Sasha Fisher '10

Alexandra "Sasha" Fisher is the executive director and co-founder of Spark MicroGrants, a non-profit organization that enables communities to design and launch their own social impact projects.

Focused primarily on East Africa, Spark developed a unique village action process paired with a seed grant that equips impoverished communities to launch a social enterprise of their own choosing, such as an income-generating goat-rearing project, a produce business, or even a school. Spark's novel approach employs an inclusive, community-based model for international development, predicated on the belief that communities in poverty understand the problems that need to be solved but lack the resources and capacity to do so.

Passionate about her work, Sasha will continue to develop and expand the work she has been doing to sustain communities facing poverty. In 2018, Sasha was selected to join the inaugural cohort of Obama Foundation Fellows, a diverse group of community-minded individuals who are changing the landscape of civic engagement. Sasha has also received the following recognition: Draper Richards Kaplan Fellow, Forbes 30 under 30, and the Mohammad Ali Award for respect.

At UVM, Sasha graduated with a self-designed major in the College of Arts and Sciences with a minor in Studio Art. She painted and built sculptures throughout her years at UVM. Mildred Beltre and Frank Owen were great mentors. Sasha was involved with Habitat for Humanity, the Universities Allied for Essential Medicines club, was the president and co-founder of the New Sudan Education Initiative Club and the founder and director of Global Issues Living and Learning community. Sasha currently resides in New York, New York.