Our City Year New Hampshire staff is a diverse group of leaders who are passionate about service and supporting our community. Every member of our staff has dedicated themselves to making a difference in the Manchester community, with many members participating in local community groups and initiatives to promote equity, service, and civic engagement.
Jini Rae Sparkman (she/her/hers) is a white, Queer, cis-female educator and consultant committed to imagining and working towards the possibilities of a liberated future. Jini Rae’s work is founded on creating partnerships and learning opportunities centered in antiracism and anti oppressive practices as a means of being. All of this is in the hope of a liberated future so that we might all realize a more just world. She has served as the Director of the Office of Equity and Inclusion at Holderness School, in addition to being an English faculty member, dorm director, and basketball, soccer, and softball coach. She joined Holderness School from Plymouth State University where she taught in the English and Women’s Studies Department. Jini Rae also co-founded the Network for Independent School Equity (NISE), an affinity-focused group in Northern New England for faculty who identify as BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+. As a consultant, she has worked with non-profit organizations, recruitment and strategic consulting firms, independent and public schools, and collegiate athletics. She facilitates white antiracism awareness and accountability groups and supports individuals as an executive coach.
Jini Rae holds a B.A. and an M.Ed, both from Plymouth State University, and an M.Ed in Educational Leadership from Columbia University's Klingenstein Center where her research included developing metrics for determining levels of inclusion based on alumni, student, and parent feedback loops and competencies to support BIPOC adults, students, and communities within schools. She is a Texas native who found her home in the mountains of New Hampshire with her wife, Courtney, and their French bulldog, Oggie. When she isn’t engrossed in a book, she is likely cheering on women’s sports or feeding the people she cares about.
Janelle Mulvaney is originally from Marlborough, MA. She completed her bachelor's degree at Bridgewater State University with a degree in criminal justice and is currently pursuing a master's degree in curriculum and instruction with a certification for English as a second language at the University of Tennessee. During college, Janelle discovered the power of education in transforming lives and decided to serve with City Year in New Hampshire. She was so inspired by her year in the program she decided to serve for another year and joined City Year Memphis as a Start-Up Team Leader to bring the impact of City Year to a whole new community. As a Start-Up Team lead, she developed strong relationships with her partner school that inspired her to transition to a classroom teacher role at the end of her service year. Janelle trained through Teach for America and remained in the classroom beyond her initial commitment for a total of 4 years. She worked alongside corps members in her time as a teacher and enjoyed the collaboration and vision she was able to share with these like-minded individuals. She is thrilled to now be back where her journey in education all began in New Hampshire and hopes to share what she has learned through her various experiences with City Year and as an educator with the incoming corps members.
Joshua Rose is an alumnus of the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 City Year New Hampshire corps. He served at McDonough Elementary School as a corps member and continues to serve on staff with City Year. Joshua was born and raised in Belgrade, Maine, and attended Messalonskee High school and the University of Maine at Farmington where he studied Philosophy and Religion. Some of Joshua's favorite spots in Manchester are The Republic, Livingston Park, Cafe Momo, and The Currier Museum. He currently lives in Manchester, NH with his wife and daughter.
Nikki grew up in Dover, New Hampshire and attended the University of New Hampshire, earning a degree in psychology and educational studies. After graduating from college, she served as a corps member at City Year New Hampshire in Henry Wilson Elementary School. She went on to complete a second year of service with City Year Washington D.C. on the civic engagement team and served as an Impact Manager. She is excited to be back in her home state to support the great work happening in the Manchester community. Outside of City Year, Nikki enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing/watching sports, reading nonfiction books, bringing her dog on adventures, and being in nature.
Bill grew up in Pembroke, New Hampshire and was motivated by a desire to promote the growth of the community from a young age. To this end he attended Saint Anselm College, the University of New Hampshire, and the University of Dallas, earning a bachelor’s degree in politics and master’s degrees in political science and philosophic studies. Currently he is working towards completing a PhD in philosophic studies with a focus on politics. Before coming to City Year Bill served as an educator at the secondary and post-secondary levels in New Hampshire, and he believes very strongly that education is an important means of uplifting the individual and the community. Bill is very grateful to have an opportunity to serve the Manchester community and to be a part of the City Year New Hampshire Team. In his free time, Bill enjoys reading, listening to music, hiking, cooking, and exploring New Hampshire.
