SPARC is pleased to welcome Ilana Melka to our team as the new Programs & Operations Specialist. In her role, Ilana will support SPARC programs, expanding engagement with members and the broader community. Ilana will also coordinate key organizational functions, including facilitating memberships, coordinating the work of the SPARC Steering Committee, and providing general operational support.
Prior to working at SPARC, Ilana worked as a development manager for Prisma, an arts association where she wrote grants, coordinated events, and managed the residency program. She also has experience as a digital media and business development consultant for non-governmental organizations startups. Ilana’s experience reflects her passion for helping to create social change, including her work on several campaigns, including the Remain Campaign in the UK.
“We are very excited to welcome Ilana to the SPARC team,” Val Hollister, SPARC’s chief operating officer says. “Her experience with digital communications and business development combined with her passion for creating social change will quickly make her an asset to our members and the SPARC team.”
Ilana has a Bachelor of Science degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Bristol. In college, she studied abroad at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Coimbra in Portugal.
Ilana has dual citizenship in the UK and the US. She speaks four languages, French, Spanish, Portuguese, English, and lives in Lisbon, Portugal.
“I’m happy to continue my career of working on issues of social justice and equity with SPARC,” Illana says. “The team and the members of the Steering Committee are incredibly passionate about advancing open and looking forward to contributing.”