Team
Mike Del Ponte
Founder & CEO
Founder & CEO
Mike ran his first national organization at the age of 18 and has since served as a humanitarian on four continents, most recently as a microfinance consultant in Nepal. Mike received his B.A. from Boston College and an M.A.R. from the Yale University Divinity School. His interests include social entrepreneurship, public speaking, and spirituality. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Victor Siu
Chief Operating Officer
Victor works in New Market Development in San Francisco, where he focuses on new and upcoming innovation. He previously worked at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in the Hedge Fund Strategies Group and at BlackRock in the Portfolio Analytics Group in New York. He serves with Wokai, a person-to-person giving platform, and previously served on the executive board of the China Institute Young Associates. He attended Tufts University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he earned a B.B.A. in Finance and Economics.
Chief Operating Officer
Victor works in New Market Development in San Francisco, where he focuses on new and upcoming innovation. He previously worked at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in the Hedge Fund Strategies Group and at BlackRock in the Portfolio Analytics Group in New York. He serves with Wokai, a person-to-person giving platform, and previously served on the executive board of the China Institute Young Associates. He attended Tufts University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he earned a B.B.A. in Finance and Economics.
Jenny Gottstein
VP of Marketing & Strategic Partnerships
In addition to bringing her marketing and communications experience to the Sparkseed team, Jenny works with a music & art event production company called MeanRed. Her waking hours are dedicated to activating multi-platform PR campaigns, facilitating brand partnerships, and throwing renegade warehouse parties.
Riyadh Mohammed
Chief Financial Officer
Riyadh is an associate at Citigroup Inc where he has held roles in various parts of the company including: Citi Holdings, Global Wealth Management and Alternative Investments, focusing primarily on finance, business development and strategy. He currently serves as the vice-chairman of the Tufts Active Citizens of New York, a university sponsored volunteer organization and also sits on the board of advisors to the School Fund, a Sparkseed sponsored non-profit. Riyadh received his B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from Tufts University.
Chief Financial Officer
Riyadh is an associate at Citigroup Inc where he has held roles in various parts of the company including: Citi Holdings, Global Wealth Management and Alternative Investments, focusing primarily on finance, business development and strategy. He currently serves as the vice-chairman of the Tufts Active Citizens of New York, a university sponsored volunteer organization and also sits on the board of advisors to the School Fund, a Sparkseed sponsored non-profit. Riyadh received his B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from Tufts University.
Adityo Sagir
Chief Research Officer
Adityo is responsible for research-related projects including competitive analyses, market sizing reports, researching best practices, and benchmarking studies at Sparkseed. He received his BS from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Upon graduation he worked as an Associate Consultant with a boutique management consulting firm in New York City.
Chief Research Officer
Adityo is responsible for research-related projects including competitive analyses, market sizing reports, researching best practices, and benchmarking studies at Sparkseed. He received his BS from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Upon graduation he worked as an Associate Consultant with a boutique management consulting firm in New York City.
Samantha Given-Dennis
Venture Support Coordinator
Samantha is dedicated to market-based solutions to social and environmental sustainability. She joined Sparkseed after graduating from Colby College with a BA in Latin American Studies, where she conducted research on modern repertoires of social contention and democratization in Argentina. Ever enthusiastic about being outdoors, 80's pop classics, and social innovation, Samantha is working to make Sparkseed's programs indispensable to college-aged social venture leaders.
Venture Support Coordinator
Samantha is dedicated to market-based solutions to social and environmental sustainability. She joined Sparkseed after graduating from Colby College with a BA in Latin American Studies, where she conducted research on modern repertoires of social contention and democratization in Argentina. Ever enthusiastic about being outdoors, 80's pop classics, and social innovation, Samantha is working to make Sparkseed's programs indispensable to college-aged social venture leaders.
Matt Werner
Director of Communications
Matt edits Sparkseed's videos, press releases, and external communications. His work experience includes working in publishing at McSweeney's, media at Pearson, and international NGO management for the Global Micro-Clinic Project. Matt received his B.A. in English from UC Berkeley and is studying for his Master's in English at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. His interests include hosting The DJ Matt Werner Show on Fresh Air: The Alternative, social entrepreneurship, and triathlons.