Amanda, originally hailing from Lee, New Hampshire, is an alumna of Plymouth State University, where she earned her degree in Spanish language and literature. Following her college graduation, Amanda dedicated a year of service to City Year New Hampshire ('08-'09) as a member of the Civic Engagement Team. Subsequently, she embarked on a second term of service with AmeriCorps through the Student Conservation Association, contributing her efforts at a National Monument in Arizona. Returning to New Hampshire, Amanda initiated her classroom career as a Paraprofessional.
After marrying her City Year sweetheart, Chris Sousa ('08-'09), Amanda and Chris set out for Tennessee, where she was accepted into the Teach Tennessee Fellowship. There, she began teaching Spanish, driven by a profound commitment to fostering a love for learning in students and advocating for educational access and equity.
Amanda's diverse professional journey spans teaching positions in charter, public, and private schools. Currently calling the Lakes Region of New Hampshire home, she is deeply rooted in the community. Thrilled to return to City Year as a Staff member, Amanda brings her wealth of experience and dedication to continue making a positive impact on students' lives.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Amanda finds joy in her free time through reading, making music, participating in community theater, cooking, and working on her podcast.
Jen (Hallee) Little has over 15 years of experience in non-profit management, event planning, and community engagement. After two years of AmeriCorps service with City Year New Hampshire, serving in Dover and Nashua, Jen stayed on staff to help improve service capacity and volunteer engagement throughout New Hampshire. She then worked at Southern New Hampshire University in Institutional Advancement helping to grow the alumni community and engage them in giving back to the university. Most recently, Jen was the Executive Director of Calling All Crows, a non-profit working to bring service and activism to live music events by engaging fans through outreach at shows, pre-show service projects, and alternative break trips along tours. Jen returned to City Year New Hampshire initially to serve as the Development Director, leading on fundraising, event planning and external affairs, and is now the Chief of Staff.
Jen has an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and a BA in biology/biochemistry from Colby College. Jen lives in Concord with her wife and three kids, and loves spending time with friends and family, building Legos, playing games, being outdoors, and cheering on her kids at sporting events.
A Seabrook, New Hampshire native, Allison was first introduced City Year as a student thanks to a partnership with her local middle school. After graduating Winnacunnet High school she entered the hospitality field and ignited her passion for service, people, and events. Continuing her pursuit of education, she attended Great Bay Community College and obtained an AS in hotel, restaurant and event management. In her free time Allison can be found playing video games with her cat, Pepper Potts, curled up on her lap.
Chris Potter came to New Hampshire to serve with City Year in 2012 after graduating from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst with a degree in political science. He is proud to call Manchester, NH home. Following his year of service at Beech Street Elementary School, Chris has worked as a faith-based grassroots community organizer and on the staff of City Year as an impact manager. Chris is now City Year New Hampshire's Community Engagement Manager, building relationships in New England communities to develop a pipeline of young, idealistic talent into City Year and Manchester. Chris also serves on the Manchester Board of School Committee and on the board of the New Hampshire Council of Churches. Chris is ordained as a deacon in the Episcopal Church. What unites his public work is creating communities based on positive values that support people acting together to create equity and inclusion. In his free time, Chris enjoys playing disc golf and bringing friends together.
Gaby Sanchez is both a first-generation American and college graduate from Southern New Hampshire University holding a degree in Healthcare Management. Raised in New Hampshire for the entirety of her life, she remembers the ‘red jackets’ from her elementary school days at Henry Wilson Elementary. As the youngest of 3 siblings of diverse age gaps she learned through their experiences. Her passion for education has led her to use her Human Resources and Recruitment skills to serve the non-profit space by joining City Year, and she is dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the BIPOC community and advancing children's education. On her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and trying new restaurants.
David Todisco first joined City Year as the Operations Manager for CYNH in July 2022. Born and raised in central Massachusetts, David later attended Colorado College where he majored in Asian studies and Japanese language. Having since worked in a number of supportive roles in schools in Japan and Massachusetts, David is excited to now be a part of the Manchester community and the City Year New Hampshire team. Outside of City Year, you can find David immersing himself in worlds of fantasy, either with a book or around a table with friends playing Dungeons & Dragons.
