We’re excited to spotlight Tocqueville Society member and Founder and CEO of Vacmobile Corporation, Jennifer Sparks!
Jennifer Sparks has been successful as a marketing and communications professional with agency, corporate, governmental, and non-profit organizations. Sparks graduated Cum Laude from the University of Chicago with a degree in European History. She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Paris, France. She earned her master’s degree from Northwestern University.
Sparks began her professional career working at Young and Rubicam advertising agency in Chicago. Sparks later served as New Mexico Governor Richardson’s Public Information Officer for the 89 school districts managed by the New Mexico Public Education Department. Sparks was the creator and producer of a popular family travel and recreational segment for New Mexico’s NBC affiliate show, “Good Day New Mexico.” From 2012 to the 2017 Sparks continued her career as a public relations and marketing consultant and legislative advocate doing work for Habitat for Humanity International, the Pew Center for the States, Save the Children and the USDA. From 2018-2019 Sparks served as Director of Marketing and Communications for a Georgia based healthcare IT company, Clearwave Corporation.
As a parent of three children and stepmother to another son, the paper management of vaccination records had always been a source of aggravation to her. Following the outbreak of the corona virus pandemic, Sparks is determined to bring vaccination records into the 21st century. She formed Vacmobile Corporation, a Delaware Corporation, and filed a patent for her innovative suite of vaccination records solutions. Vacmobile is a mobile app that obtains digital vaccination records from state registries and enables individuals to digitally transmit those records or have a QR code generated from the app for on-demand proof of vaccinations or COVID-19 test results.
Why did you decide to get involved with United Way of Greater Atlanta?
There’s great power in people uniting together as a community to help children and families cope with the challenges of poverty including homelessness and food insecurity. I got involved with United Way of Greater Atlanta because I felt our charitable dollars would have the greatest impact by giving to the United Way of Greater Atlanta. I was very moved by United Way’s Child Well-Being Campaign.
Who or what inspires you to give back to the community?
At a certain point in my life, I was a single mother raising three children on my own. Now that I am in a different place, I am thankful that I have the ability to give back.
Why did you decide to become a Tocqueville Society member?
People can’t reach their full potential unless they have their basic needs met. I decided to join the Tocqueville Society because I wanted to be part of a group dedicated to creating long lasting meaningful changes in the communities being served.
What is something unique about you that most people wouldn’t know about you?
I have a black belt in Tae Kwondo, and I speak four languages: English, French, Italian and Spanish.
What are the top priorities of your business/industry at the moment?
At Vacmobile, our top priority is helping people navigate the pandemic. We are bringing vaccination records into the 21st century. We are deploying our Vacmobile app solution to help schools, universities, and all types of businesses large and small create “safe bubbles” for their employees and their customers. The Vacmobile health pass allows individuals to get back to face-to-face interactions.
What advice do you have to navigate the COVID-19 crisis (from a personal and/or corporate perspective)?
The truth is, there are ways we can protect ourselves and our families. The good news is that companies like Vacmobile and others are developing new, innovative strategies to fight the virus. We have seen unparalleled challenges during this pandemic, but we have also seen astonishing scientific breakthroughs. So, my advice to navigate the Covid-19 crisis is the same advice I have repeated to myself throughout my adult life in both my personal and professional life—stay focused– let data not emotion drive decisions. I was a history major in college, so I tend to look for historical clues. The 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic lasted from 1918 to 1920. As time went by, people let their guard down and that pandemic fatigue paved the way for 2nd and 3rd waves of infections. Let’s not make the same mistakes. Let’s stay vigilant. In 2021, let’s leverage all the tools and knowledge at our disposal to bring our communities back together again safely.
Thank you, Jennifer, for being a Tocqueville Society member and a key leader in the healthcare community!
To get more involved with the Tocqueville Society, please contact tocqueville@unitedwayatlanta.org.
