Caroline Casagrande

Caroline Casagrande is a senior executive and public policy leader with over two decades of experience shaping strategy at the intersection of government, education, and technology. A former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and four-term New Jersey Assemblywoman, she has built a career influencing policy at the highest levels-across state legislatures, Capitol Hill, and international diplomacy. Caroline currently serves as Chief External Affairs Officer at the Center for Education Reform (CER), where she leads national engagement efforts to advance CER’s mission of expanding innovation and opportunity in American education. She oversees the organization’s public affairs, strategic partnerships, and government relations, working across sectors to promote policies that prioritize student outcomes, parent choice, and high-performing educational models. With deep experience in both government and industry, Casagrande drives CER’s external strategy to elevate bold education reforms, build bipartisan coalitions, and accelerate the transformation of K-12 and workforce-connected learning across the country. Previously, she served as Executive Director of State and Federal Affairs at Stride, Inc., a $2 billion

publicly traded education company, where she led federal and state government relations across 42 states. She played a central role in expanding workforce development programs, securing landmark strategic partnerships, and driving enterprise growth-including initiatives that helped double the company’s stock price and boost annual revenue by over $200 million. Her portfolio included work with MedCerts, Tallo, and Galvanize, where she led innovative strategies linking education to employment, especially in healthcare and tech. Casagrande was also appointed as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Academic Programs, where she oversaw flagship international diplomacy efforts-including the Fulbright Program, Gilman Scholarships, and Education USA. She managed a global team of 2,000+ and a $400 million annual budget, spearheading initiatives that strengthened U.S. public diplomacy and international partnerships in over 100 countries. Earlier in her career, she served four terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, becoming the youngest woman legislator in state history. As a policymaker, she co-chaired the Republican Policy Committee, led high-profile legislative initiatives, and served on key committees, including Appropriations, Banking, Insurance, and Judiciary. An attorney by training, Casagrande also brings legal experience advising municipal and environmental entities in New Jersey, and has founded a nonprofit, Reflect America, aimed at reforming and modernizing State Department operations. She holds a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from Penn State University. Casagrande is a current visiting associate at the Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics and a visiting fellow at the East-West Center, and has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the National Security Education Board and the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.