Our Team

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Amber grew up in Floyd, VA. She earned a Philosophy & Religion degree from Bridgewater College in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. She earned her M.Div. from Wake Forest University School of Divinity in 2011. She has served as a Minister to Youth and Young Adults at Fairfield UMC and Engagement Director at YMCA Camp Hanes. She is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren. You can find Amber deep in conversation with someone while serving alongside them on a project, on a baseball field cheering for her sons, preaching with different congregations, enjoying a cup of coffee from a local shop and she hopes to enjoy a cup with you someday sooner rather than later.  Amber is grateful for the opportunity to live out her calling to ministry and to love community through SPARK. She believes that we all are light and by loving ALL of our neighbors we can build a welcoming and just community for everyone. Amber and her husband, Preston live in Winston-Salem with their two sons, Dax and Branch, and daughter, Violet and two rescue pups, Gavin and Stormi.

Carlyn grew up in Safety Harbor, Florida and graduated from Florida Southern College. She spent four years working with TEAMeffort Missions, designing and leading youth-centered mission trips, before moving to High Point and now Winston-Salem. Carlyn served as the Coordinator of Children and Youth ministries at Fairfield UMC for two years before starting as the Youth Minister at Maple Springs in 2022. Carlyn works with SPARK part-time. Her capacity to serve the community as a Minister to Youth and be on the SPARK team is incredible and our community is better because of her passion to serve.

She enjoys hiking and just about anything outdoors, reading, and trying out coffee shops!

Carlyn's biggest passions are serving community in creative and equitable ways and working with teenagers to form deep relationships with God that impact their daily life and a desire to love their neighbor, and the church becoming a safe and welcoming place for all.

Melissa has been in education for 27 years, serving in a variety of roles including classroom teacher, computer lab teacher, Instructional Technology Specialist, and her current role as  Academically and Intellectually Gifted Specialist for Asheboro City Schools. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, a M.Ed in Instructional Technology with a concentration in School Leadership, and add-on licenses in Gifted Education and Elementary Math.  Melissa is the mother of 2 boys, Charlie and Grayson, and has a heart for serving the communities of the Piedmont Triad. She looks forward to the increased opportunities for service that retirement from teaching will hold.

Robert is Assistant General Counsel for the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). He previously served as the Director of Youth Ministry at Guilford College UMC from '12-'18. Robert has a B.A. in English from Appalachian State University, a M.Div. from Wake Forest University School of Divinity, and a J.D. from Elon University School of Law. Robert is passionate about providing service opportunities for youth so that they can be inspired to change the world for the better, He and his wife, Shannon are the proud parents of three children and call Greensboro, NC home.

Karen has taught music in the public and private sector for 16 years. Karen is the Director at Love Out Loud Yadkin. She also leads contemporary worship at Clemmons United Methodist Church. As a certified health coach, she also enjoys teaching group exercise at the YMCA. She is happily married to Paul, a pastor at Clemmons Moravian Church. Karen and Paul are blessed with two wonderful children, Kaylee and Josh. In her free time, Karen likes spending time with family and friends, cooking and running. Karen is happy to serve on the SPARK board of directors as secretary and is excited to see this ministry grow and thrive.

Brandon grew up in Trinity, NC. He is an Assurance Associate at Smith Leonard PLLC in High Point, NC. He has his B.A. in Accounting and a M.S. in Accounting from Appalachian State University. He has taken and passed all four sections of the CPA exam and is looking forward to becoming a licensed CPA very soon. Brandon served on one of SPARK’s first summer, overnight trips and quickly fell in love with the impact that SPARK has in the community. He believes that change must start with every individual sharing their “SPARK.” Brandon is engaged to his high school sweetheart, Rachel, and they are getting married in October 2021. They currently live in Jamestown, NC.

Terry Matthews was born in Burlington, NC and while she has called North Carolina home for over 30 years, she’s also lived in North Dakota, Delaware, Montana, and Florida. She graduated from Winston-Salem State University with a BA in Fine Arts and holds many leadership certifications from the YMCA of the USA. Terry is married to Douglas Matthews and has one daughter, Lyric, who attends Howard University in Washington, DC.

Currently Terry is employed with Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County Schools as the Volunteer Program Manager for the District. Prior to working in the school system, she spent a brief time working with Hospice of Rockingham County and 26 years working for the YMCA. Terry has spent much of her life fighting for equity for all people, volunteering to enhance the lives of others, and looking for small ways to make positive change in the community.

Sabrina grew up in Winston-Salem and moved to Detroit where she worked in Corporate America for many years. She returned to Winston-Salem to open an incredible restaurant, The Taste of the Triad in Winston's Ogburn Station very close to where she grew up. Sabrina cares deeply for community. She has designed her restaurant to foster customer's dining experiences while they eat together. The Taste caters and has partnership with child nutritional programs, along with organizations that work to keep our neighbors fed. You never go to The Taste without meeting someone new and embracing the greatness of networking for community work!

Mari Jo is a well-established and highly motivated community leader, who connects and collaborates with individuals and organizations to inspire change that improves quality of life. She has a deep passion for the Hispanic/Latino community and is honored to have been the Executive Director of the Hispanic League from 2012-2023.

Moving to North Carolina in 1990 she helped establish the first Hispanic Services Coalition, served on the Board of Directors for the Hispanic International Action Association and Acción Hispana. Mari Jo has worked extensively within the non-profit community including Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Eagle’s Nest Foundation, Heartstrings, Hospice and Palliative CareCenter, and the Association for the Benefit of Child Development. Mari Jo is active in the community and currently serves on the Building Integrated Communities Board, The Forsyth Promise Board, Wake Health Covid 19 Community Advisory Board, Safe Kids NW Piedmont Advisory Council, and others. She has a BS in Computer Science from Old Dominion University and BA in Ethics and Management from John Wesley College. She enjoys sharing life’s adventures with her husband, Wayne and loves spoiling her four beautiful grandchildren.

Darrell grew up in New York and is the son of a politician. Darrell and his wife, Abbey, own BYGood Coffee on Brookstown Ave in Winston-Salem. He has served on the Board of Trustees of RCA (Roosevelt Children's Academy) in Long Island for the last 6 years where he aids in making decisions for the academic curriculum. 

Darrell is most excited  about serving as a member on SPARK's board of directors to bring his ideas to a city he is learning to love deeply. His goal is to make a difference and be impactful through his business presence in Winston-Salem and with every cup of coffee he serves. Darrell is intentional about knowing what goes on in Winston-Salem and in the lives of his customers.