Gretchen M. Cassini, J.D.
Principal
Public service and public policy are my passions. Across a thirty-year career, primarily in public sector program administration and executive leadership roles, I supported and built organizations and programs that people believed in, invested in, and received considerable value from.
My professional career began in the Florida Senate before shifting into academia. As a research professor at Florida State University's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, I was published in national and international peer-reviewed journals while working on U.S. Department of State, Department of Justice, and other grant research programs. Later, as North Carolina's District Director of Sentencing Services, I oversaw felony offender management, reentry, and diversion programs for adults and juveniles, working closely with the State's Attorney, Public Defender, probation, and community-based care providers. The District Administrator position was responsible for an office while carrying a complex caseload and presenting office recommendations to judges during court proceedings.
Upon returning to Broward County, I worked in the field of grant research and writing for human and social services agencies and community providers. I developed courses for social service and public health professionals to receive continuing educational credits through partnerships with local universities and delivered courses to non-profits intended to strengthen institutional capacity and service impacts. While overseeing and coordinating grant pursuits for Broward County in various roles, I secured hundreds of millions in competitive grants and appropriations related to organizational and community priorities, many of which involved complex partnerships.
Success in building and managing cross-functional collaborative programs led me into executive leadership. As Director of Grants and Governmental Relations for Barry University, I worked directly with the university's president on issue and policy advocacy at the state and federal levels. The Director was responsible for centralization and oversight of extensive research - and project-based funding pursuits across campuses statewide. For two semesters, I also served as an adjunct professor of Sociology and Criminology.
As Broward County's Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Professional Standards, I oversaw a team of lawyers, audit specialists, and certified investigators handling housing and employment discrimination investigations, Equal Employment Opportunity compliance, whistle-blower complaints, allegations of HIPAA and ADA violations, and enforcing the County's Human Rights Act. The Director was the County's chief state and federal advocate, with responsibility for selecting and managing contract lobbying teams and delivering on behalf of the County's policy platforms and funding priorities. The Director was also required to serve as Federal Emergency Management Administration Liaison Officer during declared states of emergencies.
From 2012 to 2020, I worked in County Administration for the 11th largest county in the nation, supporting the top executive, nine elected officials, and leaders of diverse business lines. I was responsible for supporting policy-level strategic planning, business plan alignment, and countywide organizational development and effectiveness efforts, including an ERP transition, IT implementations, and technology adaptations. The role also oversaw centralizing grant pursuits and four staff. I supported numerous special projects including a multi-agency, multi-funder, regional transportation and economic development "streetcar" initiative, and two ballot measures. The County's 2018 referendum was the largest by dollar value to pass in that cycle in the nation; expected to generate over $15 billion for transportation improvements by 2048.
After the successful passage of the 2018 referendum, I was asked to operationalize and oversee the complex transportation surtax program requiring coordination with local and regional stakeholders. I was responsible for acting as the Executive Director/Coordinator for a seven-member authority and nine-member independent oversight body, and reporting to nine elected commissioners, executives, the business community, and the public. With broad local, regional, and occasionally national interest in the program, I acted as the spokesperson. I developed and maintained nationally recognized communications strategies, innovative information delivery methods (including AR/VR/3D, project visualizations using drone and animated imagery, as well as PowerBI and GIS dashboards), grassroots civic engagement initiatives, and a robust social media presence. The position had responsibility for transparency and accountability efforts, like responding to programmatic and performance audits and working with a talented team to develop and maintain reporting mechanisms, including centralized financial systems to facilitate effective oversight of billions in revenues. I administered and ensured compliance for over $200 million in grants and contracts between 2019-2026.
I attended Wake Forest University, earned a Bachelor's of Arts from Florida State University (FSU), and received a Juris Doctor from FSU College of Law.
In 2021, I graduated from Leadership Florida's Cornerstone Class 39 and in December 2024, completed the national High Performance Leadership Academy.
Throughout my academic and professional career, I was recognized for excellence, service, and innovation. I maintained memberships in numerous professional associations and served on regional, state, and national committees. For over 25 years, I have been a professional and personal mentor, modeling servant-leadership philosophies to students and mid-career professionals,. By investing professional energy in institutions and systems working to regain and maintain public trust, I supported people-focused systems. I am inspired by transformational change and experiential growth that builds resilient, courageous communities.
In 2026, I retired to focus on building CivVia Solutions; seeking to deliver direct services to organizations while increasing positive momentum in the public sector.
The CivVia team includes expertise from seasoned professionals across a variety of fields, willing to bring their knowledge and skills on-site or deliver value virtually. We are here to empower performance, create lasting organizational culture change, and build transformational communities.