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2026 National APSE Board of Directors At-Large

Please describe your history/nature of involvement/interest in promoting competitive integrated employment in your state. Additionally, explain why you are passionate about competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities:

My commitment to advancing competitive, integrated employment is both deeply personal and professionally grounded. As a parent of two children on the Autism Spectrum—one of whom is nonverbal and experiences profound support needs—I was introduced early to the reality of subminimum wage and segregated employment pathways. I refused to accept that limited trajectory as inevitable for my children or for others like them. That conviction led me to co-found Summit Future Foundation, a grassroots nonprofit in the Kansas City region dedicated to expanding competitive, integrated employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. From the outset, our program design was intentionally aligned with Employment First principles and national best practices. In 2019, I joined the Missouri APSE chapter board to deepen my understanding of systems change and ensure our work reflected national standards. My service has included roles as Member-at-Large (2019–2020), President-Elect (2020–2021), President (2021–2024), and currently Past President and Chapter Policy Chair. During my presidency, we strengthened chapter governance, expanded stakeholder engagement, and cultivated strategic business partnerships—including initiatives such as supporting the City of Kansas City in advancing its efforts as a model employer. APSE has not only informed my professional leadership; it has transformed my perspective as a parent and advocate. It has provided a framework for systems-level change that ensures individuals with disabilities are not viewed through a lens of charity, but through one of capacity, contribution, and economic self-sufficiency.

What best represents your position/lived experience?

Family Member of a Person with a Disability; Service Provider or Manager

What skills, knowledge, or lived experience do you have that will contribute to strengthening and growing the financial health of APSE and promoting its mission to advance employment and self-sufficiency for all people with disabilities?

As Executive Director of Summit Future Foundation, I provide comprehensive executive oversight across strategy, finance, compliance, workforce development, and fund development. I operate within a governance model that requires disciplined financial stewardship, transparent reporting, and sustainable revenue diversification. My experience includes: Oversight of fee-for-service contracts and state funding compliance Development and management of annual operating budgets Financial forecasting and cash flow monitoring External audit coordination and 501(c)(3) compliance Fundraising strategy development and philanthropic engagement Board partnership in fiscal oversight and strategic planning Beyond technical financial management, I bring systems thinking. I understand that financial health is directly tied to mission clarity, brand positioning, stakeholder trust, and measurable impact. Sustainable growth requires disciplined governance, diversified revenue streams, strong compliance infrastructure, and strategic partnerships. Additionally, my lived experience as a parent advocate grounds my leadership in urgency and authenticity. I approach fiscal stewardship not as an administrative function, but as a moral responsibility to protect and expand opportunity for individuals whose economic futures depend on strong advocacy organizations like APSE.

How do you think serving on the National APSE Board will help you grow as a leader in the Employment First Movement?

APSE has already reshaped my personal and professional trajectory. Serving on the National Board would allow me to move from chapter-level systems leadership to contributing to broader national strategy within the Employment First movement. I believe national board service will challenge me to: Think more expansively about federal policy alignment and systems reform Strengthen multi-state collaboration models Deepen my understanding of national workforce and employer engagement trends Contribute to long-term strategic positioning of the Employment First movement My goal is not only to grow personally as a leader, but to steward the mission at a level that ensures families like mine encounter possibility—not limitation—when envisioning the future of their children.

Biography

Cassidi Jobe is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Summit Future Foundation, a rapidly growing nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing competitive, integrated employment and person-centered outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities. She provides comprehensive executive leadership across strategic planning, financial stewardship, contract management, workforce development, compliance, and fund development, ensuring long-term sustainability and mission fidelity. Cassidi’s leadership is grounded in both executive expertise and lived experience. As a parent of two children on the Autism Spectrum—one of whom is nonverbal and experiences profound support needs—she became a determined advocate for employment equity after learning about subminimum wage and segregated employment systems. Refusing to accept limited economic futures for her children or others with disabilities, she co-founded Summit Future Foundation to expand access to meaningful, competitive employment in the Kansas City region. Her governance experience includes extensive service with Missouri APSE, where she has held roles as Member-at-Large, President-Elect, President, and currently Past President and Chapter Policy Chair. During her presidency, she strengthened chapter governance infrastructure, expanded stakeholder engagement, and fostered cross-sector partnerships, including initiatives supporting the City of Kansas City in advancing as a model employer. As an executive leader, Cassidi oversees fee-for-service contracts, annual budgeting, financial reporting, external audits, and regulatory compliance, while cultivating a culture rooted in professionalism, accountability, and inclusion. She approaches fiscal stewardship and systems change as moral imperatives—recognizing that strong governance and sustainable funding directly impact economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. Cassidi is committed to advancing the Employment First movement through strategic leadership, policy engagement, and collaborative partnerships that ensure individuals with disabilities are recognized for their capacity, contribution, and right to fully participate in the workforce.