Jason Russell
Jason Russell is running for election for an at-large seat of the North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education. He is on the ballot in the general election on April 7, 2026.[source]
Russell completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Jason Russell was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from Oak Park High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee in 2003 and a graduate degree from the University of Tennessee in 2004. His career experience includes working as a consultant, professional boxer, and MMA fighter. He has been affiliated with the 32nd degree Scottish Rite Freemasons.[1][2]
Elections
2026
See also: North Kansas City Schools, Missouri, elections (2026)
General election
The general election will occur on April 7, 2026.
General election for North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education (2 seats)
Incumbent Karee Gleason-Miller (Nonpartisan), incumbent Laura Wagner (Nonpartisan), and Jason Russell (Nonpartisan) are running in the general election for North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education on April 7, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Karee Gleason-Miller (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Laura Wagner (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Jason Russell (Nonpartisan)  | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2025
See also: North Kansas City Schools, Missouri, elections (2025)
General election
General election for North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education (2 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for North Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education on April 8, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Aryn Peters (Nonpartisan) | 24.5 | 4,242 |
| ✔ |  | Daniel Wartick (Nonpartisan) | 22.0 | 3,811 |
 | Roy Copeland III (Nonpartisan) | 21.2 | 3,667 | |
| Carolyn Mason (Nonpartisan) | 12.2 | 2,113 | ||
| Jessica Rezac (Nonpartisan) | 11.7 | 2,015 | ||
| Jason Russell (Nonpartisan) | 8.3 | 1,436 | |
| Total votes: 17,284 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Russell in this election.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jason Russell completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Russell's responses.
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I am a retired professional MMA fighter and former Light Heavyweight professional boxer. For more than 20 years, I have coached youth in martial arts, football, soccer, golf, tennis, basketball, boxing, and track, mentoring young athletes in discipline, accountability, and perseverance.
Since 2005, I have been actively involved in strengthening education in the Northland. I served as Vice President of New Mark Middle School PTA (2021–2022) and Staley High School PTA Vice President (2024–2025) (2025-2026), and as Falcon Club Membership Chair the last 2 years. I also served on the original Gladstone Community Center Board, graduated from the Gladstone Leadership Program, and currently sit on a number of various Committees and other community groups.
My 11-year-old special needs daughter is my inspiration for running for the Board of Education. I am committed to supporting special needs students, their families, and the dedicated teachers who serve them. Our district is strong, but we can always improve to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed.- I will be a strong, consistent voice for those who do not currently have one — especially special needs students, their families, and the dedicated teachers who work tirelessly each day to help our children learn, grow, and succeed. Every child deserves support, respect, and the opportunity to reach their full potential.
- All students deserve the highest quality education we can provide. That means modern teaching tools, up-to-date technology, and classrooms designed for learning. It also means clean, safe facilities, secure transportation, well-maintained playgrounds, and nutritious food. A strong learning environment is not optional — it is the foundation for student success.
- Our students have enough to stress about without the added drama of debates over gender policies, additional bathroom designations, and immigration enforcement actions involving schools. Students are in school to learn. They need to feel safe, protected, and able to focus on their education. Making everyone happy is impossible. When it comes to policies such as adding gender-neutral bathrooms or requiring specific pronoun usage, my stance is NO. Life is already confusing enough for kids without adding more complexity. We are all human, and we are all Americans.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2025
Jason Russell completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Russell's responses.
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I have been active in multiple facets in improving education for all kids in the Northland since 2005. I was the VP of the New Mark Middle School PTA for 2021 - 2022. VP of the Staley High School PTA for 2023 - 2024. Falcon Club Membership Chair for 2023 - 2024. I served on the original Gladstone Community Center Board as well as graduated from the Gladstone Leadership Program in 2018. I am currently on the NKC Community Bond Committee as well as 9 other similar community committees / groups which I am happy to provide details for upon request.
I have a 10 year old special needs daughter who is my World and the primary reason I decided to run for the Board of Education position in the April 8th General Election. I am an advocate for special needs children and their families but also the teachers that have dedicated their lives to providing education to our children that have special needs / learning disorders. This district is doing a great job already but there is always room for improvement.- I am going to be the voice for those that do not currently have one. This includes special needs students and their families and also for the wonderful teachers that work so hard helping our kids learn nearly every day.
- All students deserve the very best education we can offer and the best learning environment is one that has the best and newest teaching tools and that includes clean and safe facilities, classrooms, playgrounds, transportation and food.
- Our students have enough to stress without all the added drama that has been thrown at them the last 4 years with topics like new genders, extra bathroom types and ICE deporting students from schools directly. Students are in school to learn and we need them to feel and know that they are safe and protected so that they can concentrate on learning. Making everyone happy is impossible. Therefore, when it comes to issues like gender neutral bathrooms being added to our schools and making it mandatory to address a student with whatever pronoun they identify with that week my stance is No. Life is confusing enough for kids without forcing them to address the 1% or less of students as birds, they, etc.. We are all Humans and American.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Footnotes
