With a background in community psychology and cultural sociology, Cassidy has substantial research and program evaluation experience, and a keen interest in creating a more equitable world through complex systems change. Before joining ORS in the fall of 2022, she served as an evaluator in a youth-serving nonprofit organization in Hawaii, where she honed her skills in facilitating community-based participatory research. Through her work in clinical community research, she worked with people living with HIV to identify barriers to receiving care.

More recently, she served as an evaluation and grant writing associate at the Brockport Research Institute, focused on increasing capacity in inner-city public schools serving dual-language students. She also served as a Research Associate at Northeastern University’s School of Business, conducting research on industry trends and the effects of modern working conditions on truck driving employees.

Cassidy grounds herself in her values of advancing equity, building strong relationships, and approaching her work with courage, humility, and integrity. She holds an M.A. in Community, Cultural and Developmental Psychology, and has advanced training in a variety of quantitative, qualitative, and community-based participatory methods. Outside of the office, you can usually find Cassidy enjoying movies with friends, taking pictures, and playing with her dog and cat.