Sparta Education Foundation welcomes new member

Meghan Jent was elected to the Sparta Education Foundation as a board member during the September board meeting.

Matthew McQueeny and Kiera Wespestad both joined the board in June. They all join as new volunteers, eager to help continue the foundation’s success.

The new members are joining the board as it says goodbye to several longtime volunteers, including trustees Catherine Jennings, Andy Garger, and Gwen Donovan.

“Catherine, Andy and Gwen have been integral parts of the success of the SEF,” said Donna West, foundation president. “Together, they have put in countless hours, fresh ideas, and worked hard to bring unique educational experiences to our Sparta classrooms.”

“Kiera volunteered her skills in the field of communication at just the right time,” said West. “Gwen (Donovan) has handled all of our press for years, and we were in need of a person to fill her shoes. Kiera has jumped right in and filled that role for us.”

Wespestad and her husband moved to Sparta in 2014 and have three young children in the district’s schools. She is the owner and manager of the M. John Scanlan Funeral Home in Pompton Plains, and serves as the fourth generation in her family to run that business. She is a 2003 graduate of Susquehanna University, and holds a degree in journalism.

McQueeny brings thorough expertise in technology to the foundation, and was especially helpful in the foundation’s inaugural Cornament in June.

“We threw a lot at Matt in the 11th hour for the Cornament,” said West. “We really couldn’t have pulled off the technology portion of that event without his help.”

With more than 15 years of experience in digital marketing and web project management, McQueeny has a skill set that will be a great asset to the foundation moving forward. He holds a degree in psychology from New York University, and is nearing the conclusion of his masters of business administration from Rutgers Business School, with a dual concentration in leadership and entrepreneurship.

McQueeny and his wife settled in Sparta in 2011, and have two young sons. They are looking forward to raising their children in Sparta’s schools.

Jent has more than a decade of experience in Consumer Packaged Goods as a longtime employee of Mars Wrigley. She aims to bring her fundraising experience to the board, helping to bring in local businesses and groups into the mission of the foundation.

Having grown up in Sparta, she and her husband, Mark, settled here to raise their two young children. She holds a degree in visual communications from Robert Morris University, where she was a member of the women’s basketball team. She is also a proud member of the Sparta High School girls’ basketball coaching staff, having served as a volunteer assistant coach for the past eight years.

McQueeny, Wespestad and Jent worked on the 9th annual Wine & Food Pairing held Oct. 24 at the Brick House Farm in Sparta, and look forward to working on the 15th annual Krogh’s Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, which is returning to an in-person event this year after being virtual in 2020. Information about both events can be found on the foundation’s website, spartaeducationfoundation.org.

Since 2006, the Sparta Education Foundation has funded over $1,135,229 in grants to all five of Sparta’s Public Schools. The Foundation is an all-volunteer, independent non-profit corporation whose mission is to engage the entire community in philanthropic giving. Check out the foundation’s website for volunteer opportunities.