About Spark Training
“Our team learned so much from the Spark Training that we’re able to use every day at the Club. The training was interactive and engaging and we walked away with real practical advice that we can implement with the kids we serve.”
Training that starts with empathy—and delivers results.
Spark Training began with a simple idea: training should be practical, respectful, and built by people who’ve lived what they teach.
In 2020, founder Gregin Doxsee and co-founder Alexander Whitney set out to create a new kind of professional development—one rooted in real-world experience, not theory. Their goal was to give educators, human service professionals, and leaders the tools to navigate challenging behavior with confidence and compassion.
What started as a small Maine-based initiative quickly grew through word of mouth. Organizations loved Spark’s down-to-earth approach, flexible delivery, and content that truly fit their teams’ needs. Today, Spark serves schools, leadership teams and youth based organizations across New England and beyond—with an expanding team of trainers and a new Boston-area team to better serve clients throughout Massachusetts.
Spark’s Mission and Vision
Our vision is to provide the behavior management tools and inspiration for you to become the solutions to your own unique challenges.
Our mission is to make behavioral management training accessible to anyone working with challenging behavior.
- Built in the field
- Flexible delivery
- Customized content
- No fluff, just impact
- Built in the field - Flexible delivery - Customized content - No fluff, just impact
THE SPARK TEAM
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Gregin Doxsee
FOUNDER & LEAD TRAINER
With over 30 years of frontline and leadership experience, Gregin brings a rare mix of empathy and strategy to every training she leads. Before founding Spark Training, she coordinated state-required behavioral trainings for more than 250 staff across Maine, co-founded a behavioral health agency, and served as a therapeutic-level foster parent for 15 years.
Her hands-on approach and relatable teaching style help teams feel equipped, not overwhelmed—turning challenging behaviors into opportunities for growth. Outside of work, Gregin finds joy in her family, including her three adult children, community service, golden retrievers, live music, and the lasting connections that fuel her work.
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Kristel Thyrring
REGIONAL COORDINATOR
Kristel (she/they) brings over a decade of social service experience in both direct care and leadership. Kristel has guided teams and initiatives that strengthened client outcomes and is deeply respected in Maine’s social service field. Their expertise spans working with vulnerable populations and developing tools to support effective behavioral management. Passionate about equipping those who work with young people, Kristel combines professional dedication with personal interests in exploring Maine, reading, crafting, cooking, and caring for a growing plant collection.
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Mike Rugg
TRAINER
Mike Rugg has worked in youth development and community health for more than 15 years, building strong partnerships across Central Massachusetts. He currently serves as Coordinator of the Central Metrowest Substance Awareness and Prevention Collaborative (CMSAPC), where he leads coalitions, develops social marketing campaigns, and works closely with schools, municipalities, and families to prevent youth substance use and support mental health. Before his work in prevention, Mike spent over a decade directing programs at the Boys & Girls Club of Metrowest, mentoring young people and guiding staff development. He brings extensive experience in training, facilitation, and leadership, with a passion for equipping organizations with practical strategies that create real, lasting change. In his role with Spark Training Solutions, Mike is eager to share his collaborative approach and on-the-ground expertise to help groups strengthen their impact.
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Lucas Pessoni
TRAINER
Lucas Pessoni is a junior at Penn State University, majoring in Criminal Justice with a minor in Human Rehabilitation Services. He's from Hudson MA. Lucas has always had a passion for helping the youth and the community. This all started when he attended the Boys and Girls Club in Hudson starting at the age of five until he started working there at fifteen, loving every moment of it. He coordinated the after school athletics program with anywhere from 20-60 kids, organized different sports leagues as well as other fitness opportunities for the youth. He received the Youth of the Year Award of Boys and Girls Club Metrowest in his senior year of high school for his leadership role and characteristics with the organization. Lucas' family is originally from Brazil and as a first generation college student, he speaks fluent Portuguese and native Spanish. He learned about Spark from a training that he attended in Summer 2024 and was hooked on the concept and knew he wanted to be a part of Spark.
