SPARK Boston Council

The council works to give 20- to 35-year-olds a greater role in planning for the City’s future.

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Applications are now open for Mayor Wu's next volunteer civic engagement council, who will participate September 2023 through August 2024. To be considered, you must live in Boston, be between the ages of 20 to 35, and the written application by Friday, May 26. You can learn more about the roles and responsibilities of SPARK council members at the bottom of this page.

Apply Today

What the council does

Advisers

The SPARK Boston Council advises the Mayor on City policies and programs affecting 20- to 35-year-olds. Leadership staff from the Mayor’s team come to monthly meetings to:

present upcoming plans and proposals
ask questions, and
get feedback from the group.

Council members help create and develop ideas to get 20- to 35-year-olds more involved with the City.

Ambassadors

Council members serve as the Mayor’s ambassadors to Boston’s 20- to 35-year-olds. We want our members to use their personal networks to get more young adults involved in the conversation.

Collaborators and innovators

Council members work in groups to develop and put in place programs that connect 20- to 35-year-olds to the City. Our goal is to highlight opportunities where 20- to 35-year-olds can engage with government and influence policy.

Expectations

Mayor Wu appoints members of the council. They serve under the SPARK Boston Director. We have certain expectations for members, including:

attending all monthly SPARK Boston Council meetings
attending at least one SPARK Boston event or social activity per month
actively taking part in group discussions (listen, ask questions, share experiences, give feedback)
using digital tools and people power to spread information and create awareness, and
helping to lead, manage, and take part in group projects.

If you fail to meet any of these standards, you may be disciplined or dismissed from the council.

2023-2024 Application FAQs

FAQs

Who is the ideal SPARK Council Member?

We're looking for Bostonians aged 20 to 35 of all backgrounds. Whether you were born and raised here or just arrived a few months ago, if you are passionate about the City of Boston, we are passionate about getting to know you. Our current council is composed of artists, legislative aides, parents, students, tech entrepreneurs, small business owners, neighborhood leaders, non-profit employees, consultants, educators, and more. No matter where you are in your personal and civic journey, we want to see your application.

Do SPARK Council Members have to live in Boston?

Yes, SPARK Council applicants must be Boston residents, but you are welcome to attend and collaborate on our events if you work in or live near the city. We should also note we love meeting new folks to be speakers, collaborators, and community partners! If you have an upcoming event or initiative you are seeking a community partner, there might be a great fit to connect. Reach out to us if you’re interested in chatting further about how to get involved as a non-resident.

What is the time commitment for the SPARK Council?

During their year-long council term, each month council member is required to attend our regular council meeting on the first (or sometimes second) Monday of every month; one community meeting; and at least one SPARK event or small group meeting. You may also meet with other Council members occasionally for group projects. The upcoming Council term will begin in September 2023 and end August 2024.

How do I apply? How long will it take?

You just fill out this application on Google Forms. We anticipate it taking about an hour to complete, but encourage you to go at your own pace. You can view all the questions in advance here.

When is the application deadline? Is there any benefit to filling out the application sooner?

The 2023-2024 council application will close on Friday, May 26. All applications will be reviewed then. As long as you submit your application in the Google form and send your resume to sparkboston@boston.gov by 11:59 PM EST on Friday, May 26, you will be considered for the council.

What does the full application process look like? When do I hear back?

After the selection committee reviews your application, you will be notified and informed by Friday, June 9 if you have moved on to the group interview stage or not. Group interviews will take place in-person in July, and final decisions will be released by the end of the summer. The 2023-2024 council will have its first meeting on September 11, 2023.

Council members

2022-2023 Council

Anthony O’Neil, Allston
Kennedy Avery, Beacon Hill
Janine Jay, Beacon Hill
Olivia S. Harris, Brighton
Cristen Mathews, Brighton
Steven Murnane, Jr., Brighton
Liza Perry, Charlestown
Sydney Neugebauer, Chinatown
Abby Jamiel, Dorchester
Brenna Galvin, Dorchester
Alexa Monfort, Dorchester
Yakeisha L. Gray Sinclair, Dorchester
Tania Jaime Lopez, Dorchester
Taufiq Dhanani, Dorchester
Emmy Carragher, Dorchester
Ki Wan Sim, East Boston
Liz Cory, Fenway-Kenmore
Ashley Garrett, Hyde Park
Katharine Martinez, Hyde Park

