1. Cassandra Allen Holifield, PhD.
680 Highcrest Drive, Acworth, GA 30101
Home: 770-917-1257
Cell: 404-993-4601
Email: cassandra_allen@bellsouth.net
Linked-in: www.linkedin.com/in/drcassandraholifield
“Dr. Holifield has brought an
incredible amount of knowledge to the
North Metro GNETS program, not
only about students with special
needs, but also about strong
instruction. While students in our
program need special services that can
only be provided by a program such
as GNETS, we must also ensure
that they have access to the same
curriculum and good instruction
found in a general educational
setting. Dr. Holifield works
tirelessly to see that students in the
North Metro GNETS program
receive both. She is a true
professional and collaborates
extremely well with the leadership of
both the schools and districts we
serve.”
Dr. Leigh Ann Putman, Metro
RESA Executive Director
Objective:
 To obtain a leadership position in Special Education, School Improvement, or
Program Management, directing, planning, and managing a district, state, regional,
national, or university Special Education School Improvement program inclusive
of, but not limited to developing, implementing, evaluating, and monitoring
rigorous research-based instructional and behavioral programming, that complies
with state and federal IDEA, ESEA, and NCLB compliance and reporting
requirements through collaboration and cross-functional teaming.
Experience:
North Metro GNETS, Atlanta, GA 2012 to Present
Director
 Perform duties and responsibilities as the educational leader of North Metro Georgia
Network for Education and Therapeutic Supports (GNETS) providing General
Supervision, oversight and effective implementation of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, the No Child Left Behind Act, the Georgia Department
of Education Special Education Rules and Regulations, and the Georgia Continuous
Improvement Monitoring Process that result in programmatic improvements,
services, support, safety, and increased academic, behavioral, therapeutic, and wrap-
around mental health services for the students served in the program
 Develop policies, procedures, practices, and regulations pertaining to the operation
of North Metro GNETS in compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, the No Child Left Behind Act, the Georgia Department of
Education Special Education Rules and Regulations, and the Metro Regional
Educational Service Agency (RESA)
 Guide the North Metro GNETS leadership team, collaborative learning teams, and
individual teachers by providing ongoing training, modeling, observation, feedback,
and support in best practices that will directly lead to increased academic,
behavioral, and therapeutic functioning for individual students served in the North
Metro GNETS program as measured by IEP goals and objectives, social,
emotional, and behavioral competence using the DTORF-R, Common Core
Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS), College and Career Readiness
Performance Index (CCRPI) targets, the Teacher Keys Evaluation System (TKES),
and the Leader Keys Evaluation System (LKES)
 Guide the North Metro GNETS leadership team and collaborative learning teams
with the development of structures and processes that support standards-based,
job-embedded, results-driven professional learning that result in improved
outcomes

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“Dr. Holifield is an educational
visionary, gifted author and a life-
long learner. Her willingness to learn
new technologies and apply them to
her field has been inspiring.
Cassandra is both a student and
teacher advocate who has
implemented creative solutions that
have greatly impacted special needs
students. She may be one of the most
dedicated and hardest working
professionals I have met in my
career.”
Dr. Tina Rooks, Educational
Consultant, Turning
Technologies
 Develop and provide rigorous, relevant, and research-based job-embedded
professional learning and on-going coaching and support based on data collection,
analysis, and planning and evidenced-based practices that improve academic and
behavioral performance for the students served in the North Metro GNETS
program
 Provide comprehensive educational and therapeutic support services to students
and their families who might otherwise require residential or other more restrictive
placements due to the severity of one or more of the characteristics of the disability
category of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) or Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASD)
 Oversee and manage the budget for North Metro GNETS (6.5 million dollars)
 Hire, supervise, and evaluate personnel and private consultants for the North
Metro GNETS program
Walden University, Minneapolis, MN 2011 to Present
Part-Time PhD Special Education Contributing Faculty
 Supervise and assess student research
 Mentor doctoral and master-level adult learners to become effective scholar-
practitioners in the area of special education
 Serve as Dissertation Chair, University Research Reviewer, and/or Member of the
Dissertation/Thesis Committee
 Communicate with students and provide timely and effective feedback that helps
guide them through their thesis and/or dissertation
 Provide Knowledge Area Module (KAM) mentoring and instructional support
 Teach, develop, and revise online courses
 Provide effective online instruction in all areas of Special Education, English
Language Learning, Response to Intervention (RTI), differentiated instruction,
behavior management, methods of instructing students with disabilities, and
evaluation of tests and measurement, using various technologies and resources
 Participate in the University's national academic residency program
 Serve on faculty governance, curriculum, and academic policy committees as needed
Metro Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA), Smyrna, GA 2011 to 2012
School Improvement Specialist (Special Education)
 Guide, coordinate, and provide onsite school improvement services to identified
schools within the Metro RESA geographic region
 Guide leaders in developing and sustaining a leadership team that is focused on
continuous improvement in order to increase student achievement
 Guide leaders, the leadership team, and collaborative learning teams with the
development of structures and processes that support standards-based, job-
embedded, results-driven professional learning
 Assist with the training and implementation of standards based teaching and
learning utilizing the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) and other research
based instructional frameworks
 Provide leadership and support to individual schools with the planning,
development, implementation and monitoring of the school improvement process
(including school improvement plans, data analysis and all other school

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"...is extremely knowledgeable about
special education and professional
development......nurturing quality
that motivates even the most
unwilling to raise standards and
expand their minds."
