Patrice Banks has been Spark-Y’s “air traffic controller,” per executive director Zach Robinson, in her execution of the Minneapolis nonprofit’s mission to teach youth entrepreneurship through STEM-based educational programs. With Spark-Y serving more than 2,500 youth and 30-plus schools, businesses, and government partners annually, Banks manages citywide relationships, collaborating with staff, students, and community members to help close the region’s racial, educational, and economic gaps. Banks became program director in 2021, as Spark-Y grew by 30%. She grew its Youth Pathways Program and in 2024 helped guide apprentices at the organization’s largest summer cohort to date, with more than 60 participants.