diff --git a/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui.cs b/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui.cs
index 3d0721cc..3958434a 100644
--- a/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui.cs
+++ b/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui.cs
@@ -3,33 +3,53 @@
 // Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE.md file in the project root for full license information.
 //
 
-using System;
-using System.Linq;
-using System.Threading.Tasks;
-using System.Collections.Generic;
-using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;
-using Azure.AI.Details.Common.CLI.ConsoleGui;
 using System.Text.Json;
-using System.IO;
+using Newtonsoft.Json;
+using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;
 
 namespace Azure.AI.Details.Common.CLI
 {
-    public struct AiHubResourceInfo
+    public readonly struct AiHubResourceInfo
     {
-        public string Id;
-        public string Group;
-        public string Name;
-        public string RegionLocation;
+        [JsonProperty("id")]
+        public string Id { get; init; }
+
+        [JsonProperty("resource_group")]
+        public string Group { get; init; }
+        
+        [JsonProperty("name")]
+        public string Name { get; init; }
+        
+        [JsonProperty("location")]
+        public string RegionLocation { get; init; }
+
+        [JsonProperty("display_name")]
+        public string DisplayName { get; init; }
+
+        public override string ToString() => $"{DisplayName ?? Name} ({RegionLocation})";
     }
 
-    public struct AiHubProjectInfo
+    public readonly struct AiHubProjectInfo
     {
-        public string Id;
-        public string Group;
-        public string Name;
-        public string DisplayName;
-        public string RegionLocation;
-        public string HubId;
+        [JsonProperty("id")]
+        public string Id { get; init; }
+
+        [JsonProperty("resource_group")]
+        public string Group{ get; init; }
+
+        [JsonProperty("name")]
+        public string Name{ get; init; }
+
+        [JsonProperty("display_name")]
+        public string DisplayName{ get; init; }
+
+        [JsonProperty("location")]
+        public string RegionLocation{ get; init; }
+
+        [JsonProperty("workspace_hub")]
+        public string HubId{ get; init; }
+
+        public override string ToString() => $"{DisplayName} ({RegionLocation})";
     }
 
     public partial class AiSdkConsoleGui
diff --git a/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui_PickOrCreateAiHubResource.cs b/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui_PickOrCreateAiHubResource.cs
index e7145346..e265569a 100644
--- a/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui_PickOrCreateAiHubResource.cs
+++ b/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui_PickOrCreateAiHubResource.cs
@@ -40,27 +40,23 @@ private static async Task<AiHubResourceInfo> PickOrCreateAiHubResource(bool allo
             var json = PythonSDKWrapper.ListResources(values, subscription);
             if (Program.Debug) Console.WriteLine(json);
 
-            var parsed = !string.IsNullOrEmpty(json) ? JToken.Parse(json) : null;
-            var items = parsed?.Type == JTokenType.Object ? parsed["resources"] : new JArray();
+            var items = JsonHelpers.DeserializePropertyValueOrDefault<IEnumerable<AiHubResourceInfo>>(json, "resources")
+                ?.OrderBy(res => res.DisplayName + " " + res.Name)
+                .ThenBy(res => res.RegionLocation)
+                .ToArray()
+                ?? Array.Empty<AiHubResourceInfo>();
 
             var choices = new List<string>();
-            foreach (var item in items)
-            {
-                var name = item["name"].Value<string>();
-                var location = item["location"].Value<string>();
-                var displayName = item["display_name"].Value<string>();
-
-                choices.Add(string.IsNullOrEmpty(displayName)
-                    ? $"{name} ({location})"
-                    : $"{displayName} ({location})");
-            }
-
             if (allowCreate)
             {
-                choices.Insert(0, "(Create w/ integrated Open AI + AI Services)");
-                choices.Insert(1, "(Create w/ standalone Open AI resource)");
+                choices.Add("(Create w/ integrated Open AI + AI Services)");
+                choices.Add("(Create w/ standalone Open AI resource)");
             }
 
+            choices.AddRange(items
+                .Select(item =>
+                    $"{(string.IsNullOrEmpty(item.DisplayName) ? item.Name : item.DisplayName)} ({item.RegionLocation})"));
+
             if (choices.Count == 0)
             {
                 throw new ApplicationException($"CANCELED: No resources found");
@@ -74,9 +70,9 @@ private static async Task<AiHubResourceInfo> PickOrCreateAiHubResource(bool allo
             }
 
