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Michael Sparks Bio

Michael Sparks is the Policy Director at the Center for Community Action and Training (CCAT) and a nationally-known trainer and presenter on environmental approaches to coalition development and management.

He previously served as an Associate Director for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded Free to Grow initiative at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

From 1992 to 2003, Michael was the Interim Executive Director and Project Director for Community Programs at Vallejo Fighting Back Partnership.

Michael has expertise in the alcohol policy field, as well as in the areas of community building, using local control strategies to manage problematic alcohol and drug environments, the legislative process and neighborhood revitalization. He has provided training in the areas of community organizing, alcohol policy, using the legislative process to reduce alcohol and other drug problems and leadership development.