Charlette Green, Director of Special
Education, Cherokee County Schools
and Former Education Program
Specialist, Georgia Department of
Education
improvement related activities)
 Guide the leadership team and collaborative learning teams in creating school
improvement plans that are action plans with measurable goals that guide the
leadership team and collaborative learning teams with implementing and
monitoring the GPS within standards-based classrooms
 Guide the leadership team, collaborative learning teams, and individual teachers
(through observation, modeling, and feedback) in best practices that will directly
lead to increased academic achievement for individual students and subgroups in
relation to AYP targets (ex. Special Education)
 Provide support and assistance to school based leadership teams and instructional
staff with the interpretation and use of school and student data (development and
implementation of action plans)
 Assist with the completion and submission of all district and state level reports
relative to the school improvement process
 Provide support to school based leadership with maximizing the use of all Title I,
Part A School Improvement Grant funds
 Research, plan, and facilitate professional development for classroom teachers and
administrators who work with students with special needs in the area of standards-
based instruction, Response to Intervention, co-teaching, and behavior
management
 Assist with developing school improvement modules, materials and other support
for Title I schools and districts
 Provide training for Common Core Georgia Performance Standards
 Provide follow-up and coaching for professional learning opportunities
 Represent Metro RESA at professional conferences, meetings, state, and district
organizations
 Initiate new ideas, identify resources and share innovative information to improve
RESA services
 Use technology to improve delivery of support to districts
 Identify and evaluate common areas of potential needs or where improvements
could be realized among multiple member systems
 Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Metro RESA Executive Director
Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, UT 2010 to 2011
Special Education & English Language Learning Product Manager
 Managed and oversaw the overall quality and relevance of the Special Education and
English Language Learning Academic Programs
 Reviewed the Bachelor and Master Special Education and English Language

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"I have had the pleasure of working
with Dr. Holifield for many years.
She is a true professional and works
to provide better educational
opportunities for students with
disabilities.”
Dr. Alex Jordan, Director, SE
GLRS
Learning Program and analyzed student performance metrics to determine if the
degree, competencies, content, and learning resources were effective and efficient
 Collaborated with program specialists, field experts, and other WGU experts to
develop effective program competencies, domains, and learning resources, and
revised them when needed
 Analyzed student performance metrics and feedback that aided in the review and
revisions of programs and domains
 Coordinated with the Learning Resources and Course of Study Teams to ensure that
student-facing tools were identified or produced in a way that aligned with product
goals
 Conducted regular and ongoing evaluations of existing learning resources to ensure
they were current and that quality standards were maintained
 Maintained control of Special Education and English Language Learning Programs
and provided ongoing training to various WGU departments to ensure high
academic standards
 Served as an essential member of the WGU NCATE CEC team ensuring that the
WGU Special Education and English Language Learning academic programs were
aligned to their respective NCATE SPA Standards (CEC and TESOL)
 Worked closely with content experts, mentors, and learning community facilitators
to ensure that the curriculum, courses of study, and learning resources were of high
quality, engaging, and met the needs of students in the Bachelor and Master of
Special Education and English Language Learning Programs
 Measured product excellence as judged by student enrollments, retention, graduation,
employer acceptance, and graduate success
Northwest Georgia RESA/GLRS, Rome, GA 2003 to 2011
Director, Northwest Georgia Learning Resources System (GLRS)
http://nwglrs.wikispaces.com/
http://nwglrs.blogspot.com/
 Perform duties and responsibilities as the educational leader of NW Georgia
Learning Resources System (GLRS) coordinating, developing, and overseeing
professional development; support school improvement initiatives; assist local
educational agencies (LEAs) with developing and implementing Comprehensive
Local Education Agency Improvement Plans (CLIP); assist with Georgia
Department of Education Focused Monitoring/Compliance Review on-site visits;
