Spark Group Consulting was founded by Mary Gladstone-Highland. Mary is a Certified Nonprofit Professional with fourteen years of experience leading organizations. Mary is a graduate of the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University. She holds a Master of Public Administration and a Certificate in Advanced Study in Conflict and Collaboration. She is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive and has raised over $3.4 million for numerous organizations over the past five years. Mary is skilled at analyzing large amounts of information to find creative solutions to complex problems. She strives to use an asset-based approach in every situation.
Katy Stokes is a Social Worker with a Master’s degree in macro social work from Wayne State University with a concentration in leadership development. She has over a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership roles and is skilled in program development, grant writing, and volunteer management. Katy works as a child and family therapist at Starfish Family Services serving families throughout the Detroit metro area. She has also had a successful career as a musician and holds a Bachelor’s degree in voice performance from Michigan State University. Katy maintains her mental health through a mix of music, Planet Fitness, and the doodles that line the margins of her notebooks.
Sonya Luna has a graduate certificate in Non-profit Management from Eastern Michigan University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Social Relations from Kalamazoo College. She has over 12 years of working with the nonprofit sector. She works as the Coordinator of Hispanic/Latino Ministries for the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church. She was the co-founder of Justice for Our Neighbors-Southeastern Michigan and currently serves on the board of Justice for Our Neighbors-Michigan. She is an Intercultural Development Inventory Qualified Administrator. She has experience in strategic planning, focus conversation, facilitation, translation, grant writing, curriculum development, publicity, program development, fundraising, and volunteer management. She likes to think creativity and be creative. Her hobbies include quilting, painting, and art-journaling. She lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan, but also considers Oaxaca, Mexico her home.