Who We Are
Generation Alive is a non-profit in Spokane, WA that is activating youth to lead with compassion.
Like You, We Care About
the Next Generation.
We are a team of youth development experts with over 75 years of combined experience. We have a passion for seeing young people discover their unique potential and aren’t afraid to have fun in the process. We consider Generation Alive to be Spokane’s best kept secret. You can help us change that!
Our Core Values
Experience of Belonging
We provide an environment where all people are welcome, honored, safe, and invited to care for not just others, but themselves.
Power of Understanding
The greatest gift we can give someone is understanding their story. Empathy flows when we see and hear one another.
Joy of
Service
We ignite a passion for serving others and launching a movement that makes a tangible difference in their community.
Opportunity to
Lead
We don’t just teach about leadership. We get out of the way to let youth take charge and discover their potential.
Life of
Compassion
This is not about a one-time service project, but actively creating a world where compassion becomes the default response to pain and suffering.
Our Staff
JJ Vancil | Executive Director
jj@generationalive.org
JJ Vancil, our Executive Director, has been rooted in the Spokane community since 2001 and brings a wealth of experience from his work in youth-serving organizations. Known for his commitment to empowering staff and building strong teams, JJ is a forward-thinking leader who envisions a bright future for our mission. Married to Katy since 2005 and a proud father to Owen and Nora, he enjoys time with his family, playing tennis, exploring Spokane’s food scene, reading, and staying active. Guided by the mindset, “Skate to where the puck is going to be,” JJ leads with vision and purpose. A fun fact: he’s a tech nerd at heart and likes to imagine he helped build Apple in an alternate universe.
Audrey Dominguez McFadden | Director of Operations
audrey@generationalive.org
Originally from Beeville, Texas, Audrey spent over a decade in San Antonio before moving to Spokane in 2021. As our Associate Executive Director, she brings a deep passion for leading teams, cultivating strong staff relationships, managing projects, and driving strategic execution. With a background that includes eight years in youth-focused nonprofits and two years as an elementary school teacher, Audrey brings both experience and heart to her role. Outside of work, she enjoys quality time with loved ones, cooking with her husband, nurturing her plants, traveling, and hosting gatherings. One of her favorite quotes, by Brené Brown, reminds her that true courage is showing up with vulnerability, even without control over the outcome.
Darrin Duty | Program Director
darrin@generationalive.org
Darrin Duty, our Program Director, brings over 30 years of youth development experience and has been leading Generation Alive’s in-person programs for the past 12 years. With a background as a Youth Pastor and Spokane Area Campus Life Director, Darrin is passionate about helping young people discover their potential and grow into leaders. He finds great joy in walking alongside youth on their journey and is known for his deep commitment and expertise. Outside of work, Darrin enjoys golfing, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and photography. His favorite quote, “It’s better to burn out than to fade away,” reflects his desire to leave a lasting impact through his work.
Chris Sloan | Community Engagement Director
sloan@generationalive.org
Chris, better known as “Sloan,” brings a unique blend of youth ministry and nonprofit leadership to Generation Alive. After earning a marketing degree from Eastern Washington University, he served as a youth pastor for 18 years and co-founded At The Core, a nonprofit that helped launch the Bite2Go program in partnership with Second Harvest—now serving over 5,000 students weekly across Spokane County. Passionate about youth, community impact, and leadership, Sloan sees Generation Alive as the perfect intersection of his calling. Married to Brenna since 1997, he’s a proud dad to Ella, Aidan, and Norah, and a longtime high school football coach who also loves fly fishing, hiking, snowshoeing, and camping.
Rachelle Goodbrake | Program Coordinator
rachelle@generationalive.org
Rachelle, our passionate Program Coordinator, brings a wealth of experience and a heart for empowering youth. Originally from Hilo, Hawaii, she’s called Spokane home since 2015 and thrives in her role working directly with students. With a background in addressing youth food insecurity and advocating against human trafficking, Rachelle brings both compassion and expertise to her work. Outside of GA, she enjoys exploring parks, swimming, and capturing life through photography with her daughter. Her favorite quote, “May we be brave enough for it. May it be ready for us,” reflects the courage she brings to every challenge. Rachelle’s multicultural perspective and dedication make her a vital part of our team and community.
Glo Cheevers | Logistics Coordinator
glo@generationalive.org
Glo, our Logistics Coordinator, brings a wealth of experience, a creative spirit, and a deep passion for empowering youth. After growing up on Fairchild AFB and moving around the Pacific Northwest, she made Spokane her home in 2022. With a background in addressing childhood food insecurity through her work at Second Harvest’s Bite2Go program, Glo is passionate about helping kids find their voice and realize their power to create change. Outside of work, she enjoys painting, arts and crafts, caring for her house plants, and adventuring with her partner, Emma, and their dog, Jaxson. A fun fact: Glo loves getting lost in creativity, bringing inspiration and imagination into all she does.
Board of Directors
JD Dietzen – Chair
Managing Principal
CliftonLarsonAllen
Chris Patrick - Vice Chair
Chief Executive Officer
Inland Imaging
Mark Calkins – Treasurer
Partner
Richards Merrill
Mary Silkworth
Retired
Avista Utilities
Kelley Ferguson
Chief Information Officer
Numerica Credit Union
Joshua Loera
Owner
Kingdom Builders Group
Jen Tesky
Principal
Liberty Lake Elementary School
Shelly Colomb
VP, Business Banking
US Bank
Sean Harrell
CEO
Nuvodia
Dr. Brian McCall
Dentist
Liberty Lake Smile Source
Jeremy Affeldt - Founder
Owner
Free Roam Brewing Company
Our Story
Founded in 2006 by Jeremy Affeldt, 3-time World Series Champion and former San Francisco Giants pitcher, Generation Alive is a movement of youth responding to needs around them wherever, whenever, however. Jeremy's passion comes from his Christian faith and belief in loving your neighbor as yourself. Jeremy’s passion for eliminating the suffering of others and engaging young people to act inspired him to start the organization.
The original mission of Generation Alive has evolved dramatically over the years. Originally, the organization and mission was far more evangelical with a focus on large youth rallies (think Billy Graham for young people). GA held a single large event called Crave at the Spokane Arena in 2007 that included a concert, BMX bike riders, speakers, etc. for thousands of kids from area churches. After a single event and executive leadership changes, the mission was modified.
As Jeremy traveled the country playing baseball, he became aware of the realities of poverty and marginalized communities. With this new perspective, the organization shifted its mission to alleviating the pains of poverty and social injustice. During this time Jeremy met Mike King, CEO of Kansas City’s Youth Front. Youth Front worked with GA to train and provide materials to begin packing meals for third-world countries, using their Something to Eat program (a program still used by Generation Alive today)
In 2012, Generation Alive began to pivot to its current mission and program structure, seeing the need and opportunity to be more than a one-time food packing event. It was during this time that the Internship program, Action Team program and focus on local impact began (keeping meals in the communities that kids are packing them in). This pivot helped Generation Alive carve out a unique niche in the community and quickly expand its operation. During this time we shifted our focus from solely providing meals, to providing young people with a tangible way to create community impact and respond to needs around them. What started as one program with 200 participants in 2012 has grown to nearly 40 programs and 15,000 participants annually.