assist with the development and implementation of Corrective Action Plans for 16
northwest Georgia school systems, the Northwest Georgia Network for
Educational and Therapeutic Supports (GNETS), and the Georgia School for
the Deaf in Cave Springs in all areas of special education
 Develop and provide training, coaching and support for the implementation of
evidenced-based practices through on-going professional learning for special and
general education teachers, administrators, support staff, advocacy groups, parents,
and other state educational agencies
 Develop policies, procedures, and resource manuals that conform to the Georgia
Department of Education's regulations and guidelines in all areas of special
education
 Oversee and mange the budget for NW GLRS
 Hire and supervise NW GLRS personnel and private consultants
 Initiate new ideas and share innovative information to improve NW GLRS/RESA
services; conduct technical assistance within the northwest Georgia region and
statewide; develop materials and programs; plan, develop, and coordinate
conferences, workshops, and professional learning courses; manage and/or write
grants and projects for NW GLRS and NW Georgia Regional Educational Services
Agency (RESA) and/or local systems
 Identify, assess, and evaluate areas of need and/or areas of needed improvement
among the northwest Georgia local school systems/agencies; attend conferences

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"...is a true professional in every
aspect. She is one of the few people I
know who can multi-task with
details and obtain accuracy. She is
always on the cutting edge, knowing
and implementing the latest research
and best practices relative to special
education policies and procedures at
the local, state, and federal level...is
adamant about making data driven
decisions when offering technical
support to administrators and
teachers in low performing schools
aimed at increasing teacher
effectiveness and student outcomes.
She consistently demonstrates that she
has the knowledge, skills, and
abilities to meet the demands and
challenges to work in any work
setting with integrity and
professionalism. She is an
outstanding educator, leader, and
proven Project Management
Professional. "
Dr. Doris Dickerson, Retired NW
GLRS Special Education School
Improvement Specialist &
Graduation Coach and Former
Director of Special Education, Polk
School District
and training programs to increase knowledge/skills and disseminate information to
superintendents, special education directors, building administrators, curriculum
directors, teachers, parents, and related service personnel to assist with increasing
academic achievement in students with and without disabilities
 Direct, manage, facilitate, and provide training and on-going coaching and support
for the NW GLRS On-Site Least Restrictive Environment/Inclusion Academy
 Direct, manage, facilitate, and provide training and on-going coaching and support
for the NW GLRS Site-Based Autism Academy
 Direct, manage, facilitate, and provide training and on-going coaching and support
for the NW GLRS Screening to Enhance Equitable Placement (STEEP) Project
 Collaborate and help to facilitate the NW GLRS Regional Special Education Parent
Mentor Program
Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta, GA 2000 to 2003
Education Program Specialist--Emotional/Behavioral Disorders
 Developed policies, procedures, and resource manuals that conform to Georgia
Department of Education's special education regulations and guidelines in the area
of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
 Served as a member of the Georgia Department of Education's Compliance
Review/Continuous Improvement Monitoring Team
 Provided on-going technical assistance to local school systems, Department of
Corrections, Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Georgia Network of
Educational and Therapeutic Programs (GNETS) in comprehensive program
planning and program review
 Evaluated and approved local school systems' special education budgets
 Evaluated and recommended approval of local school systems' Special Education
Waivers
 Identified, designed, developed, conducted, and evaluated staff development trainings
in the areas of interagency activities and Emotional and Behavioral Disorders'
 Coordinated and facilitated the "Georgia School Wide Discipline Program/Effective
Behavioral Instruction & Support" (EBIS) - A Project of the Georgia State
Improvement Grant Coordinator (SIG)
 Coordinated and facilitated the Georgia Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Task
Force (Statewide) - State Improvement Grant Coordinator (SIG)
 Developed, implemented, facilitated and oversaw the stateside (Teachers of Students
with Emotional Behavioral Disorders mentoring Academy" - A Project of the
Georgia State Improvement Grant (SIG)
 Provided statewide reading trainings - Certified Reading First/Reading Excellence
Trainer
 Served as a member of the Georgia Department of Education Disproportionality
