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Jennie Sparandara
Jennie Sparandara
00:38

Jennie Sparandara

Google

Washington, DC USA

"Don’t lose the truth tellers in your world."

Career Roadmap

Jennie's work combines: Non-Profit Organizations, Government, and Working with Others

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Day In The Life

Head of Americas Philanthropy

I connect people, ideas, and resources to create more economic opportunity for communities.

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Day In The Life Of The Head Of Americas Philanthropy At Google

My Day to Day

I work with my team, partners, and company leaders to invest in ideas that create economic opportunity. I spend time managing my team, checking in on the grants their making and reviewing the organizations in our pipeline. I meet with my manager to plan future initiatives. I also meet with and learn from organizations doing the work on the ground. Every day, the balance of my tasks might be different, but it's always about connecting people, resources, and ideas to help solve complex challenges.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Sociology and English

    Columbia University

  • Graduate Degree

    Public Policy

    Georgetown Public Policy Institute

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Life & Career Milestones

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

  • 1.

    I grew up in a family of educators, so I entered college with little understanding of the many career paths that existed beyond the classroom.

  • 2.

    Instead of following a master plan, I studied what genuinely interested me and trusted that my curiosity would lead me somewhere meaningful.

  • 3.

    Working in nonprofits after college showed me I wanted to create change, so I earned a master's in public policy to strengthen my skills.

  • 4.

    Volunteering on a mayoral campaign felt like a huge risk, but it opened the door to a career in public service and systems change.

  • 5.

    I stopped worrying about finding the perfect career path and focused instead on building relationships, asking for help, and following opportunities.

  • 6.

    I discovered that the same mission can take many forms, and I found purpose working across government, nonprofits, and corporate philanthropy.

  • 7.

    Today, I bring people, ideas, and resources together to help solve big challenges and create more economic opportunity for communities.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Parents:

    You're going to take a job with a time limit and work for free? That doesn't make sense.

  • How I responded:

    After grad school, I decided to work on a mayoral campaign. It was a risk because I had student loands, I would be working for free, and we didn't even know if we would win—and if we did, it only had the potential to last for two terms. My parents didn't understand. They came from a world where you take a job and work until retirement. But it ended up being an amazing experience and essentially a master class in public service. It made a huge impact in my career journey.

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