Cassandra Erkens shares her expert knowledge with teachers and administrators throughout the United States and Canada as an independent consultant and recognized leader in education. Currently the president of Anam Cara Consulting, Inc., she is also an adjunct faculty member at Hamline University, where she offers Master of Arts in Education courses and facilitates a learning community for educators engaged in the two-year M.A. Ed. extended degree program. Cassandra has served as a high school English teacher, district-level director of staff development, and state-level Educational Effectiveness regional facilitator. In addition, she is a keynote presenter, trainer of trainers, workshop facilitator, and executive coach. Her presentations address a variety of hot-button topics facing educators today, including leadership development, changing school culture, systems to support school improvement, and powerful instructional strategies and assessment designs.

Cassandra holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and education and a Master of Arts in organization development and human resources. She has served on the board of the Minnesota Staff Development Council and Commissioner-appointed Statewide Staff Development Advisory Council.

Author and co-author of several formal education-based training programs, Cassandra has dedicated her career to enhancing the educational experience for both students and teachers. She trains all Solution Tree presenters, as well as other experts in education, and she continues to share practical applications of best-practice strategies with educators throughout North America.