Cancer Advocacy Policy Committee

Founder + President at Shoreline Strategies LLC | Managing Partner at #Amplified 

Mary Caswell “Cassie” Alsfeld is an award-winning copywriter, digital marketing strategist, and online fundraising specialist. She founded Shoreline Strategies LLC—a digital marketing, messaging, and fundraising firm—in 2015 after spending over a decade working in national politics.

Through Shoreline Strategies, Cassie has worked with presidential, senate, gubernatorial, and congressional campaigns; international political parties; leading non-profits, advocacy groups, and issue organizations; small businesses; and tech start-ups and companies venturing into new markets.

She works with several women’s organizations, including several dedicated to getting more women in office, and is passionate about advocating for issues affecting all women. She won an AAPC Pollie Award for her advocacy work to protect independent contractors, and helped get price transparency in healthcare.

Cassie is also the Managing Partner of #Amplified, an AI-powered, people-driven digital agency that specializes in influencer marketing strategies, combating dis- and misinformation campaigns, identifying and cultivating prospective supporters and advocates, and building education and advocacy campaigns to strengthen democracy and restore civility to politics. She has an exclusive suite of top AI technologies.

Through #Amplified, she is building a partner network of top industry experts and thought leaders, and bringing unique technologies and holistic strategies to the political, political-adjacent, government, association, and corporate spaces to maximize efficiencies and effectiveness. #Amplified works with campaigns, government agencies, political and advocacy organizations, think tanks, trade associations, lobbying and government relations firms, PR and public affairs firms, civic engagement and democracy orgs, startups, and more.

She is also an Advisor for top AI technology startups, including Soar and CitizenPortal.ai, built by the founder of Ancestry.com, and Upstart Factory. Through these businesses, Cassie advises and delivers go-to-market strategies, digital marketing, branding, storytelling, copywriting and editing, market research, business development, public affairs, etc. She identifies and pitches thought leadership opportunities, develops revenue generating models, researches prospective funding sources, builds lists and outreach strategies, creates crowdfunding campaigns, establishes partnership opportunities, and consults on social media, marketing, and list-building campaigns.

Known as "the door opener, a "walking LinkedIn," or a "unicorn" in the world of civic-tech and digital-politics, Cassie connects principals with key influencers, investors, industry leaders, thought leaders, partners, and more.

Through Shoreline Strategies, Cassie specializes in copywriting and editing; strategic planning; message development; email marketing; digital marketing, engagement, and advocacy campaigns; political communication; and online fundraising. She also provides coaching services to organizations and businesses looking to train or support their staff in any of the above.

A copywriter by trade, Cassie believes in the power of words to drive actions and deliver results. She has led dozens of workshops, training sessions, seminars, and webinars, as well as served on and moderated panels at leading industry events and college classes.

Cassie was the first digital copywriter and one of the first digital hires in Republican politics. She helped build the digital fundraising, email marketing, and copywriting programs for the Romney presidential campaign, Republican National Committee, and National Republican Congressional Committee from scratch. Cassie also served as the speechwriter for the NRCC Chairman and directed all of the messaging for the largest fundraiser of the year.

She has a proven track record of setting and smashing fundraising records, crafting award-winning copy, transforming how organizations operate and communicate, increasing engagement and enthusiasm among supporters, and putting organizations on the map. She has a unique approach to communications, fundraising, and marketing, given her background and experiences.

Prior to working in national politics, Cassie spent time on Capitol Hill as a legislative staffer for Congressman Cao of New Orleans, handling everything from Hurricane Katrina and BP oil spill recovery to healthcare issues. She got postal services restored in Gentilly after they sat idle for several years post-Katrina. She also worked as a lobbyist and consultant with Carmen Group, most notably getting Congress to forgive loans for hurricane-affected HBCUs. Cassie got her start in DC working for a top fundraiser, where she fundraised for the Republican National Convention, Gov. Haley Barbour, and others. Prior to DC, she interned with Congressman Steve Scalise and worked in N.O. City Hall before, during, and after Katrina.

Cassie is a Co-Founder and Board of Directors member of Ellevate Louisiana, International Women’s Forum-Louisiana Chapter Member, Co-Founder and Past President of the St. Mary's Dominican High School Alumnae Association in DC, Board Member of Boy Scouts of Southeast Louisiana, Founder + Member of the Spirit of Scouting Fundraising Committee, Member of the Pillars of Scouting Fundraising Committee, and Alumni Advisory Board member of Louisiana Youth Seminar.

She is an active member of American Association of Political Consultants, Kappa Delta Sorority, LSU Alumni Association, PAC PALS, and Association of Past Presidents of the LSU Student Body. Cassie built the networking, professional development, and alumnae programs for The Madison of DC. And she recently helped craft the strategic plan for St. Mary’s Dominican High School,  serving as the Chair of the Advancement and Marketing Committee on the School Strategic Planning Committee.

