Jasmin Avakyants is Program Officer, responsible for administering grants, informing grantmaking strategies, and engaging the community to identify opportunities that align with the foundation’s mission to advance equity in health coverage and care. Avakyants joined REACH in 2022, bringing experience in the nonprofit sector in the areas of program development, strategic alliances, community engagement, and strategic communications and planning. Working under the direction of Vice President of Programs Carla Gibson and in collaboration with other foundation staff, Avakyants is charged with grantmaking strategies and expanding partnerships in the nonprofit and civic sectors.

Prior to joining REACH, Avakyants was Program Director at a social impact design agency, Health + Studio, consulting nationally on communications strategies to improve health and well-being for children and families. She previously worked as Senior Project Manager at Sesame Workshop, leading efforts to expand the national Sesame Street in Communities program in new regions and scale use of programming and curricula among children and parents. She joined Sesame Workshop after establishing a successful Sesame Street partnership in the Kansas City region as Project Director at the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce leading ResilientKC, a movement to address childhood trauma.

Avakyants completed a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration at Avila University and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science at Truman State University. She is a certified trauma-informed care facilitator. Avakyants and her husband reside in Clay County, MO.