Our Team
Jason Fizell
Jason is an accomplished, business-minded manager with a unique combination of logistical, policy, oversight, and compliance experience.
Most recently, he directed the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA) program, a federally funded relief initiative to support Kansas tenants and landlords financially impacted by the COVID pandemic. Prior to that, he led the Kansas Department of Commerce’s team, granting $30 million in small business emergency assistance funds and managed Sunflower Foundation’s renovation of two historic buildings on the former Menninger campus into a nonprofit center. Previously, he served as development manager at the St. Francis Health Foundation and executive director of the Kansas Land Trust.
His unique combination of experience at the federal, state, and local levels—marked by broad exposure in the nonprofit, public policy, health care, higher education, and small business fields—makes him an especially effective team leader. In bringing together diverse team members, he helps existing teams undertake complex projects and implement real-world solutions, process improvements, and controls.
Sarah Fizell
Sarah is currently the Executive Director of ArtsConnect. ArtsConnect is focused on supporting the creative sector in all disciplines and broadening the understanding of how the arts make our community more livable, equitable and healthy. She has organized massive community mural projects, managed the Topeka First Friday Artwalk and is constantly focused on creating opportunities for the development of artists in Topeka. Currently, ArtsConnect is working on the creation of the Topeka Arts & Culture Master plan and preparing to undertake an economic impact study of the arts & culture sector.
Sarah was born and raised in Topeka – leaving after graduating from Topeka High School to attend the University of Kansas and subsequently spending several years working in Washington DC on issues related to health disparities. Following her return to Topeka in 2007, she helped to lead the statewide effort to reinstate funding for the arts in Kansas.
Most of her professional career has been focused on health policy research, political organizing, advocacy and public relations. She is excited by opportunities to advocate, collaborate, coordinate and think broadly about how we can all work together to build communities that are vibrant, flexible and prepared for the future.
We are part of a team of four.
Our daughters, Astra & Geneva, are seventh generation Kansans and push us every day to help build the kind of world in which we can all achieve our dreams.