Headshot of Katherine (Kate) Maurer Cassada

Katherine (Kate) Maurer Cassada

Associate Professor, Education
Assistant Chair, Graduate Education - Educational Leadership & Policy Studies
Director, Center for Leadership in Education
Curriculum Vitae

  • Profile

    Kate Cassada is an associate professor of education in the School of Professional and Continuing Studies program. She teaches graduate and undergraduate classes, serves as assistant chair of graduate education for Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and facilitates leadership development in collaboration with preK-12 schools throughout the metro Richmond area.

    Prior to her role in higher education, Dr. Cassada served as a Hanover County Public Schools classroom teacher, senior teacher, assistant principal and principal.

    Cassada researches issues in K-12 education and is a regular contributor for Forbes. For a list of her media coverage, visit the newsroom.

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    • Awards

      University of Richmond Distinquished Educator Award, 2018

    • Presentations

      Cassada, K., Demas, K., Olsen, S., Richards, C., (accepted for December 2023). Creating an informed and authentic instructional coaching model. Learning Forward 2023 Annual Conference: Learning into Action. Washington, D.C.


      Cassada, K. (accepted for July 2023). Teacher and leader vacancy crisis in Virginia, United States. EduLearn23. Virtual Presentation. Mallorca, Spain.


      Cassada, K., Fitrer, H., Kuruvilla, A., Mansini, A., Schiff, N., Pollock, K. (2023, Jan 5). K-12 Workforce Readiness and Internship Opportunities. Panel. Brightpoint Community College. Involved undergraduate students and a community partner.


      Shields, T., Cassada, K., Ward, D., & Myers, D. (2019, October). Undergraduate leadership studies curriculum and K-12 school leader development. 21st annual International Leadership Association Annual Global Conference (ILA). Ottawa, Canada.


      Cassada, K. & Kassner, L. (2019, March). Peer video coaching as meaningful, relevant professional development for teachers. 13th annual International Technology, Education and Development Conference (INTED). Valencia, Spain.


      Kassner, L. & Cassada, K. (2019, March). Backchannels to promote reflective chat and practice among teachers. 13th annual International Technology, Education and Development Conference (INTED). Valencia, Spain.


      Shields, T, Cassada, K., & Tulowitzki, P. (2017, December). Immigration and refugee policies in the United States and Germany: Comparison of approaches in how school leaders and systems engage with immigration officials. Jepson School of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond


      Cassada, K. (2017). Leadership, dissent, and disobedience: Leaders and followers in a populist age. International Studying Leadership Conference, University of Richmond, Richmond.


      Cassada, K. M. (2017, April). A case study: Access, equity, and outcomes in a non-traditional leadership development program. Co-presenter with T. Shields at the Ireland International Conference on Education (IICE), Dublin, Ireland.


      Cassada, K. M. (2015, September). The impact of a backchannel on the nature and quality of peer feedback in a reflective teaching practice graduate course. Co-presented at the Virginia Educational Research Association (VERA) annual conference, Charlottesville, Va.


      Cassada, K. M. (2015, February). The impact of using a backchannel on the nature and quality of peer feedback to build reflective teaching practice. Paper co-presented at the Conference of Higher Education Pedagogy (CHEP), Blacksburg, Va.


      Cassada, K. M. (2014, November). Changing demographics, changing leadership? Access and outcomes by race, ethnicity and gender of participants in a regional leadership development program. Paper co-presented at the International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation (ICERI), Seville, Spain.


      Cassada, K. M. (2014, November). University-industry-schools collaboration: Regional investment in school leadership. Paper co-presented at the International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation (ICERI), Seville, Spain.


      Cassada, K. M. (2014, November). Access and outcomes by race and gender of participants in a regional leadership development program. Paper co-presented at the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) Conference, Washington, D.C.


      Cassada, K. M. (2014, October). Contest or sponsored mobility? Access and outcomes by race and gender of participants in a regional leadership development program. Paper co-presented at the Consortium for Research on Educational Assessment and Teaching Effectiveness (CREATE) conference, Philadelphia, Penn.


      Cassada, K. M. (2013, November). Partnering with corporations. Co-presented with Tom Shields at the Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Annual Conference, Williamsburg, Va.


      Cassada, K. M. (2013, November). Creating community at the leadership level. Co-presented with Tom Shields at the University Council for Educational Administration Annual Convention. Indianapolis, Ind.


      Cassada, K. M. (2013, August). Creating community at the leadership level. Presented at the Western Henrico Rotary Club. Richmond, Va.


