Dr. Brenda Cassellius

Dr. Brenda Cassellius has spent three decades as an educator devoted to ensuring all children receive an equitable and excellent education. Most recently, as Boston Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Cassellius led the district successfully through a global pandemic, secured 110 million in new annual funding, passed new high school graduation standards and historic admissions policies increasing access and opportunity to Boston’s three exam schools, and worked with Mayor Wu on a two billion dollar Green New Schools Deal to better Boston’s school buildings.

Prior to that, Dr. Cassellius served as Minnesota's Commissioner of Education for eight years, where she worked across bipartisan lines to enact comprehensive education reforms that resulted in a remarkable list of accomplishments, including historic new funding for schools, all-day kindergarten, state-funded preschool, anti-bully legislation and establishing a state school safety office, created a new pathway for the adult diploma, and the highest graduation rates on record.

Dr. Cassellius was also Superintendent in East Metro Integration District, Associate Superintendent for Middle and High Schools in Minneapolis Public Schools, and Academic Superintendent for Middle Schools in Memphis City Schools where she led a remarkable turnaround, raised student achievement, improved student attendance, and ended the use of corporal punishment.

Dr. Cassellius started her career as a special education paraprofessional, was a social studies teacher, and school leader. She is best known for her unrelenting advocacy and community building across sectors to build political will and strategic plans to ensure that students are safe, connected and prepared to thrive. Dr. Cassellius believes that change can happen quickly when it authentically and meaningfully involves the full community, and is driven by shared decision making and accountability.

Dr. Cassellius was raised by a single mother and grew up in public housing. She understands firsthand the positive impact an education and a connected community can have on the life outcomes of children, especially when opportunity is created for them. That is what drives her purpose. Dr. Cassellius' personal background, her big system regional experience, her public service at the highest levels of city and state government, and her nonprofit CEO experience make her a unique match to lead Milwaukee at this pivotal time.