Meet Cassie McQuitty | Nonprofit Leader & Youth Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cassie McQuitty and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cassie, what do you want people to remember about you?
I have always wanted to leave a legacy of being the person people could count on when they needed help. As I have evolved in my career path, I feel I want people to remember me as the gal who showed up, the one who stayed, the one who stood up – I want to be a voice for those who are still finding their own.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am honored to say, that today, I am the CEO of a nonprofit that serves displaced children. Our organization is 67 years old and I am the first female CEO. I know, wholeheartedly, that all of the experiences I have had professionally led me to this place. Many of them – hard lessons learned. The lessons I learned as a young person entering the workforce and being given opportunities to lead taught me to look at talent and work ethic, not just experience and age. The opportunity to train and grow under a national nonprofit where I was surrounded by top CEOs and strong community leaders taught me how to hold my own in any room. The opportunity to work along nonprofits of all sizes and see real community need and the impact well run organizations can make in a local community shaped how I lead our organization. I’ve learned that the best and smartest move you can make as a leader is to surround yourself with top talent and empower them to do what they are equipped to do. It allows everyone to stay focused where the are gifted, move an organization forward swiftly and make major impact where it is needed most.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite spot right now is the Stockyards in Fort Worth! I am in love with the changes that have been made! It is the perfect mix of fun and hip spots to visit while honoring the history of Fort Worth. A stroll through the Drover with a stop in the backyard area is my absolute favorite. I would take her to check out the new shops in Muleshoe Alley with a pop in Fleastyle to visit their hat bar – it’s amazing!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
SO many people deserve credit for where I am today. I can point to every season of life and pinpoint the person or persons who were there to lead, mentor and shape who I am today. First and foremost – my parents. They raised me to believe that there is more to life than just what we can do for ourselves. They taught me to look for opportunities to serve and help others and to never take for granted those opportunities. Early in my career, when I was given a chance to lead teams, I had a manager encourage me to pursue servant leadership. Never to ask my teams to do something I wasn’t willing to do myself. He taught me that credibility and trust is built when you do the work side by side, regardless of title or stature. Following my early days, I had a long list of women leaders who noticed me, poured into me, challenged me, pushed me and taught me to believe in myself and go after what I wanted. Many of these women believed in and saw things in me way before I did myself. From the boss who told me take a seat at the table and speak up because I had a perspective that needed to be heard, to the mentor who would pull me aside and give constructive and real-time feedback to my presentation skills, to the female CEO who I admired and inspired to be that would spend time with me and encourage me to pursue my own vision of being a female CEO one day. It is because of these women that I intentionally spend time with, encourage and mentor young professionals today. It is because of my parents and others who continually invested in me that I am able to pour into the children and young adults we serve at Christ’s Haven. My experiences and opportunities positioned and equipped me to be the exact leader our organization needs during this time. Knowing how pivotal each mentor has been in my life leads me to fight for every child we serve on our campus to have mentors and adults in their lives that will do the same for them as I have had done for me. Every child, young adult and new professional needs a long line of people who have had their back to achieve what they are meant to achieve.

Website: www.christshaven.org

Instagram: casmcquitty & christshavenforchildren

Linkedin: Cassie McQuitty

Facebook: Christ’s Haven for Children