Jaye Meakem, Jamaica Plain
Eryn-Ashlei Bailey, Jamaica Plain
Lendsey Thicklin, Mattapan
Hannah Hooven, Mission Hill
Hannah Schur, North End
Melissa Mazzeo, North End
Daniel Semeniuta, Roslindale
Melissa Beltran, Roxbury
Shaikh Hasib, Roxbury
Jasmine Rose, Roxbury
Aly Madan, Roxbury
Nohely Vargas, Roxbury
Kyle Miller, Roxbury/Jamaica Plain
Rafael Trujillo, South Boston
Sarah Ballinger, South Boston
Nicholas Fils-Aime, South End
Ihsan Kaadan, West End
Zachary Kinnaird, West End
Eduardo Sanchez, West Roxbury

SPARK Captains

Alessandra Panares, Allston-Brighton
Richard Meinke, Allston-Brighton
Anthony Nguyen, Dorchester
Kristyn Berry, Dorchester
Mia Healy-Waldron, East Boston
Thomas Pelkey, Jamaica Plain
Dianna Bronchuk, Roslindale
Caitlin Zeytoonian, South Boston

Spring 2022 Council

These members of the 2021 Council, 2021 alternates, and participants of the inaugural Begin in Boston council have generously agreed to volunteer their time in the nine-month gap as we transition back to a September council start. They are:

Alessandra Panares, Allston
Spencer Crawford, Beacon Hill
Victor Franco, Brighton
Ricky Meinke, Brighton
Taylor Bloom, Charlestown
Nyambura Barrow, Dorchester
Kristyn Berry, Dorchester
Anthony Nguyen, Dorchester
Romy St. Hilaire, Dorchester
Michelle Tan, Dorchester
Mia Healy-Waldron, East Boston
Amanda Sabia, East Boston
Jesse Flores, Fenway-Kenmore
Bassil Bacare, Hyde Park
Emily Carrara, Hyde Park
Atheena Arasoo, Jamaica Plain
Sumali Dey, Jamaica Plain
Jessica Lau, Jamaica Plain
Thomas Pelkey, Mission Hill
Kate Nicholson, North End
Dianna Bronchuk, Roslindale
Caiti Zeytoonian, South Boston
Anja Johnson, South End
Colleen Shea, West Roxbury

2021 Council

Jessica Lau, Allston
Oscar Lopez, Jr., Allston
Cristian Morales, Allston
Alessandra Panares, Allston/Brighton
Kat Waxstein, Brighton
Tara Wilson, Bay Village
Spencer Crawford, Beacon Hill
Frank Ulip, Beacon Hill
Julia Bogiages, Brighton
Sumali Dey, Brighton
Victor Franco, Brighton
Anita Yip, Chinatown
Intiya Ambrogi-Isaza, Charlestown
Nyambura Barrow, Dorchester
Kathleen Carroll, Dorchester

Anthony Nguyen, Dorchester
Dennisse Rorie, Dorchester
Romy St. Hilaire, Dorchester
Mia Healy-Waldron, East Boston
Amanda Sabia, East Boston
Xi Zhao Viola, East Boston
Lindsey Santana, Hyde Park
Monee Vance, Hyde Park/Mattapan
Albert Jimenez, Jamaica Plain
Thomas Pelkey, Jamaica Plain
Daphney Pacouloute, Mattapan
Genevieve Bien-Aime, Mid-Dorchester
Antonio Centeio, Mid-Dorchester
Dianna Bronchuk, Mission Hill/Jamaica Plain

Lilly Stairs, North End
Nicole Shults, Roslindale
Mark Martinez, Roxbury
Kensha Grandoit, Roxbury
Adriana Lasso-Harrier, Roxbury
Karol Mendieta, Roxbury/Jamaica Plain
Mohammad Haider Ali Abbasi, South Boston
Aishwarya Bhadouria, South End
Anja Young, South End
Ramie Schneider, South End
Kaitlin McCarthy, West End/Downtown
Bassil Bacare, West Roxbury/Hyde Park

