Welcome New Sparkle Team Members!
Today I get to announce FIVE new members of the Sparkle Team!
It's so exciting to us when we add another team member. It's not only a sign that Sparkle is growing, but it also means another collaborator has come to the table, sharing our mission of bringing more inspiring, nourishing, gentle content to the world of children's media.
Cortney and Erin are brand-new to Sparkle as of the last few months, where Francesca, Jenny, and Meryl have been working with us for awhile. But as of this summer, we've officially pulled them on to the Sparkle team.
Meet the newest members below!
Cortney Dziak
Cortney loves “the montage” — that iconic sequence of the 80s movie where everyone comes together to fix up an old sail boat for the race, or to transform the factory for the big dance. She feels that same sense of excitement when she coordinates co-workers, keeps projects humming along, and successfully juggles a house full of family, pets, and foster animals.
When she's not harmonizing the chaos in her personal and professional life, she enjoys photography, landscaping, and sitting outside enjoying the breeze at her Texas hill country home.
At Sparkle: Production Manager
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Loves: The ocean, french fries, Texas skies, the smell of a horse barn.
Family: Daughter Zora (7), husband Jay, three dogs and two cats.
Superpower: Problem-solving and assessing situations and people.
Favorite thing to do with a free afternoon? Enjoying a tasty meal while sitting outside in the sun, preferably with a water view.
Where you’ll find her at 10 a.m. on a Monday? At my new standing desk with a large cup of coffee, making to-do lists for the week!
Dream vacation spot? Anywhere with clear blue ocean waters and palm trees!
Erin Fonner
A native Texan, Erin lives in Austin with her husband and three kids. She loves to travel, and her time spent living abroad in Spain and Chile ignited her passion for cultural exchange and foreign language. She homeschools her children in collaboration with a sweet little classical, university-model school. She has a revolving front door (not literally, but you get the idea) and will always say yes to a day on the lake.
At Sparkle: Marketing Manager
Hometown: Bedford, Texas
Loves: Faith, family, belly laughs, raw honey, group texts, Spanish, classical education, swing dancing.
Family: Married to my college sweetheart for 14 years, with three crazy kiddos.
Superpower: I can curl my tongue in three loops. And do just about anything one-handed with a kid on my hip. But all moms can do that.
Favorite thing to do with a free afternoon? Take a nap, read a book, or have tea with family or a dear friend.
Where you’ll find her at 10 a.m. on a Monday? Sipping tea at a coffee shop or in my home office, checking in on all things marketing and social for Sparkle Stories.
Dream vacation spot? Bariloche, Argentina
Meryl Carver-Allmond
When Meryl isn't writing for Sparkle Kitchen or Craft, you can find her on her personal blog, My Bit of Earth, where she writes about chickens, babies, knitting, gardening, food, photography, and whatever else tickles her fancy on any given day.
At Sparkle: Sparkle Kitchen & Craft Creator
Hometown: Lawrence, Kansas
Loves: Rice crackers, dahlias and red tulips, knitting, making a fuss of everyday celebrations.
Family: Sweet husband, Blaine; kiddos Knox and Bette; Maggie (a muppet of a goldendoodle); Wild Bill Gecko (a crested gecko); numerous ducks and chickens.
Superpower: Seeing situations from many sides.
Favorite thing to do with a free afternoon? Have a lunch date with my husband, then take a nap or go for a quick run.
Where you’ll find her at 10 a.m. on a Monday? At the desk of my "day job" as a public defender.
Dream vacation spot? Antarctica.
Jenny Barandich
Jenny loves to use her graphic design magic to bring life to all things Sparkle. She lives in King City (Toronto area) with her husband, three children (11, 6, and 3), cat, and other little critters who occasionally visit her backyard. Jenny loves plants and nature, and enjoys anything she can make from scratch.
At Sparkle: Sparkle Graphic Designer
Hometown: King City, Ontario
Loves: Knitting, baby giggles, messing with brews and potions, nature walks, foraging, being cozy by the fire, veggie and herb gardening, crafting with littles, doula-ing.
Family: Adam (11), Abbie (6), Amelia (3), and Boris (husband). Plus, Pickles the cat, Sushi the fish, and a box full of Eisenia Fetida (a fancy name for red worms) working on a steady supply of vermicompost for our plants.
Superpower: Curiosity.
Favorite thing to do with a free afternoon? Weeding! Or, if it’s cold, baking something yummy.
Where you’ll find her at 10 a.m. on a Monday? Everywhere! Trying to get everyone fed, dressed, and ready for the day.
Dream vacation spot? Little cabin by the lake.
Francesca Parnham
At Sparkle: Sparkle Customer Service
Hometown: East Grand Rapids, Michigan
Loves: Lying in the grass, Christmas lights, cooking dinner with friends, fresh vegetables, and long drives with the windows down (no matter the temperature).
Family: Me
Superpower: Curiosity
Favorite thing to do with a free afternoon? Yoga, go for a swim and play in the garden.
Where you’ll find her at 10 a.m. on a Monday? Eating yogurt and granola.
Dream vacation spot? Northern Michigan.
About the Authors
Lisabeth Sewell
Lisabeth Sewell has worn many hats at Sparkle over the years, from Sparkle Kitchen Blogger to Editorial Director to Doer of All Odd Jobs. Her primary role is as CEO.
KC Pagano
KC is a full-time radical homemaker and mama to two spunky little girls. She writes about all kinds of radical goodness, from gardening and cooking with whole foods to crafting, sewing, homeschooling, and mama musings. Read more on her blog The Nettlesome Life.
