Cassandra Balfour

An agile and detail-oriented nonprofit manager with over six years of experience managing high impact programs, driving operational excellence and supporting grantees and partners. Skilled at the daily implementation of grant management such as project planning and managing financial processes. With a multicultural background and years of experience collaborating with funders, partners and grantees on international and community levels, I am an especially diplomatic and authentic relationship builder. With experience innovating operational processes for a more traditional nonprofit and working nimbly for a start-up nonprofit, I am adept at independently learning different technological systems and creating effective documentation. I am eager to work with ventures doing truly transformation work that leads to measurable social change in service of justice and equity.

• Worked as a program assistant facilitating dialogues about race and social justice for the University of Michigan.
• Community organizer and volunteer - Restaurant Workers Justice Association and the Detroit Partnership.
• Community organizing internship with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan.
• Awarded the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference scholarship.
• Community Culture Editor and Reporter - University of Michigan Daily Newspaper.
• Continued education: Professional and self-directed coursework in project and people management as well as an IDEO U design thinking course called "Insights for Innovation."

• Community of Writers (June 2022) – Selected to take part in this competitive poetry workshop facilitated by renowned poets such as Ada Limón.
• Freelance writing – Wrote freelance articles covering the D.C. theater scene for the Washington City Paper http://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/author/cassiebalfour/.
• Extensive travel – Traveled extensively for work throughout the U.S., Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America.