Spitfire Sparks

There are some new faces at Spitfire, adding valuable talents and perspectives to the Spitfire team. We sat down with four of them to learn more about some of their favorite things—at work and at play. Where were you before Spitfire? Mike Carter-Conneen, Director, Washington, D.C...

“One of the key messages that comes out very strongly from the [IPCC] report is that we are already seeing the consequences of 1°C of global warming through more extreme weather, rising sea levels and diminishing Arctic sea ice, among other changes,” said Panmao Zhai, Co-Chair of...

Elections. They are around the corner. Whether you stop and look every time Charlie Cook changes his assessment of who is up and who is down or you can’t look until it is all over, the outcome this November will likely impact your issues. Don’t wait until the elections are over...

Michael Ramsey and Haley McKey have a lot in common. Not only did they recently join the team at Spitfire as Senior Account Executives, but they’re also both passionate about the environment. But for all they have in common, Michael and Haley each bring their own unique...

One of the best jobs I ever had was at Exploration Summer Camp (their motto: where you make summer meaningful), where I worked from ages 18-21. As counselors, we made up classes to teach and we did activities in the afternoon. One day, I found myself co-leading a contraception...

To Dennis Poplin, all the world’s a stage — at least when he’s leading a training session. As Senior Vice President at Spitfire and the firm’s head of capacity building, Dennis combines his background in directing and acting with his many years of experience in advocacy...

The Trump administration’s rhetoric and policies around immigration, including the now-revoked “zero-tolerance” policy, have reawakened calls for immigration reform. In recent months, the photos and cries of children in cages have inspired Americans to flood the streets in...

When people ask Lauryn Fanguen what she did with her summer vacation, she’s going to have a lot to talk about. Lauryn is one of eight scholars chosen for this year’s Frank Karel Fellowship, which encourages first-generation and minority students to consider professional...

Voter intimidation is nothing new, but people have been hearing President Trump’s false allegations of widespread voter fraud — often laced with racially coded language connecting voter fraud to urban and immigrant communities — since his 2016 campaign. The launch of the...

The Trump administration’s relentless assault against immigrants suffered a blow in May, thanks to the tireless work of a coalition of digital civil rights advocates—and Spitfire was honored to support them. In the summer of 2017, on the heels of President Trump’s draconian...

Young people take center stage as Spitfire brings their voices to the forefront. Annabelle Gardner believes in the power of young people to change the world. A devoted advocate for youth — particularly in the areas of mental health and foster care — Annabelle feels strongly that...

Every month, Spitfire hosts a strategy lab where we discuss best practices or hear from external experts to improve our craft and make us smarter. For the March strategy lab, we held a special alumni edition, inviting former Spitfires to join current staff and explore a topic...