      Cassada, K. M. (2012 & 2013, June). Lead I. Co-presented with Tom Shields at Chesterfield County Public Schools. Richmond, Va.


      Cassada, K. M. (2013, May). The need for ethical school leadership development in an era of teacher and principal evaluation. Co-presented with Tom Shields at New DEEL, Philadelphia, Pa.


      Cassada, K. M. (2013, March). Partnering for Excellence Program: A middle level principal, corporate community & university collaboration. Co-presented with Tom Shields at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Annual Conference, Chicago, Ill.


      Cassada, K. M. (2013, March). At the top of your game: Leadership coaching. Presented at the Chesterfield County Public Schools Issues in Education Leadership Series, Richmond, Va.


      Cassada, K. M. (2012, November). Grassroots beginning: A collaborative success. Co-presented with Tom Shields at the University Council for Educational Administration Annual Convention, Denver, Colo.


      Cassada, K. M. (2012, November). Partnering for Excellence Program: A middle level principal, corporate community & university collaboration. Co-presented with Tom Shields and Thomas Beatty at the Association for Middle Level Education Annual Conference, Portland, Ore.


      Cassada, K. M. (2012, November). EduLead: A regional, non-traditional model for school leadership preparation. Co-presented with Tom Shields at the Association for Middle Level Education Annual Conference, Portland, Ore.


      Cassada, K. M. (2012, November). EduLead: Leaders in Transition summer institute and the leadership coaching project - Pairing programming for principal success. Co-presented with Tom Shields at the Association for Middle Level Education Annual Conference, Portland, Ore.


      Cassada, K. M. (2012 & 2013, November). What is leadership? Co-presented with Cathy Fisher at the EduLead Next Generation Leadership Academy, Richmond, Va.


      Cassada, K. M. (2012, August). Teacher evaluation. Presented at the Richmond Catholic Diocese Leadership Retreat, Richmond, Va.


      Cassada, K. M. (2009-2012). Defining your core. Presented at the Leaders in Transition Summer Institute, Richmond, Va.


      Cassada, K. M. (2011, November). EduLead: A regional, non-traditional model for school leadership preparation. Co-presented with Tom Shields at the University Council for Educational Administration Convention, Pittsburgh, PA.


      Cassada, K. M. (2011). Partnering for excellence program. Presented at the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce Education Committee, Richmond, VA.

    • Memberships

      Alpha Delta Kappa


      Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development


      University Council for Educational Administration


      University Professional and Continuing Education Association


      Virginia Professors of Educational Leadership

    • Professional Experience

      Assistant Professor (2012-2018)

      School of Professional and Continuing Studies, University of Richmond, Richmond, Va.


      Director (2015-Present)
      Center for Leadership in Education, University of Richmond


      EduLead Program Coordinator (2008-2012)

      Center for School Improvement, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.


      Adjunct Assistant Professor (2010-2011)

      School of Continuing Studies, University of Richmond, Richmond, Va.


      Adjunct Instructor (2002-2010)

      Curry School of Education & School of Continuing and Professional Studies, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.


      Adjunct Instructor (2003-2010)

      School of Education Associates, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.


      Principal (1999-2003)
      Stonewall Jackson Middle School, Hanover County Public Schools, Virginia


      Assistant Principal (1997-1999)
      Stonewall Jackson Middle School, Hanover County Public Schools, Virginia


      Seventh Grade Senior Teacher (1994-1997)

      Stonewall Jackson Middle School, Hanover County Public Schools, Virginia


      Classroom Teacher (1989-1994)

      Liberty Middle School, Hanover County Public Schools, Va.

    • Certifications

      Division Superintendent, Virginia


      Administration and Supervision, PreK-12, Virginia


      Middle Education, Grades 4-8, Virginia

    • Institutional Service

      • University Faculty Senate, SPCS representative. 2021-2024
      • University Faculty Senate, Committee on Committees, Chair (2021-22), Member (2022-24)
      • Provost Search Committee. 2016-17, 2022-23
      • Fringe Benefits Committee. 2016-2021, 2022-23
      • HR Management Chair Search Committee, Chair, SPCS. 2019-2020
      • Institutional Review Board, alternate (attend approximately three meetings a year). 2015 to 2018
      • SACSCoC Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) Selection Committee. 2016
      • Assistant Professor and Internship Coordinator Faculty Search Committee, Chair, SPCS. 2015
      • Partners in the Arts Coordinator Search Committee, SPCS. 2015
      • Staff Search Committee, SPCS. 2015
      • Education Coordinator Search Committee. SPCS. 2015
      • University Faculty Council (UFC), SPCS representative. 2013-2015
      • University Faculty Council (UFC) Subcommittee, chair – Benefits. 2014-15
      • University Faculty Council (UFC) Subcommittee – University Faculty Senate Proposal. 2013-2015
      • Dean Search Committee. School of Professional and Continuing Studies. 2014-15
      • Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Search Committee, SPCS. 2014- 2015
      • Education Coordinator Search Committee, SPCS. 2014
      • UFC Subcommittee – Academic Calendar. 2013
      • Classroom Master Plan Sub-committee. 2013
      • Academic/Career Advisor Search Committee, SPCS. 2013
      • Middle School Renaissance Advisory Committee. Richmond Public Schools. 2013-2015

