Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte
Jamaal Lesane
Gwen Libstag
Asiri Mawalagedera
Joan Malin
Sonali Mody
Darnell Moore
Kenneth Montgomery
Charles O’Donnell
AJ Pires
Jocelynne Rainey
Daniel Reid
William Rifkin
Sarah Robertson
Carla Shen
Angie Wang
Lola C. West
2017-2018 COMMITTEE
Zaheer Ali
Alexa Aviles
Wanyong Austin
Tamara Belinfanti
David Belt
Rufus Collins
Sarah Durham
Nicola Fabens
Isabelle FitzGerald
Lizanne Fontaine
Gaia DiLoreto
Andrew Hoan
Steve Hindy
Michael Hirschhorn
Stephanie Ingrassia
Lisa Kim
Joan Malin
Leslie Marshall
Merle McGee
Aletha Maybank
Clara Morris
AJ Pires
Judilee Reed
Daniel Reid
William Rifkin
Jennifer Rodgers
Carla Shen
Tupper Thomas
Keith White
2016-2017 COMMITTEE
Alexa Aviles
Andy Bachman
Jonathan Butler
Rufus Collins
Nina Collins
Ashley Cotton
Gaia DiLoreto
Sarah Durham
Martin Dunn
Nicola Fabens
Lizanne Fontaine
Andrew MacArthur
Jeanne Masel
Leslie Marshall
Merle McGee
Aletha Maybank
Clara Morris
Erika Nijenhuis
Judilee Reed
Diana Reyna
Jennifer Rodgers
Matt Stinchcomb
Tupper Thomas
Keith White
Stephen Warnke