Cassondra Reinsel has been working in secondary and higher education with over 15 years of experience. Formerly the Student Resources Program Manager at Las Positas College where she was the first Pacific Islander to serve in a manager role in Chabot Las Positas Community College District, she has developed and managed programs that serve thousands of students, with a particular focus on basic needs, equity, and student persistence. Cassondra is a driving force behind culturally responsive learning communities, having co-founded Movement API, a new learning community for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students. She has also actively collaborated with Puente, Umoja, Athletics, and more. In addition to her programmatic work, Cassondra has been an active member of equity-centered committees and initiatives, including the Student Equity and Achievement (SEA) Committee, the EOPS/CalWORKs/NextUp/CAREs Advisory Board, and the UndocuAlly Task Force. Her approach is grounded in social justice, cross-sector collaboration, and a deep belief that education should be accessible, affirming, and transformative.
Her dedication to inclusion and advocacy extends beyond campus. Cassondra worked with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders for two years, was a leader in the Pacific Islander Education and Retention (PIER) project, designed and taught a course on Pacific Islanders and higher education at UCLA, and served as a high school educator in Hawai‘i, where she embedded local culture, language, and social justice into her curriculum. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Organization & Leadership in Higher Education at the University of San Francisco.
Cassondra enjoys writing educational raps, spending time with family, and taking care of her two dogs Sparkle, and Tucker.