Az Big Media will be profiling one of the Most Influential Women in Arizona for 2026 each day leading up to the celebratory dinner on August 20, 2025. Today, meet Kristina Chumpol of the Fiesta Sports Foundation.
From a field of more than 2,200 women under consideration, the Most Influential Women in Arizona were selected by the editorial board of Az Business magazine and a panel of 12 former Most Influential Women. The Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2026 will be honored at a celebratory dinner on Aug. 20, 2026, at Chateau Luxe in Phoenix. The Spotlight Award Sponsor for the Most Influential Women of 2026 is CORE Construction, the Special Gift Sponsor is Tarbell’s, the VIP Sponsor is GCON, the VIP Reception Sponsor is Cullum Homes, the Cover Photo Shoot Sponsor is Greenberg Traurig, the Beverage Sponsor is Arizona Escrow & Financial, the Valet Sponsor in Stevens-Leinweber, the Floral Sponsor is PCL Construction, the Dessert Sponsor is SottoPelle and Tutera Medical, the 360 Photo Booth Sponsor is Clayco, the Step-and -Repeat Sponsor is Morris Hall, the Digital Sponsor is Desert Diamond Casinos, the Floral Provider is PJs Flowers and the Production Sponsor is Merestone.
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Kristina Chumpol, chief impact officer and chief of staff, Fiesta Sports Foundation
Background: A graduate of ASU with more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Chumpol has been instrumental in transforming the Fiesta Sports Foundation’s philanthropic strategy since joining in 2019. She leads with a people-first approach focused on long-term community partnerships. Under her leadership, the foundation has distributed more than $20 million in charitable funding and expanded its reach across Arizona, supporting youth, sports, and education initiatives statewide.
Advice to younger self: “I’d tell my younger self to let yourself relax; no one is grading your life as closely as you are. Being a perfectionist helped me achieve a lot, but it also made me overthink things that didn’t deserve that much attention. The small stuff feels big in the moment, but it rarely is. Save your energy for what moves the needle, and don’t be afraid to move forward before everything feels flawless. Progress, not perfection, is what people remember (and what actually gets you there).”
Surprising fact: “Something many people don’t realize about me is that I’m a Type-1 diabetic because it’s largely invisible from the outside … It’s taught me to roll with the unexpected and keep moving forward, even when things don’t go perfectly.”
