The Team

Kelli is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Project SPARK. Passionate about service, Kelli experienced her first international volunteer work at a women’s jail in Ecuador, in 2003. This experience left a profound impact on her as she realized so many of the world’s most desperate don’t need aid alone, they need access to practical, sustainable solutions. Since that time, Kelli has volunteered, worked, and traveled in over 40 countries. “The best way to solve society’s toughest problems is through a passionate, dedicated social entrepreneur in the local community,” Kelli says. It was this realization that led Kelli to found Project SPARK, which seeks to empower social entrepreneurs with sustainable business models, by providing seed funding and volunteer support. Kelli works at McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm, in Chicago. She previously worked in investment banking in New York City. Kelli has a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard University and a B.S. in Accounting, Economics, and Spanish from Missouri State University.

Kyle Moles is a founder of Project SPARK. He is dedicated to traveling the globe, finding effective ways to help the world’s most needy. Kyle’s passion for service was solidified after watching his wife, Kelli, battle a near-death encounter with malaria. Kyle and Kelli spent their honeymoon in Africa, working in an orphanage in Uganda. Watching malaria attack Kelli, Kyle was reminded of the children in the orphanage whose lives are threatened daily by the same disease, all because they don’t have access to basic healthcare. Kyle’s extensive travels have led him to believe that handouts are not a long-term solution in solving the tough problems of our world, like the malaria epidemic. Through Project SPARK, Kyle saw the opportunity for supporting aid projects that offer long-term success and have limited or no ongoing capital requirements. Kyle works in JPMorgan’s Private Bank in Chicago, and is a graduate of Missouri State University.

Liz Liu serves as Chief Operating Officer of Project SPARK. Liz learned about Project SPARK in 2008, and was inspired to become part of a sustainable solution for global concerns. She visited Ghana in 2009, and her work in building a Project SPARK health clinic there made her deeply aware of how transformative every dollar donated can be towards improving the lives of the impoverished. Liz is a firm believer in the importance of a sustainable approach towards philanthropy and views improving access to healthcare and education as a critical step towards alleviating global poverty. Liz graduated from Wellesley College in 2007 with a double major in Economics and East Asian Studies and spent her junior year abroad at Oxford University. Since graduating, she has worked in J.P. Morgan’s Public Finance Healthcare Group. Liz will be pursuing an MBA this fall with an emphasis in social entrepreneurship.

Asif Khaja joined Project SPARK in 2008 and traveled to Ghana in 2009 with the organization. Asif graduated summa cum laude from The College of New Jersey, with a major in Accounting, and has since worked at J.P. Morgan in various credit roles. As CIO/CFO, Asif has a variety of responsibilities including taking a lead in determining which projects to fund, keeping track of donors, and supporting the overall operations of Project SPARK.

Jennifer Noh – New York Chair

Stephanie Wai – New York Vice Chair

Stephanie Wai got involved with Project SPARK in late 2009 after learning about the trip to Ghana from her colleagues. As a believer in sustainable development, she was excited by the opportunity to impact change through Project SPARK. She is originally from California, and graduated from Williams College in 2007 where she was a member and captain of the rugby team. Stephanie is an associate in JPMorgan’s Public Finance group.

Katie Cheng has always loved working with youth and joined Teach For America after graduating from Cornell University. She taught 6th and 7th grade middle school science in Harlem for two years. After teaching, Katie started her career in Public Finance working with colleges and not-for-profit clients. Project SPARK was a great opportunity for Katie to continue doing hands-on volunteer work. Traveling to Ghana and working with students at L&A Academy was such an amazing and rewarding experience. Katie enjoys traveling the world, exploring new neighborhoods, discovering delicious food, and having conversations about life. Katie is currently working as a municipal research credit analyst.

Laura Miller discovered her passion for the African people and for the development of sustainable solutions for Africa’s toughest social concerns through Project SPARK. She first got involved in the organization in 2007, and she then traveled to Ghana in 2008 and 2010. Laura is a project manager at MTV Networks in New York City. Originally from Kansas City, MO, Laura graduated from Missouri State University in Springfield, MO in 2003. As Marketing Director for Project SPARK, Laura helps promote all events both digitally and on the ground.

Richard Li brings enthusiasm and a desire to promote sustainable hope together in his role as Project SPARK’s Hoops for Hope Director. Richard works as an Analyst in the Global Special Opportunities Group at J.P. Morgan and joined Project Spark in 2010. Richard is originally from Grosse Pointe, MI. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2007 with a B.S. in Economics. As the Hoops for Hope Director, Richard is responsible for planning and promoting Project SPARK’s annual charity basketball tournament.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
David Liu – Webmaster

David Liu joined the Project SPARK team in 2010 to help with the development of the website. Originally from Davis, California, David is currently a senior at Georgetown University majoring in marketing and hopes to take his first trip to Ghana after graduation.