The Missouri Foundation For Health (MFH) recognized the five inaugural recipients of The Spark Prize on Wednesday June 11 during the foundation’s 25th anniversary commemoration.
Three of the awardees live and work in the St. Louis area:
Diego Abente, who provides health care to the St. Louis’ immigrant and refugee community; Kelly McGowan, founder and executive director of Transform 314, which helps people better understand government and how it works; and Ciearra Walker Community Health Worker Coalition CEO.
The award is presented to Missourians “who are leading transformative work to improve health and well-being in Missouri,” according to Dwayne Proctor, MFH president & CEO.
“The Spark Prize is a bet on people,” said Proctor.
“It’s not just about what they’re planning on doing within the next year, it’s about looking forward to where they’ll be as health equity leaders in five years, 10 years, 20 years from now.”
“The prize will hopefully fan the flames of their work for decades to come, and we’re looking forward to witnessing it.”
Each winner will receive $200,000 in unrestricted funding to support their respective leadership and vision. Proctor explained that the Spark Prize awards differ from traditional grants because they are flexible, trust-based funding for individuals, not organizations.
Awardees were selected for their potential to create long-term impact in Missouri. The five recipients were chosen from more than 170 nominations representing diverse backgrounds, regions, and sectors across Missouri.
2025 Spark Prize Winners:
- Diego Abente: Casa de Salud president and CEO, expanding access to culturally responsive clinical and mental health care for immigrants and uninsured communities in Missouri.
- Emily Brown: Co-founder and CEO of Attane Health, pioneering food-based health care solutions to address chronic disease and create healthier communities.
- Kelly McGowan: Founder and Executive Director of Transform 314, using creative education and neighborhood-based solutions to reimagine how residents connect with local government.
- Ciearra “CJ” Walker: CEO of the Community Health Worker Coalition, a nationally recognized model for strengthening frontline health leadership and advancing community-rooted innovation. It also connects local community health workers.Â
- Evonnia Woods: Organizer and movement builder creating new infrastructure for racial, reproductive, and economic justice across Missouri.
“These leaders are reimagining and transforming what healthy communities look like,” said Ivory Clarke, MFH vice president of strategic relationships.
“This award recognizes their leadership and vision and fuels the momentum they’re building.”
The inaugural recipients are addressing challenges ranging from maternal health and housing to mental health, policy engagement, food justice, and culturally responsive care, according to MFH.
Several work outside traditional institutions and have built new models rooted in lived experience, innovation, and deep community ties.
The Foundation also recognized four “Leaders to Watch” with $25,000 each for their promising contributions to health and well-being across the state.
- Nicole Brown (Joplin), Executive Director of One Joplin
- Hopey Fink (St. Louis), Attorney, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
- Lawrence Simonson (Columbia), Executive Director, Missouri Immunization Coalition
- Liza Weiss (St. Louis), Founder and Executive Director, Missouri Appleseed
The celebration included a look back on a quarter-century of innovation, partnership, and commitment to a more equitable Missouri.