Kazickas Family’s Visit to Lithuania: Strengthening Connections and Fostering Collaboration
From January 13 to 19, KFF President Jurate Kazickas, accompanied by family members Michael and Beverly Kazickas and KFF’s US Executive Director Neila Baumiliene, visited Lithuania.

The visit was filled with meaningful activities, including meetings with grantees, visits to Lithuanian NGOs, and discussions with First Lady of Lithuania Diana Nausediene and other government representatives. These interactions highlighted KFF’s ongoing commitment to supporting impactful initiatives and fostering collaboration across various sectors.
A key focus for KFF in 2025 is building a strong community and creating platforms for collaboration. To support this mission, three major events were organized at the Kazickas Family Residence to engage with partners from diverse fields:
- Youth Can 10-Year Anniversary and Gratitude Evening: Jurate Kazickas shared insights into the inspiring entrepreneurial journey of Dr. Joseph Kazickas and had a discussion with program partners to celebrate a decade of empowering youth through the “Youth Can” initiative.
- Dr. Joseph P. Kazickas Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Yale Reunion: this event provided an opportunity for fellowship alumni to reconnect, reflect on their experiences, and set the stage for a new alumni network to enhance collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
- ASSIST Student Exchange Program Reception: alumni, selection committee members, and current students based in the US, who joined online, came together to strengthen relationships within the community, share experiences, and celebrate the program’s impact.
These events helped advance KFF’s goal to connect individuals across NGOs, business, academia, and beyond. KFF believes that fostering inter-sectoral idea exchange and building such collaborations drives a meaningful impact.