A+ Education Foundation Leadership: Cathy Gassenheimer

Cathy Warren Gassenheimer has been the Managing Director of the A+ Education Foundation since August 1991. Cathy is also the President and Acting Director of the Alabama Best Practices Center, a sister organization to A+, which connects educators to the latest research and best practices in professional development. She earned a Masters degree in legislative affairs from George Washington University and an undergraduate degree in speech communications from the University of Oklahoma. She has held positions with the Business Council of Alabama, Blount, Inc. and as a legislative assistant for Congressman Bill Dickinson. Cathy is a member of the Columbia Group, a network of organizations in the Southeast working to improve public education, and the Southeastern Center on Teaching Quality.

Cathy has also served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Governor’s Task Force on Teaching Quality and the Alabama Testing Committee that revised the state’s assessment and accountability system. From 1998-2000, their work resulted in a comprehensive report about steps the state could take to better public education in Alabama. The specific recommendations were: adoption of NSDC standards, stipends for National Board Certification, more rigorous teacher training, and the establishment of a center for teaching and learning (this resulted in the founding of the Alabama Best Practices Center in the year 2000). The State Board of Education adopted the NSDC’s Standards for Staff Development in 2000, the Best Practices Center was established and the stipends for National Board certification were granted. In 2005, the more rigorous teacher training and accountability is now being finalized. She has also served on the Board of Directors of Leadership Montgomery and the Montgomery Education Foundation, and she is an active member at St. John’s Episcopal Church as a Vestry member. Cathy is married to Rick Gassenheimer and together they have three children and two twin grandchildren.

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