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Mike Rugg
TRAINER
Mike Rugg has worked in youth development and community health for more than 15 years, building strong partnerships across Central Massachusetts. He currently serves as Coordinator of the Central Metrowest Substance Awareness and Prevention Collaborative (CMSAPC), where he leads coalitions, develops social marketing campaigns, and works closely with schools, municipalities, and families to prevent youth substance use and support mental health. Before his work in prevention, Mike spent over a decade directing programs at the Boys & Girls Club of Metrowest, mentoring young people and guiding staff development. He brings extensive experience in training, facilitation, and leadership, with a passion for equipping organizations with practical strategies that create real, lasting change. In his role with Spark Training Solutions, Mike is eager to share his collaborative approach and on-the-ground expertise to help groups strengthen their impact.
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Kyla Rowe
TRAINER
Kyla has been a trainer with Spark Training since 2022, specializing in behavioral management strategies for professionals who work with young children. She brings a rich background in education and child development, holding a Master’s in Special Education. Before joining Spark, Kyla gained extensive experience as a Head Start teacher, Behavioral Health Professional, public school ed tech, and supervisor of in-home support services.
Her hands-on expertise and compassionate approach help staff connect theory to practice in meaningful, practical ways. Outside of work, Kyla enjoys traveling, exploring new foods, and spending time in nature. At home, she’s an avid reader and plant enthusiast, tending to what she calls her “mini jungle.”
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Arianne Alipio
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
As the Spark Training Virtual Assistant, Arianne provides key administrative support to the team. Her responsibilities include designing social media graphics, organizing the curriculum, assisting with marketing, and ensuring clear communication between staff and customers.
In her personal time, Arianne enjoys cooking, which allows her to explore new flavors and get creative in the kitchen.
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Alex Whitney M.S.
CO-FOUNDER, TRAINER
As a founding member of Spark Training LLC, Alex continues to support Spark as a periodic trainer, consultant, and advisor. With over 20 years of experience in behavioral health, he has served in leadership roles supporting children with special needs in homes, schools, and specialized programs across Maine. He is a University of Maine graduate with a BA in Developmental Psychology and an MS in Human Development. Alex coordinated a special purpose private school, provided crisis support, and has delivered hundreds of trainings—always with a passion for building programs where people come first. Today, he leads youth programming for the town of Kennebunk. Outside of work, Alex enjoys time with his family, often hiking, climbing, and exploring the outdoors.
Marielle Suarez
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT & SYSTEMS SUPPORT
Elle (she/they) supports Spark’s operations and systems development as Executive Assistant and Systems Support . She builds and maintains the workflows, automations, and backend systems that keep Spark’s programs and client processes running seamlessly. Passionate about creating structure behind the scenes, Elle helps the team focus on impact and growth. Beyond work, she enjoys reading, singing, playing the ukulele, and collecting Kuromi items.
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Bobbi Hyson
TRAINER
Bobbi has been an instrumental member of the Spark team for the past five years, implementing and helping provide training curricula and delivering services across central and northern Maine. With over 15 years of experience in the behavioral health field, she has held leadership roles in crisis facilities, intensive day treatment, after-school programs, and specialized education settings. Bobbi is passionate about program and staff development as powerful tools to improve outcomes, and she continues to make a meaningful impact in the field while balancing her professional and personal life.
We’ve tried to answer any question you might have in our FAQs.
(if we haven’t, please reach out as we love explaining who we are and what we do)
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If you work with people, you work with behavior. Spark began by training staff who work with children, and has since grown into a resource for leadership development, team building, and proactive strategies across many settings. We’ve partnered with schools, camps, preschools, parent groups, bus drivers, public and private schools, parks and recreation programs, municipalities, and more. If you want practical tools to reduce conflict, manage power struggles, and build strategies that keep people engaged and supported, Spark training is for you.
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We tailor every training to your exact needs. You choose content from our library of modules, and we adapt it to fit your staff and setting. Sessions are interactive and hands-on, with role play, problem-solving, and real-world scenarios—not just talk. In three easy steps, you pick modules, request a date, and receive a customized proposal. We work within your budget, bring training to you when possible, and ensure it’s engaging, relevant, accessible, and affordable.
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Pricing varies based on length, your training budget, applicable discounts (there are many!) and number of attendees. We generally use a tiered approach that gives you the flexibility to have a few more attendees without changing the cost.