Committee and co-wrote the MIID Disproportionality Reevaluation Assessment
Instrument
Atlanta Public Schools, Atlanta, GA 1994 to 2000
Teacher of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders and Autism
 Taught students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
 Taught students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
 Wrote, implemented, and provided individualized instruction for students with
Emotional and Behavioral Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders
 Piloted the first elementary program for students with Autism in Atlanta Public
Schools
 Served on Atlanta Public Schools Autism Committee; collaborated with teachers,
speech therapists, administrators, parents, and professionals to serve students with
Autism; assisted in implementing a middle and high school transition program for
students with Autism in Atlanta Public Schools
 Developed and implemented Classroom Behavior Management Plans using positive

6. - 6 -
behavioral supports
 Implemented and conducted Functional Behavioral Assessments and Behavioral
Intervention Plans
 Helped to implement and taught in a collaborative/co-teaching classroom
 Collaborated and consulted with parents, administrators, and related service
personnel on student achievement and areas of progress
 Taught and conducted educational "In-Service"/workshops
General Electric Computer Service, Atlanta, GA 1989 to 1994
Financial Analyst
 Served as a Team leader supervising and training personnel in maintaining customer
contracts
 Assisted in the implementation and maintenance of new contracts
 Managed and maintained customer accounts in excess of 6M monthly
 Implemented new policies and procedures that affected team performance
 Assisted in designing and planning programs for professional growth and
development
 Assisted in the implementation of a Cultural Diversity Program
Education:
State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA
2003-2004
Leadership Endorsement - Director of Special Education
Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
1998-2003
 PhD. Special Education – Education of Students with Exceptionalities:
Behavior/Learning Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders
 Applied Behavioral Analysis
 Pi Lambda Theta National Honor Society
Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
1992-1994
 MED., Special Education – Behavior/Learning Disabilities
 Cum Laude
University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN
1982-1986
 BA, Psychology
Certifications:
 Director: Special Education
 Reading Endorsement
 SP ED Behavior Disorders
 SP ED Language Arts Cognitive Level
 SP ED Math Cognitive Level
 SP ED Reading Cognitive Level
 SP ED Science Cognitive Level
 SP ED Social Studies Cognitive Level
 Certified Special Education Mediator with Justice Center of Atlanta
 Thinking Maps Train-the-Trainer

7. - 7 -
Credentialing:
 Leader Keys Effectiveness System (LKES)
 Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES)
 Mindset Certified
 Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI)
 PBIS SWIS Facilitator
 PBIS CICO Facilitator
 PBIS ISIS-SWIS Facilitator
 Mental Health First Aid Instructor
Honors, Memberships, Professional Organizations, & Affiliations:
Executive Chair of the Statewide Georgia Network of Educational & Therapeutic Supports
(GNETS) Program, Executive Board Member of the Georgia Council for Administrators of
Special Education (Research & Innovation Committee), International Association for K-12
Online Learning (iNACOL), GaDOE TLE Advisory Board Committee, Project Management
Institute Member, Cambridge Who's Who of America Top 101 Industry
Experts/Education 2010; National Association of State Directors of Special Education
(NASDSE), Georgia Council of Administrators of Special Education (GCASE), Georgia
Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL), Georgia Association of Curriculum &
Instructional Supervisors (GACIS), National Autism Society of America, Special Education
Delegate to South Africa in the People to People Ambassador Program, Manchester Who's
Who Registry of Executives & Professionals, Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and
Affiliate Division memberships: Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD),
Division for Developmental Disabilities (DDD), Division for Culturally & Linguistically
Diverse Exceptional Learners (DDEL), Division for Early Childhood (DEC), Division for
Learning Disabilities (DLD), and Teacher Education Division (TED).
Conference Presentations & Publications:
 2015 Georgia State University Association for Positive Behavior Support Annual
Conference, "Function-Based Interventions, Positive Behavioral Interventions &
Supports, and GNETS”, December 2-3, 2015.
 2014 Georgia State University Association for Positive Behavior Support Annual
Conference, "Function-Based Interventions, Positive Behavioral Interventions &
Supports, and GNETS”, December 3-4, 2014.