             Console.WriteLine($"\rName: {choices[picked]}");
-            var resource = allowCreate
-                ? (picked >= 2 ? items.ToArray()[picked - 2] : null)
-                : items.ToArray()[picked];
+            AiHubResourceInfo resource = allowCreate
+                ? (picked >= 2 ? items[picked - 2] : default)
+                : items[picked];
 
             var byoServices = allowCreate && picked == 1;
             if (byoServices)
@@ -109,7 +105,7 @@ private static async Task<AiHubResourceInfo> PickOrCreateAiHubResource(bool allo
             return FinishPickOrCreateAiHubResource(values, resource);
         }
 
-        private static async Task<JToken> TryCreateAiHubResourceInteractive(ICommandValues values, string subscription)
+        private static async Task<AiHubResourceInfo> TryCreateAiHubResourceInteractive(ICommandValues values, string subscription)
         {
             var locationName = values.GetOrDefault("service.resource.region.name", "");
             var groupName = ResourceGroupNameToken.Data().GetOrDefault(values);
@@ -125,25 +121,17 @@ private static async Task<JToken> TryCreateAiHubResourceInteractive(ICommandValu
             return await TryCreateAiHubResourceInteractive(values, subscription, locationName, groupName, displayName, description, openAiResourceId, openAiResourceKind, smartName, smartNameKind);
         }
 
-        private static AiHubResourceInfo FinishPickOrCreateAiHubResource(ICommandValues values, JToken resource)
+        private static AiHubResourceInfo FinishPickOrCreateAiHubResource(ICommandValues values, AiHubResourceInfo resource)
         {
-            var aiHubResource = new AiHubResourceInfo
-            {
-                Id = resource["id"].Value<string>(),
-                Group = resource["resource_group"].Value<string>(),
-                Name = resource["name"].Value<string>(),
-                RegionLocation = resource["location"].Value<string>(),
-            };
-
-            ResourceIdToken.Data().Set(values, aiHubResource.Id);
-            ResourceNameToken.Data().Set(values, aiHubResource.Name);
-            ResourceGroupNameToken.Data().Set(values, aiHubResource.Group);
-            RegionLocationToken.Data().Set(values, aiHubResource.RegionLocation);
-
-            return aiHubResource;
+            ResourceIdToken.Data().Set(values, resource.Id);
+            ResourceNameToken.Data().Set(values, resource.Name);
+            ResourceGroupNameToken.Data().Set(values, resource.Group);
+            RegionLocationToken.Data().Set(values, resource.RegionLocation);
+
+            return resource;
         }
 
-        private static async Task<JToken> TryCreateAiHubResourceInteractive(ICommandValues values, string subscription, string locationName, string groupName, string displayName, string description, string openAiResourceId, string openAiResourceKind, string smartName = null, string smartNameKind = null)
+        private static async Task<AiHubResourceInfo> TryCreateAiHubResourceInteractive(ICommandValues values, string subscription, string locationName, string groupName, string displayName, string description, string openAiResourceId, string openAiResourceKind, string smartName = null, string smartNameKind = null)
         {
             var sectionHeader = $"\n`CREATE AZURE AI RESOURCE`";
             ConsoleHelpers.WriteLineWithHighlight(sectionHeader);
@@ -178,8 +166,7 @@ private static async Task<JToken> TryCreateAiHubResourceInteractive(ICommandValu
 
             Console.WriteLine("\r*** CREATED ***  ");
 
-            var parsed = !string.IsNullOrEmpty(json) ? JToken.Parse(json) : null;
-            return parsed["resource"];
+            return JsonHelpers.DeserializePropertyValueOrDefault<AiHubResourceInfo>(json, "resource");
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui_PickOrCreate_AiHubProject.cs b/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui_PickOrCreate_AiHubProject.cs
index 1fa0529e..daa23646 100644
--- a/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui_PickOrCreate_AiHubProject.cs
+++ b/src/common/details/ai_python_generative_sdk/AiSdkConsoleGui_PickOrCreate_AiHubProject.cs
@@ -95,8 +95,7 @@ public static AiHubProjectInfo PickOrCreateAiHubProject(ICommandValues values, s
 
         public static AiHubProjectInfo CreateAiHubProject(ICommandValues values, string subscription, string resourceId)
         {
-            var project = TryCreateAiHubProjectInteractive(values, subscription, resourceId);
-            return AiHubProjectInfoFromToken(values, project);
+            return TryCreateAiHubProjectInteractive(values, subscription, resourceId);
         }
 
         private static AiHubProjectInfo PickOrCreateAiHubProject(bool allowCreate, ICommandValues values, string subscription, string resourceId, out bool createNew)
@@ -107,34 +106,23 @@ private static AiHubProjectInfo PickOrCreateAiHubProject(bool allowCreate, IComm
             var json = PythonSDKWrapper.ListProjects(values, subscription);
             if (Program.Debug) Console.WriteLine(json);
 
