Cassie Casandra Rauser

About Cassie Casandra Rauser

Driven by my passion for social and environmental justice, I am a climate and sustainability strategist that applies my demonstrated ability to build relationships and forge collaborations among diverse groups to co-identify challenges and co-determine implementable solutions with the goal of creating a more livable and equitable world. I am a big-picture, systems thinker and visionary problem-solver working to connect knowledge from across sectors, disciplines and communities to accelerate climate and sustainability solutions, and protect our most vulnerable communities.

Experience

1. Chief Executive Officer

   TreePeople

   Nov 2025 — Present · Los Angeles, CA, US

   As CEO of TreePeople, I have the privilege of leading one of Los Angeles’s most trusted and transformative environmental organizations — a movement that has inspired Angelenos for more than 50 years to unite people and nature to create a greener, healthier, and more climate-resilient city.At TreePeople, I oversee programs and partnerships that restore urban forests, expand climate-resilient infrastructure, green schoolyards, and empower communities across Southern California — from the San Fernando Valley to the Inland Empire, and beyond. Our projects are improving air and water quality, reducing heat, and increasing equity and access to nature for millions of residents.My vision is to build on TreePeople’s extraordinary legacy while positioning the organization as the go-to leader for community-driven climate resilience in the region. This means strengthening internal systems and operations, expanding philanthropic and public partnerships, and developing a unified, inclusive strategic plan that ensures every program, tree planting, and policy effort contributes to long-term, measurable impact.I’m proud to lead an organization rooted in collaboration — where science, community, and hope come together to grow a more resilient future for Los Angeles.

Education

• Hamline University

  Environmental Studies, Political Science

• UC Irvine

  Ph.D., Biological Sciences

• Arizona State University

  B.S., Biology