The People Behind Our Mission
DEDICATED PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS UNITED BY ADA'S SPARK
Meet the board
At Ada’s Spark we believe that no child should lose their life or quality of life to cancer. We believe that no family should have to battle a childhood cancer diagnosis alone. We believe that bereaved families should have all the support they need.
Our 100% volunteer board consists of 6 parents (including Joel and Tami, forever Ada’s parents) inspired by Ada’s sparky personality and devastated by her loss. Our board has decades of research, fundraising, and non-profit experience and an unwavering desire to make childhood cancer a thing of the past.
Ada was a loving, funny, smart, feisty and determined little girl who could have done great things in this world. Her body can’t do those things anymore but we carry her spirit within us and fight for change in her memory.
Joel Swenson is Ada’s dad and the President of Ada’s Spark. With a PhD in Molecular Biology and a career in health data science, he brings his professional expertise and personal perspective to the fight against childhood cancer. Joel is committed to honoring Ada’s legacy by supporting her siblings, Oliver and Ellie, and her mother, Tami, in living the love-filled life Ada would have wanted.
Tami Swenson is Ada’s mom and the Treasurer of Ada’s Spark. She misses Ada’s spunk and is inspired daily by the way Ada fought for happiness while not feeling well. With a PhD in Molecular Toxicology, Tami works to ensure that medications are safe, reflecting her lifelong passion for protecting and improving the lives of others.
Mike Poe is a childhood friend of Joel, husband to Kelly, and the Secretary of Ada’s Spark. He and Kelly lost a daughter to cancer when Kelly’s acute promyelocytic leukemia diagnosis likely resulted in a miscarriage. Mike has a PhD in Chemsitry and previously worked under an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellowship researching strategies to treat early-stage cancer through immunology.
Luthien Niland has been friends with Joel and Tami for decades and still remembers holding their first child, Oliver, when he was 7 days old, knowing that they were going to be amazing and dedicated parents. Luthien is delighted to bring her extensive experience in event planning, grant writing, and non-profit governance to Ada’s Spark, to honor Ada’s joyful memory and help provide support to children and families going through the worst times.
Jeremy Endres brings a background in business development and hospitality, along with a deep passion for relationships and community, to the Ada’s Spark board. A devoted father of two boys, Jeremy and his family were introduced to the mission of Ada’s Spark through their children’s friendship, which led them to get to know the Swenson family more deeply and share in their passion for honoring Ada’s legacy. Through this connection, Jeremy developed a heartfelt commitment to supporting families impacted by childhood cancer and strengthening the community around them.
Kelly Teske is Mike’s wife and a long-time good friend of the Swenson family. She has a PhD in chemistry and currently works in R&D at a biotech company that supports early drug discovery. Kelly and her family also have their own experience with blood cancer. In March of 2023, Kelly developed a rare subtype of AML called Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia that led to her miscarrying her daughter at 16 weeks. After eight months of treatment, she has been cancer free since October of 2023.
FORMER BOARD MEMBERS
We are extremely grateful for Lauren Walsh’s 2 years of service including bringing in donors and organizing the girl scout station at the 5K! We are thrilled she will continue many of her same duties and will remain involved with our work.
Lauren Walsh is the Swenson’s next-door neighbor and dear friend of the family. In her previous roles, she managed strategic giving and executed special events at the Alzheimer’s Association, Children’s Tumor Foundation, and Marquette University. While Lauren’s primary focus is raising her three children, she is thrilled and honored to dedicate her time to this worthy cause.