-            var parsed = !string.IsNullOrEmpty(json) ? JToken.Parse(json) : null;
-            var items = parsed?.Type == JTokenType.Object ? parsed["projects"] : new JArray();
+            var items = JsonHelpers.DeserializePropertyValueOrDefault<IEnumerable<AiHubProjectInfo>>(json, "projects")
+                ?.Where(proj => string.IsNullOrEmpty(resourceId) || proj.HubId == resourceId)
+                .OrderBy(item => item.DisplayName + " " + item.Name)
+                .ThenBy(item => item.RegionLocation)
+                .ToArray()
+                ?? Array.Empty<AiHubProjectInfo>();
 
             var choices = new List<string>();
-            var itemJTokens = new List<JToken>();
-            foreach (var item in items)
-            {
-                var hub = item["workspace_hub"]?.Value<string>();
-
-                var hubOk = string.IsNullOrEmpty(resourceId) || hub == resourceId;
-                if (!hubOk) continue;
-
-                itemJTokens.Add(item);
-
-                var name = item["name"].Value<string>();
-                var location = item["location"].Value<string>();
-                var displayName = item["display_name"].Value<string>();
-
-                choices.Add(string.IsNullOrEmpty(displayName)
-                    ? $"{name} ({location})"
-                    : $"{displayName} ({location})");
-            }
-
             if (allowCreate)
             {
-                choices.Insert(0, "(Create new)");
+                choices.Add("(Create new)");
             }
 
+            choices.AddRange(items
+                .Select(proj =>
+                    $"{(string.IsNullOrEmpty(proj.DisplayName) ? proj.Name : proj.DisplayName)} ({proj.RegionLocation})"));
+
             if (choices.Count == 0)
             {
                 throw new ApplicationException($"CANCELED: No projects found");
@@ -148,20 +136,27 @@ private static AiHubProjectInfo PickOrCreateAiHubProject(bool allowCreate, IComm
             }
 
             Console.WriteLine($"\rName: {choices[picked]}");
-            var project = allowCreate
-                ? (picked > 0 ? itemJTokens[picked - 1] : null)
-                : itemJTokens[picked];
 
-            createNew = allowCreate && picked == 0;
-            if (createNew)
+            createNew = false;
+            AiHubProjectInfo project;
+            if (allowCreate && picked == 0)
             {
+                createNew = true;
                 project = TryCreateAiHubProjectInteractive(values, subscription, resourceId);
             }
+            else if (allowCreate && picked > 0)
+            {
+                project = items[picked - 1];
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                project = items[picked];
+            }
 
-            return AiHubProjectInfoFromToken(values, project);
+            return project;
         }
 
-        private static JToken TryCreateAiHubProjectInteractive(ICommandValues values, string subscription, string resourceId)
+        private static AiHubProjectInfo TryCreateAiHubProjectInteractive(ICommandValues values, string subscription, string resourceId)
         {
             var group = ResourceGroupNameToken.Data().GetOrDefault(values);
             var location = RegionLocationToken.Data().GetOrDefault(values, "");
@@ -174,22 +169,7 @@ private static JToken TryCreateAiHubProjectInteractive(ICommandValues values, st
             return TryCreateAiHubProjectInteractive(values, subscription, resourceId, group, location, ref displayName, ref description, smartName, smartNameKind);
         }
 
