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.
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.
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.
Niki was born and raised in New Hampshire and attended the University of New Hampshire. Her first time working with students was through science outreach and engagement with local elementary schools. She served with City Year New Hampshire for two years at Henry Wilson Elementary School and then stayed in Manchester for an additional year by working as an AmeriCorps VISTA at Hillside Middle School.
She went on to pursue her M.Ed and teaching certification through the Donovon Urban Scholars program at Boston College. Niki worked as a 7/8th grade history teacher in Boston Public Schools before returning to New Hampshire and City Year. Through her different educational roles, Niki is inspired and impassioned about education for liberation, student mental health, and urban education. In her free time, she likes to head to the beach during all seasons with her partner and pup, read historical fiction, get together with friends and family, and try out new salsa recipes!
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.
Heather Petro joined City Year New Hampshire in March of 2024 as the Development Director. She is thrilled to be part of an organization that lifts up young people through support and service. Heather graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Humanities and a minor in Women’s Studies. She went on to receive her MBA from Rivier University. Heather began her fundraising career working at the United Way where she first learned about the impact City Year was having in Greater Boston. She later worked as the Director of Development for a family service agency in Lawrence, MA. More recently, Heather was a major gift office working in higher education. Heather is a lifelong activist who believes in the power of giving back and making a difference in the world. She was instrumental in advocating for access to public kindergarten in her local community.
A New Hampshire native, Heather is the proud mother of three children. When she isn’t teaching or practicing yoga, she can be found reading a good book or hiking in the mountains with her husband.
CJ has lived in New Hampshire most of his life, growing up in Hampstead. He returns to City Year New Hampshire after a year of service at Gossler Park Elementary (’20 - ’21). CJ was inspired by the courage of his students during his service year, and they emboldened him to pursue a career working at an administrative level to affect positive change within the education system. Following his year of service, CJ pursued and completed a Master of Public Policy degree at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy in Malibu, CA. He leverages this knowledge, as well as his experience in advocacy communications into the Development Manager role. He works to further establish City Year’s presence in the community and engage community leaders to support the City Year mission of equitable education for all. Outside of City Year, CJ enjoys gardening, hiking, yoga, cooking, and spending quality time with friends and family.
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.
