Building the Future of Mental Wellness with World-Class Expertise
The SPARKS Advisory Board brings together internationally recognized leaders in ethics, governance, public health, clinical psychology, biomedical engineering, and human rights. Their guidance ensures that as we scale transformative technology, we maintain the highest standards of scientific rigor, data privacy, and ethical responsibility.
The SPARKS Advisory Board provides independent oversight on ethics, data governance, privacy safeguards, and clinical standards—ensuring the platform maintains the highest levels of responsibility as it brings transformative mental health technology to global markets.
We are committed to users’ privacy and confidentiality. Not just words. Actions.
Why Our Board Matters
Mental health data is among the most sensitive personal information in existence. It encompasses emotional states, behavioral patterns, and deeply private self-disclosures. Unlike fitness metrics or general health records, this data can reveal vulnerabilities that, if mishandled, can lead to consequences ranging from stigmatization to discrimination.
This Advisory Board exists to ensure that as SPARKS scales to serve millions of users worldwide, every decision prioritizes user privacy, clinical validity, and ethical responsibility. They represent our commitment to building trust through institutional integrity—the same principle that has guided the world’s most respected academic and humanitarian organizations.
Dr. Michael Hawes — Chairperson 
President and CEO, Fulbright Canada
Former Professor of Political Science, Queen’s University
Senior Fellow, Massey College, University of Toronto
A Fulbright alumnus and two-time honorary doctorate recipient, Dr. Hawes has spent more than two decades directing one of the world’s most prestigious academic exchange programs, building cross-border research partnerships that spans public diplomacy, governance, and international development.
Dr. Hawes brings deep expertise in institutional integrity, international collaboration, and the governance frameworks required when handling sensitive data at scale.
“The Fulbright program was built on a simple principle: that exchange and understanding between peoples requires trust, and that trust requires institutional integrity. The same principle applies to mental health technology. When I saw what Memores was building—and more importantly, how they were building it—I knew this was an organization that understood that genuine innovation and genuine responsibility aren’t in tension. They reinforce each other. That’s the standard this board will uphold.”
Dr. Pascale Fournier 
Full Professor, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
Founding Director of the Observatory on Human Rights at the United Nations
Dr. Fournier’s distinguished career spans multidisciplinary research in equality, comparative law, and human rights, with a passion for access to justice and responsible citizenship. She has held leadership roles including President and CEO of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, Commissioner at Quebec’s Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission, and Law Clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada.
Recognized nationally and internationally, Dr. Fournier has been named one of Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers and has promoted policy recommendations and inclusive dialogue among civil society, academia, and government. Her expertise ensures SPARKS maintains the highest standards for privacy, equity, and access to justice in mental health technology.
Dr. Lloyd “Chip” Taylor, Ph.D. 
Professor and Head of the Department of Psychology, The Citadel
A clinical psychologist specializing in pediatric psychology, Fulbright Fellow, and former Arland D. Williams Professor of Heroism, Dr. Taylor served as the 2016 to 2017 Fulbright Canada-Palix Foundation Distinguished Chair in Brain Science and Child and Family Wellness at the University of Calgary.
He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Fulbright Canada Alumni Advisory Board, bringing decades of experience in clinical practice, academic leadership, and cross-border research collaboration. Dr. Taylor’s expertise in developmental psychology and trauma-informed care helps ensure SPARKS delivers age-appropriate, clinically sound support across diverse populations.
Dr. Todd Coleman 
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Stanford University
Dr. Coleman’s pioneering research bridges biomedical engineering, neuroscience, and analytics. His work ranges from developing novel brain-computer interfaces to investigating dynamic electrical interactions between the brain and body. Recent discoveries from his team have shown how the stomach and brain interact during deep sleep.
Dr. Coleman collaborates widely with physicians and leads projects spanning Parkinson’s disease, eating disorders, obesity, and mental health. He is an innovator with international visibility, having given a TEDMED talk with over one million views, and serves as Chair of the National Academies Standing Committee on Biotechnology and National Security. He has received numerous accolades including Fellowships in IEEE and the American Institute for Biomedical Engineering.
Dr. Coleman’s expertise in neural-physiological interactions and behavioral prediction models directly informs SPARKS’ technical architecture.
“Richard has the rare combination of deep technical expertise and proven ability to identify and scale businesses to meet market needs. SPARKS represents a genuine technological leap in how we understand and support mental health.”
Dr. Mark S. Kaplan, Dr.P.H. 
Research Professor of Social Welfare, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
Dr. Kaplan is an internationally recognized expert in public health and suicide prevention research. He has received a Distinguished Investigator Award from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for his significant contributions to the field.
His research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, focuses on identifying suicide risk factors among veterans, seniors, and other vulnerable populations. Dr. Kaplan has published over 120 peer-reviewed articles and has served on the CDC’s Board of Scientific Counselors and the Veterans Administration’s Blue Ribbon Work Group on Suicide Prevention. He has testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, highlighting his influential role in shaping national policy and public health initiatives.
Dr. Kaplan’s expertise ensures SPARKS incorporates evidence-based approaches to identifying and supporting individuals at risk.
Dr. Donaleen Hawes, Ph.D. 
Clinical Psychologist
Former Superintendent of Education, Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario
A clinical psychologist and veteran education leader, Dr. Hawes brings decades of experience bridging psychological practice with institutional governance. Her background in educational leadership and clinical psychology provides invaluable perspective on how mental health support systems can be integrated into organizational contexts while maintaining clinical effectiveness and ethical standards.
Dr. Hawes’s expertise helps ensure SPARKS delivers practical, scalable support that works in real-world institutional settings.
Ms. Natalie Moores 
Founding Partner, Denning Moores, APC
Founder, Project Welcome Ukraine
President, Change for Justice
A San Diego-based philanthropist, TEDx speaker, and former managing partner of a mid-market mergers and acquisitions firm, Ms. Moores brings executive leadership experience spanning corporate governance, nonprofit strategy, and social impact.
She founded Project Welcome Ukraine to provide housing and resettlement support for refugee families and serves as President of Change for Justice, a nonprofit promoting legislative reform on social issues. Ms. Moores’s expertise in organizational leadership, social impact, and executive decision-making ensures SPARKS maintains strong governance practices as it scales to serve global markets.
Her background in corporate strategy and nonprofit leadership provides invaluable perspective on building sustainable, mission-driven organizations that balance growth with ethical responsibility.
Mr. Darrell Pacini, M.Ed., RCC 
Registered Clinical Counsellor and Executive Coach
Founder, Darrell Pacini & Associates
Board Member, Association of Integrative Coach-Therapist Professionals
With over 25 years in clinical practice and executive coaching, Mr. Pacini has mentored entrepreneurs, business executives, and Olympic athletes across six continents. A Registered Clinical Counsellor with a Master of Education in Counselling Psychology, he specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy, somatic experiencing, and integrative approaches to addiction recovery, grief, and high-performance leadership.
Mr. Pacini’s extensive experience working with high-performance individuals and organizations brings practical insight into how mental wellness tools can support people navigating complex professional and personal challenges. His expertise in integrative therapeutic approaches and executive coaching ensures SPARKS delivers support that meets users where they are, regardless of their background or circumstances.