ATLANTA—Sarina Marsh, LMSW (M.S.W. ’17) and Jovan Paige (B.S. in Public Policy ’15) have been named to the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta’s (YNPN) latest 30 Under 30 class for their dedication to improving communities and empowering youth in the nonprofit sector.
YNPN’s award celebrates and supports young nonprofit professionals for exhibiting outstanding leadership, innovation and commitment in their community work. Members of this year’s class have been offered the opportunity to attend YNPN’s inaugural Immersion Fellowship, a five-month experience offering workshops to sharpen skills and grow their networks in Atlanta.
Marsh and Paige, along with all of the honored individuals, were recognized for being a positive disruption in their communities and the nonprofit sector.
Marsh is the manager of volunteer partnerships and experience at Junior Achievement (JA) of Georgia. She engages with individuals, colleges, and corporate and community partners who want to invest in the next generation through volunteering with the nonprofit.
“I get to see people come in and do the things I get excited about,” she said.
When asked about receiving the award, Marsh said, “I did not do anything new or different, just everyday things.”
Marsh sees how her passions have aligned and believes her role is contributing to her growth as an effective communicator and emerging leader. She’s dedicated her life and career to youth development by creating spaces that allow children to eliminate their limitations and feel empowered.
Marsh recently began volunteering as a coach with Girls on the Run Atlanta, a nonprofit dedicated to building social, emotional and physical skills in girls while encouraging them to develop healthy habits at a critical stage in their lives. She is regularly active in her community as a member of the Junior League of Atlanta Inc. Marsh is a current participant in YNPN’s Immersion Fellowship and hopes to strengthen and learn new skills as she connects with other nonprofit professionals.
Paige is the donor relations and communications specialist at Ron Clark Academy (RCA), where he connects donors through continuous engagement. Paige also manages RCA’s social media accounts, highlighting students beyond viral dance videos and revealing the challenging curriculum they face.
Paige’s campus involvement was motivated by his experience as a first-year student in Georgia State’s Emerging Leaders program. He was the director of youth and millennial college engagement for Stacey Abrams’ first campaign for Georgia governor and a member of Emerging 100 of Atlanta, an auxiliary program of 100 Black Men of Atlanta. He continues to be active in his community.
“Part of my self-journey was identifying the core of who I am, and I’m always about being able to impact other people,” Paige said.
Paige took his passion for helping others and founded Stay Jotivated LLC, a motivational speaking business empowering youth and young adults through public engagement events.
“I want people to take the kryptonite out of everything and understand half of the battle is realizing that it can be done,” he said. “Pouring into people and inspiring them to be better than you will allow for impact in the community.”
– By Ashley Thompson, M.A. in Communication candidate
