Brendan Norton is one of the Northern California Regional Coordinators for the CivicSpark program. Brendan was previously a 2020-21 CivicSpark Fellow with the City of Cupertino. His work included the support of an update to the City’s Climate Action Plan and researching what SB 1000 & SB 1383 compliance would look like for the Cupertino.…

Lindsey McCandless started out in academia studying ancient Mediterranean history and archaeology. (Yes, she can read hieroglyphs; no, aliens did not build the pyramids.) But while on excavations she became more interested in foodways in modern Middle Eastern communities and spent her free time learning how to ethically grow, distribute, and consume food in arid…

Mariah Thomson serves as the Program Implementation Coordinator with CivicSpark, bringing expertise in leadership development, mentorship, and training facilitation. She strives to cultivate confidence in our Fellows as they embark on their climate career journeys. Mariah first joined the CivicSpark team as a Regional Coordinator for the Washington region in 2023. She is an alum…

Amanda McSwine serves as the CivicSpark AmeriCorps Grant Administrator. She was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN and began her professional journey as an AmeriCorps VISTA member in Newberry, South Carolina. As an AmeriCorps VISTA member, Amanda worked to build the capacity of local organizations to fight poverty. Falling in love with the work, Amanda…

Lily Swanbrow Becker is based in Tallahassee, Florida and brings over a decade of experience centered on the environmental and psychosocial dimensions of climate change adaptation in both public and non-profit settings. She previously worked at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, where she developed an agency-wide climate change adaptation program with a focus…

Justin Brosseau is based in the Sacramento region and brings 15+ years of experience working in public and non-profit environments with a focus in building teams and designing programs that lead to lasting change.  His career in collegiate and youth athletics was predicated on instilling positive life lessons and skills within the organization’s membership, preparing…

Chester joined the CivicWell team in January 2023 as the CivicSpark Program Coordinator. Before joining the team, Chester served as a CivicSpark Fellow in the 2021-2022 service year as CivicWell’s first Recruitment Fellow. He is particularly passionate about workforce development and creating a long-lasting impact on the community. In his free time, Chester enjoys walking…

Mamie Murry serves as CivicSpark’s Recruitment Manager overseeing the program’s recruitment and marketing activities. As a two-time AmeriCorps member and nonprofit professional, she knows the everlasting impact AmeriCorps has on its members and the community served. Upon completing her terms of service, Mamie held various roles within the nonprofit sector managing operations, coordinating volunteers, and…

Bill Sadler, J.D., M.U.R.P., is the executive director of the CivicSpark fellowship, a national AmeriCorps program focused on building capacity of local government agencies and community organizations to address pressing community resilience issues including climate change, public health and the social determinants of health. The fellowship program provides a launchpad for more than 100 young…

Shaima is the Project Manager for CivicSpark Colorado. Originally from Denver, she joined CivicSpark in 2022 to assist with the program’s expansion to Colorado. A current MA candidate in Urban and Regional Planning at CU Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning, Shaima has a BA in Sociology from CU Boulder and an MA in Responsible…