Amy Casso Email & Phone Number

As a Senior Associate, she collaborates with organizations, networks, government agencies, and communities to produce and deliver services committed to transformational, long-term change for racial equity. She employs a collaborative change framework to shift and build power in ways that challenge the underlying drivers of inequities. Her client services include designing racial equity change and strategy processes, providing racial equity leadership and management coaching, and delivering other training and consulting practices.

San Antonio, Texas Metropolitan Area

Provide strategic direction for organizational initiatives that strengthen cultural competency, and understanding of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and other areas of individual identity, designed to increase awareness and support of equity and inclusion values. •Created and executed a citywide Equity Training Program and Equity Capacity Building Initiative•Developed curriculum and tools; designed customized training strategies; administered a train-the-trainer model; managed DEI consultants.•Facilitated and aligned cross-departmental training teams, department equity action teams, and equity trainer cohorts (100 trainers/40 Departments) in implementing a three-part equity curriculum.•Implemented targeted and large-scale DEI programming for all City employees.•Administered and managed departmental equity assessments and action plans for designated City departments.•Administered strategic coaching, training and guidance to departments aimed at transforming practices, policies, budget decisions and culture to advance equity.•Serve as subject matter expert to senior and executive leadership teams on the application of equity framework to COVID-19 program strategies and federal funding strategies, performance metrics and reporting (CARES Act and ARPA).•Developed and facilitated 100s of trainings on DEI-related topics such as Anti-Blackness, Intersectionality, Latinx Identity, Strategic Planning, Gender Justice, and the City’s equity curriculum. •Directed and enhanced the application of the Equity Atlas (City's equity data ranking index) with departments to inform budgets, programs, and strategies to reduce disparities.•Formulated equitable and inclusionary recommendations for the City’s administrative directives on Gender Identity and Expression policies and public engagement best practices on data collection of demographic questions.

Portland, Oregon Area

Developed and implemented programs strategically designed to give a voice to intersectional marginalized communities by building coalitions through grassroots organizing focused on racial, gender and reproductive equity. Drafted legislation resulting in concrete policy change in women’s reproductive health and autonomy.• Oversaw and evaluated the implementation of gender justice programs including We are BRAVE (Building Reproductive Autonomy and Voices for Equity) a reproductive justice project instrumental in the development and passage of the RHEA of 2017.•Strategic oversight of legislative and ballot measure campaign strategies, staff, campaign coalition budget and communications strategies. •Coordinated program integration with Racial Justice and Tribal Sovereignty Directors on tools, curriculum, and training plans. •Administrative and managerial oversight of program staff (incl. recruitment and hiring) and program budget.•Subject matter expert to organizations, campaigns, foundations, and governmental agencies on racial, gender and reproductive justice inclusionary policies and best practices.•Lead trainer for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, and Organizational Development; Designed and implemented leadership development programs.•Managed and reviewed the regranting process with BRAVE strategic partners.•Advised Oregon Health Authority (OHA) on communications, outreach/engagement, and training strategy and planning for RHEA implementation.•Co-lead cross-departmental workgroup to develop and launch culturally responsive strategies for successful RHEA implementation.•Co-authored policy implementation toolkit with OHA for community partners, advocates, and community enrollment centers. •Trained Funders for Reproductive Equity, Social Justice Fund and National Institution for Reproductive Health (State Infrastructure Project) on racial, gender and reproductive equity.•Fostered strategic partnerships for policy, ballot measures and programmatic efforts.

San Antonio, Texas Area

Conducted health and social policy analysis and advocacy for systemic changes in health and social policies impacting Latinx health. Organized advocacy support and civic education activities on policy priorities by raising awareness of the disparities in healthcare and advocating on issues and policies affecting Latinx communities. •Strategized and implemented program activities: research, program objectives, curriculum design and training.•Supervised staff, research interns and/or volunteers.•Secured strategic partnerships with coalitions, educational institutions, legislative staff, and community.•Developed communication strategies for legislative campaigns; cultivated media contacts, organized press conferences; produced media talking points and messaging.•Analyzed, developed, and monitored local, state, and national policies.•Researched and constructed policy and issue briefs, reports, position papers, testimony, and other materials on policy priorities. •Strategic guidance of legislative targets and statewide organizing targets.•Organized advocacy support and civic education activities on policy priorities with elected officials and constituency.Professional Highlights:◆ Development of leadership training and curriculum with Grassroots Organizations,Promotoras and National Association of Hispanic Nurses.◆ Coordinated and convened Policy summits on the Affordable Care Act and Latinos and Latino Childhood Obesity Legislative Summit.◆ Successfully developed a Latino Senior Leadership Model for Texas AARP. The model was currently selected among 10 grantees nationally with the AARP foundation to be implemented to address food insecurity issues among Latino seniors.

Founding member of a regional grassroots organization committed to providing immigrant rights advocacy groups with tools, political analysis, training opportunities and spaces for dialogue that modeled popular education principles. Project Responsibilities: * Conducted strategic planning and established organizational infrastructure. * Convened local organizers and provided training opportunities for Texas organizers. * Designed curriculum and led popular education trainings on an array of leadership development and capacity building topics. * Consulted for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Communities Creating a Healthy Environment (CCHE) to identify and conduct outreach and recruitment of CCHE grantee applicants; assist in developing southern policy and organizing landscape analysis for CCHE grantee selection criteria; participate in TA policy working group that assisted in CCHE’s food policy and childhood obesity framework, conducted research and produced policy briefs.* Developed grassroots fundraising strategies for events as well as grant writing and management.Professional Highlights:◆ In 2008, was a consultant to National Technical Assistance Team for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Communities Creating Healthy Environment (CCHE). ◆ Established a Grassroots Immigrant Rights Institute in Texas for 100’s of local organizers.

A national staffer based in Texas, coordinated Immigrant Community Organizers (ICO) program, a resource for immigrant rights organizers nationwide. Program Management Responsibilities:* Responsible for ICO program outreach and recruitment. * Established and provided oversight to ICO working groups, facilitated meetings, developed workplans, and produced quarterly reports.* Organized and convened ICO meetings regionally and nationally. * Designed popular education curriculum and trainings on topics ranging from racial, gender and economic justice, best practices for nonprofit and leadership development.* Participated in national policy and organizing meetings on policy priorities. Conducted policy research and provided updates on policy priorities to ICO members.Community Outreach and Development Responsibilities:* Contributed to the development, recruitment and facilitation of NOA’s annual conference, regional and national events.* Participated in NOA constituency development by conducting follow-up outreach and need assessments with new and existing membersProfessional Highlights:◆ Co-convened TX for Immigrant Worker Freedom Rides events in San Antonio thatincluded media outreach, fundraising, and program development.◆ Successfully expanded membership of the ICO program and diversified the membership of NOA. ◆ Provided Organizational Development to more than 20 organizations in the area of strategic planning and needs assessment.◆ Developed regional training publications; for example, The Organizer’s Survival Manual – a guide for first-time organizers outlining how-to work with social justice organizations, organizer rights and responsibility and workplace justice.

Greater Seattle Area

Greater Seattle Area

Salem,Oregon

Master Of Public Administration, 2002

Bachelor Of Arts, Planning, Public Policy And Management & Political Science

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Leadership Studies