Dr. Cassaundra Leier has spent her career understanding and transforming human service organizations with the use of data. As Director of Research and Evaluation at HARC (Health Assessment and Research for Communities), she leads a team that turns numbers into real, actionable change — helping healthcare, government, and nonprofit organizations understand the people they serve and build programs that truly meet their needs. Dr. Leier holds a PhD in Organizational Communication from Arizona State University and belongs to the American Evaluation Association and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Her research has largely been focused on uplifting the underserved and those without a voice, such as homeless, recently incarcerated, and people living with disabilities. Dr. Leier has published research in the Journal of Applied Communication Research and she’s a regular guest on California State University San Bernardino’s radio show “Life in the Balance,” which explores navigating work-life challenges within organizational structures.
Her connection to Variety is close to home: she has a nephew living with autism, and after consulting for the Desert Variety Tent in the Coachella Valley, she fell in love with the way that Variety provides children with disabilities a place to feel seen and uplifted.