Emily Fetsch brings over 15 years of experience in public policy, research, advocacy, and grassroots organizing to her role as Program Officer for Economic Opportunity at the Patterson Family Foundation. A fifth-generation Kansan, she is dedicated to expanding opportunity for families and communities across the region.
Her career has focused on building stronger, more equitable communities through investment in people, ideas, and systems. Before joining the Foundation, Emily led the faith-based organizing nonprofit Justice Matters and shaped state tax and fiscal policy at Kansas Action for Children. She has also held advocacy and research roles with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Kansas Center for Economic Growth, Public Religion Research Institute, and the National Religious Partnership for the Environment.
Emily believes deeply in the power of local leadership and collaborative action to drive change. At the Foundation, she supports initiatives that foster entrepreneurship, small business growth, childcare, and regional innovation across rural Kansas and Missouri.
She lives in Lawrence with her husband Jonathan and their daughter. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, listening to music, and spending time with her family.
“Advocating for thriving rural communities means investing in the people who power them: championing their potential, celebrating their impact, and ensuring their voices and economic opportunities are as strong as the communities they call home.”