    • Community Service

      • Virginia Professors of Educational Leadership, President (2020 to present)
      • Session Chair. Teacher Training. 13th annual International Technology, Education and Development Conference (INTED). Valencia, Spain. March 2019.
      • Session Chair. Global issues in education and research. Ireland International Conference on Education (IICE). Dublin, Ireland. April 2017.
      • K-12 Collaborative Committee (Overby-Sheppard Elementary School). University of Richmond. 2015 to 2017
      • Richmond CenterStage. Education Committee. 2009 to present
      • Excellence in Education Committee, member. WWBT 12. Richmond, Virginia. 2015 to present
      • History Fair 2017. Judge. Richmond Public Schools
      • Alpha Delta Kappa. Chairperson, Scholarship and Fellowship Awards. 2003-2016
      • MSR 2020. Advisory Committee. 2013-2015
      • PTA Reflections Chair. Pemberton ES. 2013-2015

  • Selected Publications
    Journal Articles

    Cassada, K. M. &. Kassner, L. D. (2018). Seeing is believing: Peer video coaching as PD done with me and for me. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 18(2), 416–441. https://www.citejournal.org/volume-18/issue-2-18/general/seeing-is-believing-peer-video-coaching-as-pd-done-with-me-and-for-me/

    Cassada, K. M., Harris, J., Herting, B., Ward, T., & Brown-Kidd, D. (2017, September). A call to action: Engaging the power of peer observation. VASCD Journal. http://vascd.org/uploads/fall-2017.pdf. (Written with four graduate students.)

    Kassner, L. D., & Cassada, K. M. (2017). Chat it up: Backchanneling to promote reflective practice among in-service teachers. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 33(44), 160-168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2017.1357512

    Shields, T. J, & Cassada, K. M. (2016). Examination of access and equity by gender, race, and ethnicity in a non-traditional leadership development programme in the United States. School Leadership and Management, pp. 1-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2016.1247050

    Cassada, K. M., Berry, R. R., Shields, T. J., & Shakeshaft, C. S. (2012). EduLead: Regional partnership. Regional benefit. Virginia Educational Leadership, 9(1), 44-60. 

    Cassada, K. M., Stevens, C. J., & Wilson, J. S. (2005). Aligning school improvement: From goal setting to classroom application. Educational Leadership, 62. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership.aspx

    Book Chapters

    Shields, T. J. & Cassada, K. M. (2020). Immigration and school leadership in the Trump era: A discussion of compliance, ethic of care, and dissent. In R. R. Goethals & K. M. S. Bezio (Eds.), Leadership, populism, and resistance (pp. 176-195). Edward Elgar Publishing.

    Essays

    Cassada, K. (2022, August 14). Teacher vacancy crisis demands more than piecemeal fixes. Richmond Times Dispatch. https://richmond.com/opinion/columnists/kate-cassada-column-teacher-vacancy-crisis-demands-more-than-piecemeal-fixes/article_3e143bec-43c1-577e-a02d-8ab61340f573.html

    Cassada, K. M. (2020, August). 6 ways to set high-quality peer coaching in motion. eCampus News. Reprinted in eSchool News.

    Cassada, K., & Burcher, K. (2019, December 23). Addressing Virginia’s teacher ‘shortage.’ Richmond Times-Dispatch. https://www.richmond.com/opinion/columnists/kate-cassada-and-kathy-burcher-column-addressing-virginia-s-teacher/article_0576a812-287b-5d7a-b194-e34e68390e02.html

    Cassada, K. M. (2016). Things learned — or affirmed — as a middle school mom: Confessions of a former middle school principal. American Middle Level Educators Magazine, 4(3), 17-18.
    Reviews

    Maurer, K. (2000). [Review of the book Education and Justice, by E. W. Gordon]. American School Board Journal, 187(7), 57.

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