Advisory Group
Meet the generous, experienced, passionate advisors making Popinjay Press proud.
AKIL CLARK
“I have always believed that if kids connect with books at a young age, they will become lifelong readers.”
Akil Clark is an assistant vice president of a major financial institution, as well as a business execution consultant.
His passion for education and community relationships culminated in 2018 when he founded The Spark Foundation — a nonprofit that’s provided thousands of free books to underprivileged kids — where he served as president until 2023.
Akil has a distinct perspective when it comes to unique family dynamics and intersectional culture. He was raised by two moms, who’ve been together for over 30 years. Additionally, he and his wife are sharing the beauty and joy of their mixed-race, mixed-religion marriage with their two kids.
His decision to join Popinjay stems from his desire to help kids connect with books. “While books featuring diverse characters have become more prevalent, representations of the diversity that can exist within a single family are very few and far between. When I learned about Popinjay, all I could think about were the kids we could help see their families come to life in literature.”
VALENCIA GIBSON
“My boys find joy in reading about characters of all backgrounds but find it particularly fascinating when characters reflect some of their own experiences.”
Valencia Gibson is a corporate consultant specializing in project management within the financial services section.
For over 20 years, she’s demonstrated a passion for diversity initiatives, beginning with her service in the U.S. Air Force when she helped create a mentoring program for the local school district, focusing on people of color and indigenous populations. From there, she’s worked with several organizations to create and enhance their diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging programs while showcasing the positive effect these programs have on the bottom line.
Valencia and her husband have three school-aged boys, all of whom are on the autism spectrum, and she’s found it difficult to find beautifully written and illustrated books that can speak to the varied experiences and nuances of autism. That’s why she decided to join Popinjay, and we’re so happy to have her. “It's always refreshing when people come together not to argue or even persuade, but to share insights and perspectives that we can all grow from!”
PRESTON POOTS-JACOBSON
“I want my children to feel seen and to empower them to be kind to others.”
Preston Poots-Jacobson is a marketing communications manager for an agricultural seed company.
He and his husband Mark volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, where they matched with a 7-year-old “little brother” over five years ago. They’ve introduced him to new experiences, like going fishing and visiting baby calves on the family farm – and he’s included them in his interests, like playing basketball and going out for ice cream.
Their “little brother” has also exposed them to life in this country as a young Black man. He’s inspired them to educate themselves and become advocates for equity in marginalized communities. They’re dedicated to unlearning biases, relearning history and listening to others to better understand their experiences.
Preston and Mark recently welcomed a son via adoption and a daughter via gestational carrier. With two babies abruptly joining their household, diverse kids’ literature was high up on their priority list. “We know our children are going to grow up in an environment that’s not depicted as ‘normal’ in today’s society. We need books to help them understand that we’re all different people with different families, but the common denominator is love.”