ABOUT CASSIE
Cassie Haynes is the co-Founder and former Co-Executive Director of Resolve Philly, a renowned nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering collaboration and innovation in journalism and community engagement. With a deep passion for social impact and an unwavering commitment to amplifying excluded voices, Cassie has made significant contributions to the field of local news and solutions journalism. She has been a driving force behind transformative initiatives that bridge the gap between newsrooms and marginalized communities, ultimately leading to more inclusive and impactful storytelling. Her exceptional leadership skills and strategic vision have garnered widespread recognition, establishing her as a respected figure in the media landscape.
Cassie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Pace University, where she developed a keen understanding of the power of storytelling to shape societal narratives and drive positive change. She graduated with Masters in Public Health from Tufts University School of Medicine and a Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law. Combining her academic experiences with her unwavering determination, Cassie embarked on a mission to redefine the relationship between social policy and storytelling, focusing on narrative building and supplanting especially among and on behalf of excluded communities.
During her tenure at Resolve Philly, Cassie played a pivotal role in spearheading collaborative journalism initiatives, forging partnerships between news organizations, community leaders, and local residents. Her innovative approach to operational resilience and organizational storytelling has brought about a transformation in how newsrooms -- nonprofit newsrooms in particular -- practice their craft, build sustainable strategies, and engage with the communities their work aims to serve.
Under the leadership of Cassie and Jean Friedman-Rudovsky, current Executive Director and the organization's other co-founder, Resolve Philly became a catalyst for change, tackling critical social justice and systemic issues. Through their efforts, Resolve established groundbreaking reporting and community engagement projects that amplified the voices of entire communities. These initiatives not only shed light on underreported stories but also create pathways and paid opportunities for individuals to participate actively in the local news production cycle. Cassie's exceptional leadership qualities are evident in her ability to cultivate diverse, high-performing teams, nurturing an environment of collaboration and creativity. She has inspired journalists, community organizers, and civic leaders to come together, bridging gaps and fostering shared understanding to drive meaningful social impact.
For more than a decade, Cassie has been a leader in social innovation and business strategy, holding executive leadership positions with the City of Philadelphia and in startups at the intersection of the health and fitness industries. She was Executive Director of the global governing body of flat track roller derby and had a brief tenure as a lawyer with a mid-sized Philadelphia-based union-side labor law firm. Beyond her role at Resolve Philly, Cassie has been recognized as a thought leader on anti-racist journalism, operational resilience, resource development, and nonprofit leadership, speaking at numerous conferences and events, sharing her expertise and inviting others to consider how they can make their news and information products more accessible, reflective of, and responsive to those communities who've been excluded from participation and accurate representation in local news media. Her contributions have been widely acknowledged, earning her (and her co-founder and #workbae) the Online News Association's prestigious Impact Award, Nonprofit Leader of the Year from the Institute for Nonprofit News, and the Women of Merit in Non-profit Leadership award from national news outlet, Al Día, among other accolades and awards for her dedication to the future of local news and empowering communities.
Today, Cassie continues to be a force for change, leveraging her vast experience and expertise to drive narrative evolution and sustainable innovation in media. She advises clients - philanthropic institutions and family funds, impact investors, and (primarily news) media organizations - on the strategic development and deployment of financial resources in service of a more inclusive, reflective, and authentic media landscape.
Cassie is a national speaker and thought leader whose engagements have included keynotes, panels, and other featured presentations for the National Press Club, Knight Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Online News Association, National Association of Science Writers, and many others. Her writing has appeared in Popular Science, Neiman Lab, and the Philadelphia Inquirer, among other local and national publications. Cassie is a Boston Marathoner, a record-holding powerlifter, and a casual practitioner of Brazilian Jiujitsu. She currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI with her wife, their daughter, and their two dumb dogs.
