Cassandra Brentley

Dr. Cassandra Brentley is an Engagement Manager on Mass Insight’s School Improvement Team. Dr. Brentley supports school district reinvention work that aims to create more equitable learning environments through systems change. She learned early in life how the field of education had the ability to change lives. What she did not realize at the time was how that knowledge would lead to her life’s work as a disruptor in the space. As her career progressed in education, she was stunned to come face to face with the immensely inequitable system, particularly for the most vulnerable in the society. She became determined to help people achieve the proficiency required to transform their current situation and improve their lives. As the Director of Special Projects with the Center for Urban Education (University of Pittsburgh), Dr. Brentley explored the intersections of mentoring, tutoring, and artificial intelligence educational technology as a key member of a research-practice partnership. Prior to that role, she served as an administrator at an innovative start-up high school where students engaged in real-world project-based learning, including a comprehensive internship program. She is inspired by African American liberatory education and the work of educators who have fought for freedom and liberation in education in radical ways, such as Paulo Freire and Bob Moses. Cassandra’s ultimate career goal is to lead work that transforms K-12 schools, providing more equitable learning spaces that cultivate skills that will prepare students for life in the 21st century and acknowledge their humanity while providing a joyful learning experience.