2019-2020 Council

Audrey Seraphin, Allston
Juan Cantu, Allston
Cristian Morales, Allston
Carrolee Moore, Allston
Oscar Lopez, Allston
Claire Coletti, Back Bay
Frank Ulip, Beacon Hill
Kat Waxstein, Brighton
Lexi Kantor, Brighton
Intiya Isaza, Charlestown
Chris Canton, Charlestown
Anita Yip, Chinatown
Latia Holmes, Chinatown
Kaitlin McCarthy, Chinatown

Ayanna Polk, Dorchester
Ellie Sanchez, Dorchester
Stacy Cruz, Dorchester
Kathleen Carroll, Dorchester
Gabriela (Gigi) Coletta, East Boston
Fernando Ortiz, East Boston
Jared Staley, East Boston
Shannon Montanez, East Boston
Aaron Dy, Fenway-Kenmore
Sarah Abkowitz, Fenway-Kenmore
Monee Vance, Hyde Park
Delanoe Johnson, Jamaica Plain
Evelyn "Ellie" Hitt, Jamaica Plain
Daphney Pacouloute, Mattapan

Julia Gueron, Mission Hill
Meredith Moshier, North End
Nicole Shults, Roslindale
KT Merseles, Roslindale
Jhanel Chew, Roxbury
Mark Martinez, Roxbury
Kiara Kerr, Roxbury
Ashli Molina, South Boston
Nayeli Rodriguez, South End
Mike McDermott, South End
Alen Amini, West End
Matt Murphy, West Roxbury

2018-2019 Council

Bhakti Varma, Allston
Jordan Thornlow, Allston
Tanya Pham, Back Bay
Marguerite Silverman, Back Bay
Adrienne Zak, Beacon Hill
Justin Flynn, Brighton
Aidan McDonough, Brighton
Tess Atkinson, Dorchester
Crystal Chandler, Dorchester
Miles Halpine, Dorchester
Peter McCawley, Dorchester
Meghan Harrell, Dorchester
Jazmyne Jackson, Dorchester
Josh Waxman, East Boston

Kim Mendoza Iraheta, East Boston
Corinne Wardian, Fenway-Kenmore
Mika Gross, Fenway-Kenmore
Nolan Tesis, Hyde Park
Alisa Pimentel, Hyde Park
Helena Berbano, Jamaica Plain
Sebastian Zapata, Jamaica Plain
Taylor Cain, Jamaica Plain
Jennie Rose Halperin, Jamaica Plain
Samantha Montano, Jamaica Plain
Helen Mayer, Mattapan
Christina Paris, Mattapan
Dani Niro, North End
Jonathan Bekele, Roslindale

Gloribel Rivas, Roslindale
Sasha Goodfriend, Roxbury
Karleen Porcena, Roxbury
Portsha Franklin-Gordon, Roxbury
Analiese Barnes-Classen, Roxbury
Lindsey Butler, South Boston
Casey Baines, South End
Maggie Riddell, South End
Michelle Sohn, South End
Greg Bohenko, West End
Kathryn Niforos, West Roxbury
Meredith McCarthy, West Roxbury

2017-2018 Council

Alexis Walls, Allston
Jackie Lender, Allston
Neel Desai, Back Bay
Mikaila Waters, Back Bay
Michael Winston, Bay Village
Paige Friedlander, Beacon Hill
Catalina Ocampo, Brighton
Patricia Cahill, Brighton
Emily Murphy, Charlestown
Jenna DeAngelo, Chinatown
Agostinha Depina, Dorchester
Gabrielle Sims, Dorchester
Christopher Walker, Dorchester

Yusuf Ali, Dorchester
Francis Huynh, Dorchester
Kevin Walther, Downtown Crossing
Devon Williams, East Boston
Daniel Shea, East Boston
Siddhi Doshi, Fenway
Darcel Hunt-Finegold, Hyde Park
Rosa Herrero de Andres, Jamaica Plain
Carmel Levy, Jamaica Plain
Paul Gels, Jamaica Plain
Fernando Rodriguez, Jamaica Plain
Shanice Wallace, Mattapan
David Wu, Mission Hill

