Cassandra grew up in Southington, Connecticut, but has called New York City home for the last eight years. She studied Biology and Anthropology at the University of Chicago. Upon graduating, she joined AmeriCorps, serving at a large community health center in the South Bronx where she stayed for four years. While with AmeriCorps, she coordinated a school-based health education program and provided grant writing and communications services for the organization's development office. While serving with AmeriCorps, she also completed her Master's in Public Health at Columbia University. After completing her graduate degree, Cassandra worked on refugee resettlement in Kenya and on the national expansion of HIV/AIDS services in Ethiopia. Upon returning to the States, she joined amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, where she oversaw communications for the organization's TREAT Asia program. In her free time, Cassandra can be found at samba class or introducing friends to the joys of shiro at her favorite Ethiopian restaurant.