Jennifer Karls

Co-Founder and Director

Jennifer understands the critical importance of equitable access to our education, employment, and health care systems grounded in her experiences as a parent and advocate. She is committed to the work of ensuring that these systems are inclusive, equitable, and accessible. She also understands the necessity of family and community engagement in co-designing systems to meet the needs of all community members.
 
Jennifer has been active in creating opportunities for families to connect and increase their understanding of our education systems. She was a co-founder of the Bellevue Special Needs PTA and grassroots coalition, SEL for Washington, which focused on advocating for the education of the whole child, including social and emotional learning.
 
In addition to her B.A. in Business Management, Jennifer completed a two-year Adaptive Community Leadership program and continues to practice the principles of ACL through the work of Roots of Inclusion. She is also a certified Gracious Space practitioner. Before working in the non-profit sector, Jennifer worked in the public sector in the semiconductor industry. 
 
She has served on the Board of Directors for several non-profit organizations, including multiple Bellevue Washington School District-based PTA’s, Leadership Eastside, Arc of King County, and is a founding Board member of the Immigrant Women’s Community Center. She has also volunteered in the City of Redmond, WA. Police Department’s Community Equity Action Team, City of Bellevue, WA. Diversity Advisory Network, Washington State Paraeducator Workgroup, and multiple Bellevue Washington School District community committees since 2010.
 
In her free time, she loves spending time with her children and husband. They enjoy traveling together and exploring new places, especially beaches on the Pacific Coast.
 
Jennifer is committed to continuous learning and understanding how systems impact individuals. She believes that through working with community partners, we build an inclusive society where every individual has access, is valued, and belongs.
 
You can reach Jennifer at Jennifer@rootsofinclusion.org
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Sarah Butcher

Co-Founder and Director

As a parent, Sarah understands and values the importance of an equitable, accessible, and inclusive education system.  She identifies opportunities and connections across systems and leverages relationship building, advocacy, and policy to improve outcomes for young people with disabilities.  Sarah holds a deep commitment to ensuring those most impacted by a system are part of the design process for improving it.  
 
Sarah is currently the co-chair of the Washington State SEL Advisory Committee, a member of the True Measure Collaborative Advisory Board.  She also serves on multiple state level workgroups and projects connected to improving outcomes for students by evolving systems to be more equitable, inclusive, and supportive of the whole child.  She formerly was the Vice-Chair of the Washington State Special Education Advisory Council and a board member of the League of Education Voters.  
 
In 2014 she was recognized as a ParentMap Superhero and as the Washington State PTA Advocate of the Year for her advocacy work on Social Emotional Learning and for students with disabilities.
 
Before devoting her energy and expertise to evolving Washington’s education systems to be equitable and inclusive, Sarah was a junior broker at Wells Fargo Institutional Investments.  Sarah holds a Graduate Certificate in Adaptive Community Leadership from Saybrook University.
 
She spends her off-time exploring local running trails, cooking, and enjoying new adventures with her husband, 3 children, and 3 dogs.

You can reach Sarah at Sarah@rootsofinclusion.org