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Spruce is managed by an all-volunteer group of rising stars in Philadelphia’s professional community, who are dedicated to leveraging their skills to build a promising future for local youth. Click each board member’s photo to learn more about them.
Executive Board
Caitlin Zappas
President
Caitlin Zappas
President
Occupation:
Healthcare Advertising
Interests:
Running, blogging, trying new restaurants, skincare, rewatching episodes of The Office
Affiliations:
Girl Scouts, Founder of small scholarship fund, Volunteer at Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission.
Marci Leveillee
Vice President
Marci Leveillee
Vice President
Occupation:
Corporate Philanthropy
Interests:
Reading, yoga, volunteering, podcasts
Affiliations:
Director of Development of Junior League of Philadelphia, President of Barnard Club of Philadelphia
Previously: Vice President of Membership, Association of Fundraising Professionals - Greater Philadelphia Chapter
Taylor Gentile
Treasurer
Taylor Gentile
Treasurer
Occupation:
Biotechnology Scientist
Interests:
Running, reading sci-fi and scuba diving
Affiliations:
Passionate about increasing green space and other environmental issues in Philadelphia
Maggie Mandich
Secretary
Maggie Mandich
Secretary
Occupation:
Change Management Consultant
Interests:
Running, crochet, hiking, reading, travel
Affiliations:
Broad Street Ministry Volunteer
Andrew Sy
Associate Treasurer
Andrew Sy
Associate Treasurer
Occupation:
Investment Management
Affiliations:
Vetri Community Partnership - Young Friends Board, Big Brothers Big Sisters - Big and Board Member
Communications Committee
Tiffany Marini
Communications Committee Chair
Tiffany Marini
Communications Committee Chair
Occupation:
Construction Litigation Attorney
Interests:
Running, listening to vinyl, skiing, college football
Cara Hackett
Communications Committee Vice-Chair
Cara Hackett
Communications Committee Vice-Chair
Occupation:
Corporate Government Affairs
Interests:
Podcasts, pilates, relaxing in Rittenhouse Square
Mary Pat Wixted
Communications Committee
Mary Pat Wixted
Communications Committee
Occupation:
Brand Management
Affiliations:
Campbell’s Soup Foundation Committee, Yale Alumni Association Delegate, Yale SOM Alumni - Philly Chapter Co-Chair, Yale Crew Association Board Director
Koa Kekuna
Digital Lead
Koa Kekuna
Digital Lead
Occupation:
Healthcare Technology
Interests:
Recreational volleyball, running with terrible form, optimizing my D&D character
Development Committee
Nicholas Thompson
Development Committee Chair
Nicholas Thompson
Development Committee Chair
Occupation:
IT Project Manager
Affiliations:
Dornsife School of Public Health Public Health Alumni Network, Co-Chair of the Young Alumni and Students Committee with Drexel University's Alumni Board of Directors
Brian Balduzzi
Development Committee Vice-Chair
Brian Balduzzi
Development Committee Vice-Chair
Occupation:
Private Client Services Attorney, and Adjunct Professor
Interests:
Theatre, college basketball, reading, financial literacy
Affiliations:
Board of Directors for the Independence Business Alliance, Member of the Education Committee and DEIA Liaison for Stonewall Sports Philadelphia, Governance Co-Chair and Board of Directors for Cornell LGBTQ Alumni Association
Previously: Board of Directors for the Philadelphia LGBTQ Bar Association, Treasurer of Young Involved Philadelphia.
Nabilla Ariffin
Development Committee
Nabilla Ariffin
Development Committee
Occupation:
Nonprofit Development
Affiliations:
SquashSmarts Young Friends Board, UPenn Varsity Squash Young Alumni Committee, UPenn Muslim Student Association Advisory Board, and Women Bike Philly member
Michael Ticzon
Development Committee
Michael Ticzon
Development Committee
Occupation:
Nonprofit Development
Interests:
Interior design, indoor plants, running, Philly food scene
Affiliations:
Founder of a small scholarship fund, Association of Fundraising Professionals - Emerging Leaders Committee
Events Committee
Brad Giuliano
Events Committee Chair
Brad Giuliano
Events Committee Chair
Occupation:
Bankruptcy Consultant
Interests:
Wine (WSET certified level 3), hiking, traveling, Philly sports
Affiliations:
Contribute to various environmentally focused organizations
Michael Schlesinger
Events Committee Vice-Chair
Michael Schlesinger
Events Committee Vice-Chair
Occupation:
Real Estate Project Management
Interests:
Finding the best gluten free restaurants in Philadelphia, volunteering, cheering on my favorite Philly sports teams, and attempting to come up with my own Shark Tank idea.
Kristin Lide-Hall
Events Committee
Kristin Lide-Hall
Events Committee
Occupation:
Nonprofit Management
Interests:
Singing (poorly), studying French, and trying different foods
Affiliations:
Alliance Francaise Member, Fuller Housing Center
Shardé Johnson
Events Committee
Shardé Johnson
Events Committee
Occupation:
Higher Education
Interests:
True crime, working out so that I can snack, podcasts, and naps.
Affiliations:
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Grants Committee
Kimberly Dustman
Grants Committee Chair
Kimberly Dustman
Grants Committee Chair
Occupation:
Educational Testing
Mary Fateaux
Grants Committee Vice-Chair
Mary Fateaux
Grants Committee Vice-Chair
Occupation:
Platform Manager
Interests:
Naps, mentorship, travel, food and learning
Affiliations:
Supporter of Philadelphia area organizations, specifically those addressing homelessness, food insecurity, and education. Ally with company’s OUT Employee Resource group and a member of the Women's Network
Siobhan Leonard
Grants Committee
Siobhan Leonard
Grants Committee
Occupation:
Human Resources
Interests:
Reading, trying new coffee shops and restaurants, practicing + teaching yoga, sewing, beer flights and cocktails
Nishant Rastogi
Grants Committee
Nishant Rastogi
Grants Committee
Occupation:
Life Sciences Investing
Interests:
Philly sports, trivia, tennis, and wine
Affiliations:
Volunteer middle and high school tutor, counselor at FreshMentors college admissions support
Strategic Operations
Katlin Hess
Strategic Operations Committee Chair
Katlin Hess
Strategic Operations Committee Chair
Occupation:
HR Technology Marketing
Interests:
Reading (ideally in coffee shops), trying new restaurants, baking, listening to true crime podcasts
Amaryllis Owens
Strategic Operations Committee Vice-Chair
Amaryllis Owens
Strategic Operations Committee Vice-Chair
Occupation:
Investment Project Manager
Interests:
Voice acting, real estate investing, starting and stopping new workouts in ~60 days, foodie!!
Samantha Harclerode
Strategic Operations Committee
Samantha Harclerode
Strategic Operations Committee
Occupation:
Nonprofit Management
Interests:
Being a new mama, gardening, hiking in Wissahickon, notorious non-fiction reader, sampling all the beer
Affiliations:
Fundraiser, Maternity Care Coalition, Teaching Assistant for Philanthropy courses at UPenn, Alumni Board Member, Nonprofit Leadership Alumni Association, Penn
Maggie Place
Strategic Operations Committee
Maggie Place
Strategic Operations Committee
Occupation:
Higher Education
Affiliations:
Philly POPS Festival Chorus, United Way of Berks County: Blueprint for Leadership Program, University of Richmond Alumni Recruitment Committee
Previously: Board of Directors for Mary’s Shelter (Reading, PA), Board of Directors, Greater Reading Young Professionals (Reading, PA).