-        private static AiHubProjectInfo AiHubProjectInfoFromToken(ICommandValues values, JToken project)
-        {
-            var aiHubProject = new AiHubProjectInfo
-            {
-                Id = project["id"].Value<string>(),
-                Group = project["resource_group"].Value<string>(),
-                Name = project["name"].Value<string>(),
-                DisplayName = project["display_name"].Value<string>(),
-                RegionLocation = project["location"].Value<string>(),
-                HubId = project["workspace_hub"].Value<string>(),
-            };
-
-            return aiHubProject;
-        }
-
-        private static JToken TryCreateAiHubProjectInteractive(ICommandValues values, string subscription, string resourceId, string group, string location, ref string displayName, ref string description, string smartName = null, string smartNameKind = null)
+        private static AiHubProjectInfo TryCreateAiHubProjectInteractive(ICommandValues values, string subscription, string resourceId, string group, string location, ref string displayName, ref string description, string smartName = null, string smartNameKind = null)
         {
             ConsoleHelpers.WriteLineWithHighlight($"\n`CREATE AZURE AI PROJECT`");
 
@@ -208,8 +188,7 @@ private static JToken TryCreateAiHubProjectInteractive(ICommandValues values, st
 
             Console.WriteLine("\r*** CREATED ***  ");
 
-            var parsed = !string.IsNullOrEmpty(json) ? JToken.Parse(json) : null;
-            return parsed["project"];
+            return JsonHelpers.DeserializePropertyValueOrDefault<AiHubProjectInfo>(json, "project");
         }
 
         public static void GetOrCreateAiHubProjectConnections(ICommandValues values, bool create, string subscription, string groupName, string projectName, string openAiEndpoint, string openAiKey, string searchEndpoint, string searchKey)
diff --git a/src/common/details/azcli/AzCli.cs b/src/common/details/azcli/AzCli.cs
index 4126481d..a8f8ae1e 100644
--- a/src/common/details/azcli/AzCli.cs
+++ b/src/common/details/azcli/AzCli.cs
@@ -181,18 +181,7 @@ public static async Task<ParsedJsonProcessOutput<SubscriptionInfo[]>> ListAccoun
             var accounts = parsed.Payload;
 
             var x = new ParsedJsonProcessOutput<SubscriptionInfo[]>(parsed.Output);
-            x.Payload = new SubscriptionInfo[accounts.Count];
-
-            var i = 0;
-            foreach (var account in accounts)
-            {
-                x.Payload[i].Id = account["Id"].Value<string>();
-                x.Payload[i].Name = account["Name"].Value<string>();
-                x.Payload[i].IsDefault = account["IsDefault"].Value<bool>();
-                x.Payload[i].UserName = account["UserName"].Value<string>();
-                i++;
-            }
-
+            x.Payload = accounts.ToObject<SubscriptionInfo[]>();
             return x;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/common/details/azcli/AzCliConsoleGui_SubscriptionPicker.cs b/src/common/details/azcli/AzCliConsoleGui_SubscriptionPicker.cs
index b5ea398a..1e23e351 100644
--- a/src/common/details/azcli/AzCliConsoleGui_SubscriptionPicker.cs
+++ b/src/common/details/azcli/AzCliConsoleGui_SubscriptionPicker.cs
@@ -155,19 +155,22 @@ public static async Task<string> PickSubscriptionIdAsync(bool allowInteractiveLo
 
         private static AzCli.SubscriptionInfo? ListBoxPickSubscription(AzCli.SubscriptionInfo[] subscriptions)
         {
-            var list = subscriptions.Select(x => x.Name).ToArray();
-            var defaultIndex = subscriptions.Select((x, i) => new { x, i }).Where(x => x.x.IsDefault).Select(x => x.i).FirstOrDefault();
-
-            var picked = ListBoxPicker.PickIndexOf(list, defaultIndex);
-            if (picked < 0)
+            var selected = ListBoxPicker.PickValue(
+                subscriptions
+                .Select(s => new ListBoxPickerChoice<AzCli.SubscriptionInfo>()
+                {
+                    IsDefault = s.IsDefault,
+                    DisplayName = s.Name,
+                    Value = s
+                }));
+            if (selected == null)
             {
                 throw new OperationCanceledException("User canceled");
             }
 
-            var subscription = subscriptions[picked];
-            DisplayNameAndId(subscription);
-            CacheSubscriptionUserName(subscription);
-            return subscription;
+            DisplayNameAndId(selected.Value);
+            CacheSubscriptionUserName(selected.Value);
+            return selected.Value;
         }
 
         private static bool MatchSubscriptionFilter(AzCli.SubscriptionInfo subscription, string subscriptionFilter)
diff --git a/src/common/details/console/gui/controls/ListBoxPicker.cs b/src/common/details/console/gui/controls/ListBoxPicker.cs
index 4cecb8e9..659e68fd 100644
--- a/src/common/details/console/gui/controls/ListBoxPicker.cs
+++ b/src/common/details/console/gui/controls/ListBoxPicker.cs
@@ -3,13 +3,15 @@
 // Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE.md file in the project root for full license information.
 //
 
