Women Officials Network

WON Breakfast 

Friday March 2, 2012 

7:30 - 9 AM 

Carolyn Cassin, President and CEO  Michigan Women's Foundation

 In 2009, Carolyn accepted the leadership of the Michigan Women’s Foundation, Michigan’s only public statewide Foundation dedicated solely to helping women and girls realize their dreams of economic self sufficiency and social equality. Carolyn created an innovative, strategic direction for the foundation through the development of a micro loan fund for women owned businesses in Michigan and a venture capital fund for women - Belle Capital, of which she is a Managing Partner.  Her leadership of the Foundation has resulted in exponential growth and financial stability.  

In addition to her work with the Foundation, Carolyn also continues to lead the National Hospice Work Group (NHWG) after 17 years as a founding member. A professional coalition of CEO’s from some of the nation's largest and most innovative hospices, the NHWG is committed to increasing access to hospice and palliative care.

Her professional successes include 10 years as CEO of Hospice of Michigan and the COO of VistaCare, a venture capital backed national hospice company, which eventually became a publically traded company.  She also accepted an appointment to oversee Michigan’s $1.5 billion Medicaid Managed Care Program in 2001.  From 2002-2008, she led Continuum Hospice Care in New York City to become NYC’s largest hospice program.   

Carolyn gained much of her national public policy insight and acumen as Chairperson and President of the National Hospice Organization (NHO) (1983-1986) where she served as chief spokesperson and advocate.  Carolyn was called upon again in 2005 to serve on the Board of Trustees of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.  Of the numerous honors and special assignments given her, Carolyn is particularly proud of her achievements with NHPCO, including being honored with the 2006 Founder’s Award; serving as Governor appointed Trustee, Board of Control, Ferris State University (1997 – 1999); receiving the American Hospital Association’s “Circle of Life” award for innovation in 2006, earning the “Best Managed Non-Profit” award, Crain’s Detroit Business, 1994; being named one of “Detroit’s 100 Most Influential Women,” Crain’s Detroit Business, 1997; and receiving the first prestigious “Heart of Hospice Award”, by NHO in 1993.  In 2009, Crain’s Business Detroit named her a “Woman to Watch.”

Carolyn earned her Master of Public Administration degree from Western Michigan University, her BA from Miami University, and the esteemed three-year National Leadership Fellowship, from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. 

To Register:  Registration is open.  Just click on "Breakfast"  (to the right) to register and arrange for payment.    We accept PayPal and checks.

WON Breakfasts are held at the Doyle Professional Development Center, 7275 Wing Lake Road, Bloomfield MI 48302

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 $20 for members; $25 for non-members