Kelly Sparks is a NPSI partner and the chief executive officer of Maple Grove Objective, which helps organizations strategically use data to improve outcomes for youth and communities. She has 20 years of experience in the education field and is a national expert and innovator in data strategy.
Previously, she held the position of principal researcher at American Institutes for Research (AIR) where she led the college- and career-readiness group and served as the director of the National Charter School Resource Center. As principal researcher, Sparks was responsible for all aspects of evaluation design and oversight of largescale evaluation projects.
Prior to her work at AIR, Sparks was the research director at CPS responsible for tracking the postsecondary outcomes of students and analyzing the data to increase understanding of the levers that impact postsecondary success.
Her research and data team developed innovative approaches to connect school and central office administrators with actionable data to target their efforts and improve their outcomes.
