“Club Kid” Kristina Chumpol Is Equal Parts Philanthropic Leader, Mentor

Kristina Chumpol’s story begins in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, where a young girl raised by a single mother found mentors who believed in her potential long before she fully believed in it herself.

“I know firsthand the difference it makes when someone invests in you before you see the potential in yourself,” said Chumpol. “That belief changed the trajectory of my life, and it is what drives me to invest in others today.”

A two-time club Youth of the Year and Arizona State Youth of the Year, Chumpol began her professional career with the Boys & Girls Clubs in 2009. Fast forward to today, where she serves as chief impact officer and chief of staff at the Fiesta Sports Foundation, carrying forward the lessons of community, mentorship and resilience that shaped her youth.

Since joining the Foundation in 2019, Chumpol has helped expand its philanthropic reach across Arizona’s 15 counties and 22 Tribal communities, championing programs focused on youth, sports and education.

“As an organization, while we are known for putting on world-class football games and one of Arizona’s most cherished annual events, the Phoenix Children’s Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, we also build playgrounds, fund teachers, support nonprofits and so much more,” said Chumpol.

That commitment to making an impact well beyond game day helped drive the organization’s 2025 rebrand to Fiesta Sports Foundation, an effort Chumpol helped lead alongside its leadership team. The evolution continued in 2026 with the launch of Circle of Champions, a new initiative connecting Arizona businesses with the Foundation’s philanthropic efforts. Phoenix Children’s became its inaugural founding partner and official Youth Health and Wellness Partner to expand support for children and families statewide.

“Our season never ends,” Chumpol explained. “That phrase captures who we are. We are always working, always listening, always showing up, long after the final whistle on game day. We show up for Arizona every day.”

The numbers reflect that commitment: more than $35 million donated statewide over 15 years, with Foundation programs reaching more than one million Arizonans annually.

This past August, the Foundation awarded grants to over a dozen Arizona nonprofits, supporting everything from youth recreation and education to homelessness services. Chumpol and her team have also expanded the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Assistance Program, launched in 2024, placing nearly 100 lifesaving devices in Arizona schools and training more than 1,000 educators.

Meanwhile, Wishes for Teachers, the state’s largest direct teacher support initiative, continues breaking records. Since 2016, the program has awarded more than $9.7 million to more than 3,100 educators, benefiting over one million students.

“The Wishes for Teachers program is the most robust teacher support initiative in the state, awarding hundreds of teachers each year with a $2,500 grant to help fulfill classroom needs from new books to sports equipment to virtual reality headsets and much more,” said Chumpol.

This month, the program will distribute a record $1.75 million, including $2,500 classroom grants for 500 teachers and expanded School Wishes funding for six schools, with one receiving $250,000.

Beyond the classroom the Foundation’s legacy projects support organizations including the YMCA in Tucson, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale/Hualapai Tribe in Peach Springs and Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters in Prescott through playground construction, resource rooms and teachers’ lounge renovations.

Chumpol and the Foundation also continue investing in communities through Kindness Arizona, which has completed more than 50 service projects statewide since 2021. The program brings volunteers, nonprofit partners and resources directly into communities through hands-on service projects, while the Foundation’s growing network of partnerships continues creating opportunities for Arizona businesses and organizations to make an impact beyond game day.

Chumpol’s dedication extends beyond the Foundation as well, including service on the Arizona Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs Board of Directors and ASU Alumni Council. She is equally committed to mentoring emerging professionals through the Foundation’s seasonal associate program, particularly women navigating the male-dominated sports and events industry.

“I see myself in so many of these young professionals,” she said. “If I can help them feel more confident, more prepared or simply more supported, then I have honored the investment my own mentors made in me.”