Cassandra Shand
Consultant
Cassandra Shand is a strategist, innovator, and policy expert who harnesses her extensive background in strategy, policy, and innovation, along with a passionate commitment to societal improvement, to tackle some of today's most pressing challenges. With a focus on eradicating homelessness in the US, Cassandra champions performance-based programs and strategic policy alignment as key drivers for change.
Cassandra's journey is marked by an insatiable curiosity that has propelled her through an illustrious academic and professional path. As a Ph.D. candidate in Engineering at the University of Cambridge, she delves into the nexus of strategy and policy design for managing disruptive technologies. After graduating summa cum laude from UCLA two years early with degrees in Political Science and History, Cassandra earned master's degrees from the University of Cambridge in Politics and International Studies, and from the University of Chicago in Public Policy. Throughout her studies, she has earned multiple prestigious fellowships and has debated policy and philosophy around the world.
Her expertise is not confined to academia. Cassandra stands out for her exceptional ability to quickly discern patterns, develop innovative strategies, and leverage these insights for impactful contributions across domestic and international policy spheres. Her work spans serving local governments to offering expert analysis and strategies for national think tanks, showcasing her deep understanding of political mechanisms at every governmental level. Most recently, her tenure as a Law and Policy Fellow at the Cicero Institute exemplifies her insight into domestic policy reform.
Internationally, Cassandra has established foreign policy and diplomacy expertise by actively participating in regional security dialogues, representing an NGO at a high-stakes terror trial in Guantanamo Bay, and leading cross-cultural professional delegations to Japan and Israel/Palestine. Her voice has been instrumental in shaping the discourse on defense innovation, evidenced by her fellowship with the National Security Innovation Network and insightful contributions to esteemed outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, National Interest, and RealClearEnergy.
In the realm of innovation and entrepreneurship, Cassandra is the CEO/co-founder of an early-stage AI analytics startup that has won multiple competitions. She has been selected for various innovation-related programs, including two FedTech cohorts, where she developed deep-tech commercialization strategies for multiple technologies. Cassandra was also selected as a fellow for the University of Austin's (UATX) inaugural Polaris Fellowship and has proven experience building and leading teams. She was invited to Iceland to discuss her thoughts on innovation bottlenecks and asked to speak on various entrepreneurship-focused panels.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Cassandra's passion for competition and exploration is evident in her dedication to competitive sailing and functional fitness. These activities not only reflect her dynamic and spirited nature but also her belief in the value of discipline, strategy, and teamwork.
Cassandra Shand is a strategist, innovator, and policy expert who harnesses her extensive background in strategy, policy, and innovation, along with a passionate commitment to societal improvement, to tackle some of today's most pressing challenges. With a focus on eradicating homelessness in the US, Cassandra champions performance-based programs and strategic policy alignment as key drivers for change.
Cassandra's journey is marked by an insatiable curiosity that has propelled her through an illustrious academic and professional path. As a Ph.D. candidate in Engineering at the University of Cambridge, she delves into the nexus of strategy and policy design for managing disruptive technologies. After graduating summa cum laude from UCLA two years early with degrees in Political Science and History, Cassandra earned master's degrees from the University of Cambridge in Politics and International Studies, and from the University of Chicago in Public Policy. Throughout her studies, she has earned multiple prestigious fellowships and has debated policy and philosophy around the world.
Her expertise is not confined to academia. Cassandra stands out for her exceptional ability to quickly discern patterns, develop innovative strategies, and leverage these insights for impactful contributions across domestic and international policy spheres. Her work spans serving local governments to offering expert analysis and strategies for national think tanks, showcasing her deep understanding of political mechanisms at every governmental level. Most recently, her tenure as a Law and Policy Fellow at the Cicero Institute exemplifies her insight into domestic policy reform.
Internationally, Cassandra has established foreign policy and diplomacy expertise by actively participating in regional security dialogues, representing an NGO at a high-stakes terror trial in Guantanamo Bay, and leading cross-cultural professional delegations to Japan and Israel/Palestine. Her voice has been instrumental in shaping the discourse on defense innovation, evidenced by her fellowship with the National Security Innovation Network and insightful contributions to esteemed outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, National Interest, and RealClearEnergy.
In the realm of innovation and entrepreneurship, Cassandra is the CEO/co-founder of an early-stage AI analytics startup that has won multiple competitions. She has been selected for various innovation-related programs, including two FedTech cohorts, where she developed deep-tech commercialization strategies for multiple technologies. Cassandra was also selected as a fellow for the University of Austin's (UATX) inaugural Polaris Fellowship and has proven experience building and leading teams. She was invited to Iceland to discuss her thoughts on innovation bottlenecks and asked to speak on various entrepreneurship-focused panels.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Cassandra's passion for competition and exploration is evident in her dedication to competitive sailing and functional fitness. These activities not only reflect her dynamic and spirited nature but also her belief in the value of discipline, strategy, and teamwork.
