Meet The Team
MacKenzie Zacharias
Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA
​Co-Founder | Director of Clinical Services | Business Consultant ​
Dr. MacKenzie Zacharias is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst – Doctoral Level (BCBA-D) and a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in the state of Texas. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis from Baylor University in 2023 (though she proudly claims her Longhorn roots — B.S. ’13, Life Member). With more than five years of experience supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across the lifespan, Dr. Zacharias is especially passionate about enhancing the quality of life for adolescents and adults with IDD and strengthening the communities in which they live and work. While her expertise spans key areas of adulthood, including independent living, meaningful relationships, and community engagement, her primary focus lies in employment. She applies evidence-based, behavior-analytic practices to build critical workplace skills and increase long-term career success for individuals with IDD. As Co-Founder and Director of Clinical Services at Spark Change, Dr. Zacharias leads the design and implementation of individualized career development services for job seekers and employees with IDD. She also serves as a Business Consultant, partnering with organizations to deliver strategic, data-informed training and support that equips employers to effectively recruit, retain, and develop underutilized, high-potential talent. Recognizing the critical gap in high-quality, research-supported training for workforce development, she brings a unique combination of clinical rigor and practical application to every partnership — driving measurable outcomes for both employees and employers.
Grace Casper
B.B.A., CPC
​Co-Founder | Director of Life Coaching| Business Consultant​​
Grace Casper is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) with over a decade of experience supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). She earned her degree in Entrepreneurship and Marketing from Baylor University, blending strategic business practices with a heart for purpose-driven work. With a background spanning coaching, research, consulting, management, and community engagement, Grace is especially passionate about helping adults with IDD build confidence, develop a strong sense of self, and pursue lives filled with meaning, connection, and contribution. From inclusive summer camps to managing a local coffee shop where she hired and coached employees with IDD, Grace has seen the power of self-belief and purposeful work to transform lives. As Co-Founder and Director of Life Coaching at Spark Change, Grace provides strengths-based coaching that supports individuals in uncovering their potential, building self-advocacy skills, and confidently stepping into meaningful careers. As a Business Consultant at Spark Change, Grace partners with employers to create inclusive practices that drive high performance and lasting success. She shows them the untapped potential of hiring individuals with IDD, highlighting the impact on both the finances and company culture. Grace provides support to ensure employers feel confident in integrating this valuable talent into their teams.
How Purpose Became Partnership.
We first met in 2021 behind the espresso bar of a busy coffee shop—one of us in the middle of a Ph.D. program, the other managing the café. What connected us wasn’t just caffeine—it was a shared question: How could we reimagine the workforce to create meaningful, mutual benefit for job seekers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and the employers who hire them?
Life took us in different directions for a time, but in 2023, we reconnected at a university-based disability center—once again working side-by-side, this time with greater clarity, deeper purpose, and the same question still driving our conversations. Over and over, we witnessed the same gap in the workforce. Job seekers with IDD were left to navigate the employment process without clear guidance and limited services, while businesses struggled to identify, hire, and retain underutilized talent.
We knew there had to be a better way.
In May 2025, we left our jobs, stopped questioning, and started building.
We struck the match. Now let us help you Spark Change.