 "Using Self-Monitoring to Increase Attending to Task and Academic Accuracy in
Children with Autism", Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities (FOCUS),
October 4, 2010;
http://foa.sagepub.com/content/early/2010/10/02/1088357610380137
 2010 Georgia Council of Administrators of Special Education (GCASE) Fall
Conference, “Differentiated Instruction Using Web 2.0 21st Century Teaching
Tools for Teachers and Students with Disabilities”, November 10 – 12, 2010,
Savannah, Georgia
 2009 Wesley Educational Services’ 9th Annual SST Conference: Meeting the RTI
Challenge, “Using Data-Based Decision Making to Meet AYP for Students With
Disabilities and Other At-Risk Students”, October 2009, Atlanta, Georgia
 2008 – 2009 Staff Development Resources: “Behavior Interventions That Work:
RTI Strategies That Support Students with Emotional Behavioral Disorders and
Autism Spectrum Disorders, October 2008 – May 2009, Nationwide
 Dialogue Writer for the IDEA Partnership for the National Association of State Directors
of Special Education, Inc., April 2009, www.ideapartnership.org

8. - 8 -
 Author - "The ABC's of Response to Intervention & Behavior Next Steps: A Practitioner's
Guide to Implementation", October 2008, Outskirts Press, ISBN# 978-1-4327-3649-1
 2008 - 2009 National Presenter for Staff Development Resources, "Behavior
Interventions That Work: RTI Strategies that Support Students with Emotional,
Behavioral, and Spectrum Disorders", various dates and locations,
www.sdresources.org
 2008 Wesley Educational Services’ 8th Annual SST Conference: Meeting the RTI
Challenge, “Implementing Response to Intervention (RtI) to Provide a Multi-
Tiered Approach to Positive Behavioral Supports”, October 2007 & 2008, Atlanta,
Georgia
 2007 Georgia Parent Mentor Partnership Annual Kick Off Conference, “Parents
Helping to Implement RTI to Provide a Multi-Tiered Approach to Positive
Behavioral Supports”, October 16 – 17, 2007, Callaway Gardens, Georgia
 2006 Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) 17th Annual Fall
Conference: Collaborative Leadership: Impacting Achievement for All Students,
“Implementing Response to Intervention (RtI) to Provide a Multi-Tiered
Approach to Positive Behavioral Supports”, November 10-11, 2006, Savannah,
Georgia
 2006 Georgia Reading First Struggling Readers Conference, “Reading & Models of
Inclusion”, September 7-8, 2006, Atlanta, Georgia
 2006 Northwest Georgia Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) Leadership
Conference, “Georgia’s Pyramid of Interventions/Response to Intervention (RTI):
The Answer to Improving SST & Reducing Disproportionality”, June 8-9, 2006,
Rome, Georgia.
 2006 Georgia Statewide Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) Conference,
“Administrator’s Guide to Inclusion and Differentiated Instruction”, May 3-5,
2006, St. Simons, Georgia
 2006 National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems, “People
(NCCREST) National Conference, “Creating Opportunities to Learn: A Forum for
Addressing Disproportionality, February 15-17, 2006, Denver, Colorado.
 People to People Ambassador Programs, “Special Education Professional
Delegation to South Africa”, October 10-20, 2005, Johannesburg & Cape Town ,
South Africa
 2005 Northwest Georgia Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) Leadership
Conference, “The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
(IDEIA) of 2004” June 7-8, 2005, Rome, Georgia.
 2005 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Convention & Expo, April 6-9,
2005, Baltimore, Maryland
 National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems, “English
Language Learners: Emergent Research on Linguistic Differences & Learning
Disabilities”, November 18-19, 2004, Scottsdale, Arizona
 Georgia Association of Curriculum & Instructional Supervisors (GACIS) Fall 2004
Conference, “Inclusion of Students with Problem Behaviors in the General
Education Classroom: Practical Strategies”, September 30, 2004, University of
Georgia, Athens, Georgia
 Discipline of Students with Special Needs in Georgia, “Inclusion of Students with
Problem Behaviors in the General Education Classroom: Practical Strategies”,
September 24, 2004, Cobb Galleria Center, Atlanta, Georgia
 Pupil Appraisal Summer Institute, “Differentiated Instruction & Instructional

9. - 9 -
Strategies for Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Students and Students with
Disabilities, August 2, 2004, Pennington Conference Center, Baton Rouge,
Louisiana
References Available Upon Request