CRICKETT KASPER

Director of Schools

Areas of Expertise:

• Independent and international schools
• Philanthropy and fundraising operations
• Leadership

In my experience, advancement is one of those fields that chooses you rather than the other way around. When people ask me about my career path, I often say that I fell into it. But the truth is that I was pushed, very deliberately, by my dear friend’s mother, Jackie, who was an active philanthropist and champion for education. She recognized that when I was a young college graduate, I did not have a specific career in mind but did have a specific skillset. She also knew firsthand how rewarding working in and for a school could be and encouraged me to consider it 

Now, decades later, I could not be more grateful for her thoughtful shove. I have had the privilege to work in three countries, advance the missions of five educational institutions, and build community with parents, alumni, and faculty from every walk of life. All with the same goal: to create more and better opportunities in education through philanthropy.

My career began at my alma mater, the St. Paul’s Schools in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., and includes leading the advancement teams for the Shanghai American School in China, and Singapore American School.  Building team and community has been my niche and that has translated into stronger relationships, stronger colleagues, stronger stories, and stronger giving for my schools.

CASE has always been the center of my professional network, and I am sure many of you can relate. Advancement teams are embedded into school communities. You are asked to be part of everything from helping with carpool line to fire drills to student field trips. And those “other duties as assigned” are part of what weaves advancement work into the fabric of a school. Understanding a community’s needs and traditions is critical to encouraging that same community’s members to invest their time, treasure, and talent into the school—not just to improve their family’s experience but for the benefit of all. 

Despite being embedded in a community though, advancement work can be lonely. Unlike a faculty member, you rarely have many professional peers among your colleagues. And it’s vital to connect with other advancement professionals who are tasked with this important work for our institutions. Understanding the trends, challenges, best approaches, and new ideas in our work makes us better at our jobs. Collaborating with and supporting others in the field is also rewarding and fun. CASE makes that possible.

In my role with CASE as the Director of Schools, I get to help bring our larger school community together for programs and conversations that will raise your game, inspire innovative ideas, and provide data and tools you can take back to your campus. I cannot wait to connect with you and see how the CASE community can lift you and your school up.