-using System;
-using System.Linq;
-using System.Text;
-using Azure.AI.Details.Common.CLI;
-
 namespace Azure.AI.Details.Common.CLI.ConsoleGui
 {
+    public interface IListBoxPickerChoice
+    {
+        bool IsDefault { get; }
+
+        string DisplayName { get; }
+    }
+
     public class ListBoxPicker : SpeedSearchListBoxControl
     {
         public static int PickIndexOf(string[] choices, int select = 0)
@@ -60,6 +62,30 @@ public static string PickString(string[] lines, int width, int height, Colors no
                 : null;
         }
 
+        public static TVal PickValue<TVal>(IEnumerable<TVal> items) where TVal : IListBoxPickerChoice
+        {
+            if (items == null)
+            {
+                return default;
+            }
+
+            int? select = null;
+            var displayTexts = items
+                .Select((item, index) =>
+                {
+                    if (item.IsDefault && !select.HasValue)
+                    {
+                        select = index;
+                    }
+
+                    return item.DisplayName;
+                })
+                .ToArray();
+
+            int selected = PickIndexOf(displayTexts, select ?? 0);
+            return items.ElementAtOrDefault(selected); // this handles negatives and values out of bound
+        }
+
         public override bool ProcessKey(ConsoleKeyInfo key)
         {
             var processed = ProcessSpeedSearchKey(key);
@@ -101,4 +127,49 @@ protected ListBoxPicker(Window parent, Rect rect, Colors colorNormal, Colors col
 
         #endregion
     }
+
+    public class ListBoxPickerChoice<TVal> : IListBoxPickerChoice
+    {
+        public ListBoxPickerChoice()
+        { }
+
+        public ListBoxPickerChoice(string displayName, TVal value, bool isDefault = false)
+        {
+            IsDefault = isDefault;
+            DisplayName = displayName;
+            Value = value;
+        }
+
+        public bool IsDefault { get; set; }
+
+        public string DisplayName { get; set; }
+
+        public TVal Value { get; set; }
+
+        public override string ToString() => DisplayName;
+    }
+
+    public class ListBoxPickerChoice<TVal, TMeta> : ListBoxPickerChoice<TVal>
+    {
+        public ListBoxPickerChoice()
+        { }
+
+        public ListBoxPickerChoice(string displayName, TVal value, TMeta metadata = default, bool isDefault = false)
+            : base(displayName, value, isDefault)
+        {
+            Metadata = metadata;
+        }
+
+        public TMeta Metadata { get; set; }
+    }
+
+    public class ListBoxPickerChoice : ListBoxPickerChoice<string, string>
+    {
+        public ListBoxPickerChoice()
+        { }
+
+        public ListBoxPickerChoice(string displayName, string value, string metadata = null, bool isDefault = false)
+            : base(displayName, value, metadata, isDefault)
+        { }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/common/details/helpers/json_helpers.cs b/src/common/details/helpers/json_helpers.cs
index c8cb8ccf..f62eb395 100644
--- a/src/common/details/helpers/json_helpers.cs
+++ b/src/common/details/helpers/json_helpers.cs
@@ -214,6 +214,39 @@ public static void PrintJson(string text, string indent = "  ", bool naked = fal
             }
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Helper method to deserialize the value of a specific named property from a JSON string
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <typeparam name="TValue">The type of the value to deserialize</typeparam>
+        /// <param name="json">The JSON string to deserialize</param>
+        /// <param name="propertyName">The name of the property to deserialize</param>
+        /// <returns>The deserialized value, or the default value in the case of errors (e.g. null string,
+        /// property didn't exist, etc...)</returns>
+        public static TValue DeserializePropertyValueOrDefault<TValue>(string json, string propertyName)
+        {
+            TValue value = default;
+
+            try
+            {
+                JToken token = null;
+                if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(json))
+                {
+                    token = JToken.Parse(json);
+                }
+
+                JToken property = token?[propertyName ?? string.Empty];
+                if (property != null)
+                {
+                    value = property.ToObject<TValue>();
+                }
+            }
+            catch (Exception)
+            {
+            }
+
+            return value;
+        }
+
         private static void PrintJson(JToken token, string indent = "  ", bool naked = false)
         {
             var print = !naked