Meet the Jens
Jen Urich
Jen U’s 35-year career spans industries, countries, and cultures, from Bain + Company to US Peace Corps/Philippines, and from Cummins Engine to J. Walter Thompson/Mexico. She has helped grow Fortune 100 companies, nurtured micro-enterprises in the developing world, and revolutionized social marketing, winning awards and admiration along the way.
A proud Canadian-American, fluent Spanish speaker, and inveterate traveler, JenU has a world-wise perspective. She brings the rare combination of Yale’s academic rigor, deep business experience, sincere interest in all people, and boundless energy to every engagement. When not working you’ll find her on her bike — in rural Oregon or on the Tibetan Plateau.
Jen van Arkel
Jen vA is known for cultivating ideas that elevate brands. In her 30-year career, she has led strategy for multinational brands at world-class agencies, including contributing to Nike’s award-winning campaigns. After years of collaborating with leading creatives, she instinctively recognizes ideas that will make a difference and flags those that won’t.
A skilled researcher, Jen vA digs into secondary sources, identifies vital perspectives, and with genuine curiosity leads people — from C-suite executives to HVAC contractors — to share meaningful insights. Her writing prowess make Sparrow’s reports shine. Like her teenage daughter, this Jen loves the question “Why?” and excels at uncovering the answer.
We’re more than the Jens
As true partners committed to delivering with excellence, we tap into a deep well of additional talent as needed. Our collaborators include ace research vendors, creatives, documentary filmmakers, and experience designers (and sometimes a journalist, or an artist or two).
And to the next generation of strategists, we provide training and real-world experience through freelance contracts, teaching engagements, and our apprenticeship program. This young talent brings fresh ideas, infectious energy, and a humbling command of technology to our team.
Together, we all learn and grow.
Meet our Growing Team
Amalia Boyles
Amalia is an intuitive storyteller with a learner's mindset. With boundless curiosity and scrappy resourcefulness, she uncovers the soul in each engagement through genuine empathy and a wisdom beyond her years. Her ability to distill learning into meaningful insights and actionable strategies has guided a range of clients including Opener, Hydro Flask, Mori, Nordic Naturals, and the Wyoming Department of Health.
Since joining “the Nest” in early 2022, Amalia has grown from invaluable Apprentice to nimble Strategist and co-conspirator in Sparrow projects big and small. Prior to working at Sparrow, Amalia spent seven years at nonprofits, serving diverse communities through ethnographic research assistance, project management, and podcast production. She holds a BS in Advertising and a BA in Anthropology from Portland State University, and is a proud dog mom of a Vizsla named Pepper.
Alejandra Bonifacino
Alejandra is an educator with nearly thirty years experience teaching Spanish language and multiculturalism to generations of students in Oregon and beyond.
Since 2019, Alejandra has shared her linguistic prowess with Sparrow through invaluable cultural consultation and transcreation services, ensuring that research methods and materials are as culturally sensitive, accurate, and impactful as possible. She also provides simultaneous Spanish-English focus group interpretation, and is a skilled interview moderator in both languages.
Alejandra is also a reliable and detail-oriented project manager, driving fast-paced timelines with clear, proactive communication and characteristic thoughtful care. While in “the Nest,” she has served clients including CareOregon, Wyoming Department of Health, and First Tech Federal Credit Union.
Originally from South America, Alejandra has lived in Europe, Asia, and the US, has traveled to dozens of countries, and speaks three languages.
Sparrow is proud to be certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and an Emerging Small Business (ESB).
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