2022 40 Under 40 Winners

After less than four years with IU Health Foundation, Cassandra has led or co-led fundraising efforts for a total of $11.6 million in grant funding from government, corporate and foundation sources. Her natural leadership skills and fundraising expertise earned her a promotion to the new position of Director – Grants Team in 2021.  

She steered a three-year process that led to an $8 million grant to support the Mosaic Center for Work, Life, and Learning, a workforce development project in downtown Indianapolis near IU Health’s flagship hospitals.

She is a member of the Foundation's Anti-Racism SMART Group and facilitates "safe space" Peers in Dialogue discussions around issues of diversity, equity and inclusion.  

Cassandra earned a master's degree in philanthropic studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. 

I spent years fundraising for youth development focused nonprofits. I was looking for a new challenge and I instantly connected with IU Health's mission to make Indiana a healthier state. 

Healthcare is one of the few industries that is prevalent in an individual's life from birth through death. Through my work I can make an impact through philanthropy inside the hospital walls but also through the numerous community facing initiatives IU Health leads across the state. 

After graduating from college, I did a year of service with AmeriCorps VISTA. My plan was to take one year to give back to the community and then pursue my dream of working publishing. However, I fell in love with the nonprofit sector and grant writing specifically. I realized I could combine my passions of writing and helping others and build a career in my home state. After my year of service ended, I took a Development Manager position at a small nonprofit and continued to grow my skills in fundraising. 

My greatest passion is learning! I am a lifelong learner and I am so grateful to live in a time where knowledge is literally at my fingertips in the form of podcasts, publications, social media and documentaries. One of my favorite things about my job writing grant proposals is that I learn something new every day. 

Build your network! Both internal to your organization and external. I frequently ask colleagues and peers to coffee to learn about their career paths and latest projects. I have found some great mentors through this approach. I have also realized areas where my team or organization can collaborate on innovative projects that otherwise would not have been on my radar.