Jason Sawyer is the Director of Policy at Voices for Virginia’s Children. He provides leadership and strategic direction across Voices’ policy advocacy, research, and community engagement efforts, with a particular focus on child welfare and family economic security.

Jason brings 20 years of experience in social work practice, policy advocacy, community engagement, and higher education. His work has spanned maternal and child health, child welfare, education, economic development, program evaluation, strategic planning, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. He has also taught courses in social welfare, community development, policy advocacy, and child advocacy and has published research on community intervention, community-engaged research, and the relationship between social movements and social welfare. Jason is a co-author of A People’s Guide to Richmond and Central Virginia, published by the University of California Press.

Jason previously served on the faculty of Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University. In 2023, he received the Association for Community Organization and Social Action Emerging Scholar Award for his research. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance, a Master of Social Work, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. His work is shaped by his passion for teaching, mentorship, youth engagement, the arts, and using creativity to build equity, justice, and power.