Director of Communications
Matt edits Sparkseed's videos, press releases, and external communications. His work experience includes working in publishing at McSweeney's, media at Pearson, and international NGO management for the Global Micro-Clinic Project. Matt received his B.A. in English from UC Berkeley and is studying for his Master's in English at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. His interests include hosting The DJ Matt Werner Show on Fresh Air: The Alternative, social entrepreneurship, and triathlons.
Geno Burmester
Art Director
Geno is the designer of the Sparkseed brand identity and marketing consultant. He received a B.A. in Marketing from Boston College and his M.F.A. from the Academy of Art in advertising. He now works at EVB, a San Francisco ad agency dedicated to digital and viral marketing. He has always tried to use design and marketing tools for change and is excited to work on such a noble cause. He has been a contributor to Sparkseed since its birth.
Art Director
Geno is the designer of the Sparkseed brand identity and marketing consultant. He received a B.A. in Marketing from Boston College and his M.F.A. from the Academy of Art in advertising. He now works at EVB, a San Francisco ad agency dedicated to digital and viral marketing. He has always tried to use design and marketing tools for change and is excited to work on such a noble cause. He has been a contributor to Sparkseed since its birth.
Jose Mejia
Jose brings his talents as a dot connector, idea machine and actualizer to bear for Sparkseed by aiding in public relations efforts, identifying trends, and generally preaching the Sparkseed gospel whenever he can. He otherwise occupies his time with convincing brands to do interesting things with their money via Largetail, the missing link of the marketing world, and actively chasing a perpetual state of know-it-all-ism. After focusing on Media Criticism and Cultural Anthropology during undergraduate years at NYU, Jose is pursuing a Masters in Urban Policy at New School.
Jose brings his talents as a dot connector, idea machine and actualizer to bear for Sparkseed by aiding in public relations efforts, identifying trends, and generally preaching the Sparkseed gospel whenever he can. He otherwise occupies his time with convincing brands to do interesting things with their money via Largetail, the missing link of the marketing world, and actively chasing a perpetual state of know-it-all-ism. After focusing on Media Criticism and Cultural Anthropology during undergraduate years at NYU, Jose is pursuing a Masters in Urban Policy at New School.
Eric Legaspi
A Virginia native and longtime musician, Eric Legaspi graduated from NYU with a degree in Music Business. He now develops international tours for American bands to foster cultural exchange through The Rhythm Road program - a joint venture between Jazz at Lincoln Center and the State Department. At Sparkseed, he works on crafting PR and brand recognition strategies. Always in love with a great idea, he enjoys making trouble in New York and solving problems.
A Virginia native and longtime musician, Eric Legaspi graduated from NYU with a degree in Music Business. He now develops international tours for American bands to foster cultural exchange through The Rhythm Road program - a joint venture between Jazz at Lincoln Center and the State Department. At Sparkseed, he works on crafting PR and brand recognition strategies. Always in love with a great idea, he enjoys making trouble in New York and solving problems.
Kevin Meenan
Director of Technology and Web Development Emeritus
Kevin is the designer of sparkseed.org and a strategy adviser. He received a B.A. in History and Theology from Boston College, where he dedicated himself to social justice campaigns on the local and global level. He continues to work for change by putting his tech skills to good use. He has been a contributor to SparkSeed from the beginning and has a few ideas for his own social venture.
Director of Technology and Web Development Emeritus
Kevin is the designer of sparkseed.org and a strategy adviser. He received a B.A. in History and Theology from Boston College, where he dedicated himself to social justice campaigns on the local and global level. He continues to work for change by putting his tech skills to good use. He has been a contributor to SparkSeed from the beginning and has a few ideas for his own social venture.
Tim Rutten
Technology Associate
Technology Associate
Tim is managing Sparkseed’s technology-driven activities, mainly focusing on the internet strategy and execution. He currently runs and operates Graphic Violence and has been a driven internet entrepreneur ever since he started his first internet based company at the age of 14. He is finishing his M.A. in International Business with a specialization in Entrepreneurship and obtained his B.A. in Economics at the Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Tim’s experience enables him to take the center stage when it comes to project implementation, strategic technical vision, and third-party technology partnerships at Sparkseed.