Helen Sharma, Mission Hill
Rourke Harrington, North End
Maggie Walsh, North End
Andrea Clavijo, North End
Ying Wang, Roslindale
Keveisha Robinson- Clark, Roxbury
Matt Parker, Roxbury
Michael Yu, South Boston
Shane Dunn, South Boston
Alexandria de Aranzeta, South End
Constance Fontanet, South End
Michaela Hughes, West Roxbury

2016-2017 Council

Durante Barringer, Jamaica Plain
Katie Belgard, Dorchester
Kenzie Bok, Bay Village
Andrew Breiter-Wu, Roxbury
LaRay Brison, Dorchester
Ben Bungert, Mission Hill
Joshua Carr, Dorchester
Benjamin Cole, South Boston
Lauren Doty, Jamaica Plain
Modjossorica Elysee, Hyde Park
Tamika Francis, Roslindale
Robyn Gibson, Mattapan

Rosy Gonzalez, Beacon Hill
Art Gordon, Roxbury
Michael Harris, Brighton
Kyndal Henicke, East Boston
Gary Howell-Walton, Allston
Alexander Le, Back Bay
Conor LeBlanc, South Boston
Tariana V. Little, Dorchester
Oliver Madden, North End
Wes McEnany, Dorchester
Tina Natale, North End
Fhiwa Ndou, Brighton

Abigail Ogilvy, Charlestown
Temi Ogunbodede, Hyde Park
Rebecca Phu, West Roxbury
Michael Rodriguez, Hyde Park
Edith Shi, Allston
Jonathan Spillane, West Roxbury
Judith Ternes, South End
Darneesh Thornton-Johnson, Fenway
Nicholas Vance, Dorchester
Justin Yiu, South Boston
Jaclyn Youngblood, Jamaica Plain

2015-2016 Council

Kevin Becerra, Dorchester
Leland Berman, Beacon Hill
Emma Blaxter, Jamaica Plain
Nicola Braginsky, Fenway/Kenmore
Diana Brennan, Beacon Hill
Alessandra Brown, Hyde Park
David Brown, West Roxbury
Jessica DesCarles, Dorchester
Andrew Destefano, East Boston
Max Egan, Back Bay
Jessica Frattaroli, North End
Dave Falvey, South Boston
Christine Galatis, Roslindale

Cristina Garmendia, Allston
Reynolds Graves, Roxbury
Karleen Herbst, South Boston
Liam Hoare, East Boston
Chu Huang, South End
John Hynes, Fort Point
Jasmin Johansen, Mattapan
Senam Kumahia, Back Bay
Michael Landry, South End
Kevin Liang, West End
Marlena Love, South End
Cara Matthews, Roxbury

Benji Moll, Back Bay
Tyler Murphy, Downtown
Ruth Nkemontoh, Brighton
Anthony Richards, Dorchester
Nicole Rodriguez, Roslindale
Christopher Rusk, West Roxbury
Ken Ryan, South Boston
Rachel Spekman, Dorchester
Ryan Walsh, South Boston
Donald Washington, Hyde Park
Adam Weisman, Back Bay
Matthew Wells, South Boston

2014-2015 Council

Laura Alvarado, South Boston
Jonathan Berk, Fenway/Kenmore
Cole Boskey, South End
Ross Chanowski, Fort Point
Brendan Ciecko, South End
Chrislene DeJean, Mattapan
Jill Epstein, Mission Hill
Lee Glandorf, West Roxbury
Jessica Hamilton, Jamaica Plain
Terron Hill, South End
Teisha-Vonique Hood, Back Bay
Michael Keimig, North End

Jennifer Kent, Back Bay
David Lank, Fenway Kenmore
George Lewis, Back Bay
Kimberly Lyle, Roslindale
John Mahony, Brighton
Erin McEvoy, South End
Michael McEvoy, Jamaica Plain
Marty Nee, Charlestown
Gary Pelissier, Beacon Hill
Hunter Perry, North End
Sabrina Sandberg, Beacon Hill
Daniel Scarver, East Boston

Kelly Scott, Brighton
Michael Sulprizio, East Boston
Anthony Toppi, Brighton
Judy Wang, Back Bay
Chenglin Yuan, Beacon Hill
Nakeisha Jones, Dorchester
Erica Thomson-Moseley, Roxbury