An active alumna and supporter of St. Mary’s Dominican High School, LSU, and the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication, Cassie spent 13 years in DC before moving home to New Orleans. She is a former Student Body President of LSU and elected Student Board Member of the LSU Board of Supervisors. She also served on the Louisiana Tuition and Trust Authority.

Cassie just moved to Old Metairie, where she resides with her rescue dog Flora. For more information or to connect with Cassie, visit: www.shorelinestrategies.co.

Charmaine serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the United Way of Southeast Louisiana and oversees United Way’s Governmental Relations department. She is responsible for the development and implementation of the government relations strategies related to United Way’s three goal areas, including education, income and health, through the development of relationships with key internal and external constituents.

From 2005 to 2013, Mrs. Caccioppi served as the first President of the Louisiana Association of United Ways (LAUW). During her tenure as President of LAUW, she partnered with the Louisiana Association of Non-Profits to publish “Community Solutions” which provided evidence-based policy research on how to combat long-term systemic poverty. She established a relationship with The George Rodrigue Foundation allowing $1 million in funding to be secured for United Ways statewide. She also assisted with securing funding for The George RodrigueFoundation of the Arts (GRFA), an Art Emerging Therapy for Children A+ School Education Curriculum to help children in trauma after Hurricane Isaac. Her many other accomplishments, include, but are not limited to, securing a $90,000 United Way Worldwide grant for the purpose of establishing a United Ways of the Gulf Coast and championing state legislation that ensured High Quality Childcare Standards, School Readiness Tax Credits, the establishment of the Child Poverty Prevention Council and the first refundable Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in the South.

In 2014, Charmaine advocated for the successful historical passage of Domestic Violence bills signed into Louisiana law aimed at stopping domestic abuse and in 2016 is featured in the award winning Five Awake –Domestic Violence documentary film. Historical passage of domestic violence bills was made again in 2017 and in 2018 including gun divesture!

Charmaine was inducted into the Louisiana Center for Women in Government and Business Hall of Fame in 2014. She received the Libby Milton Champion for Children Award in 2016 and Crimestoppers’ George Loker Community Service Award in 2017. She was a founding member of the Ready Louisiana Coalition in 2018. Charmaine established the Nancy M. Marsiglia Institute of Justice in 2018, between United Way of Southeast Louisiana and Loyola University College of Law.  In 2020, she was recognized as one of CityBusiness Women of the Year.  She is currently serving a second term as Chair of the Louisiana Women’s Policy & Research Commission, and serves as a board member for the New Orleans Family Justice Center, and Ellevate Louisiana.  

In 2022, Charmaine was instrumental in the successful passage of a New Orleans Early Childhood proposition, YES for NOLA Kids.  The revenue from this tax, which will begin on January 1, 2023, will go towards providing funding for an additional 1,000 seats for New Orleans students through the City Seats program, which serves economically disadvantaged children ages 0 to 3. In this same year, as a founding member of the Ready Louisiana Coalition, she also helped secure $84 million for early care and education during the Louisiana Regular Legislative session.  These funds will help low-income families afford quality child care, provide a match on local early childhood education investments, and more.

During her 20 years of service with the United States Senate, Mrs. Caccioppi served Senators J. Bennett Johnston then Mary Landrieu, working on major economic development projects throughout Louisiana and Nationwide, including: transportation infrastructure development for ports, airport, highways and railroads; defense and university research projects; flood control and hurricane protection projects; natural resources research; major federal procurement for several federal agencies.

Missy Hopson, PhD is the System Vice President and Chief Learning and Workforce Development Officer at Ochsner Health. She leads system-wide efforts to build a future-ready, inclusive talent pipeline that supports exceptional patient care across the Gulf South. Under her leadership, Ochsner has launched a comprehensive workforce development platform that expands access to healthcare careers through sponsored training programs for both internal team members and external candidates. This includes pioneering early career pathways such as dual enrollment and high school pre-apprenticeship initiatives.

Dr. Hopson also drives enterprise learning strategy, overseeing programs in professional development, orientation and onboarding, internships and fellowships, coaching and mentoring, and leadership development. Her work ensures that Ochsner remains a national leader in growing, developing, and retaining healthcare talent.

Her board service includes the Workforce Development Board of New Orleans (Vice-Chair); LCTCS Foundation Board; YouthForce NOLA; New Orleans Career Center; Dress for Success New Orleans (Secretary), Morris Jeff Community School and Ellevate Louisiana.

Kathy Kliebert is retired as the representative of the Louisiana Medicaid Managed Care Organization Association providing legislative and consulting services for the five Medicaid health plans in Louisiana.  Prior to this role she served as Secretary of the state’s Department of Health and Hospitals from March 2013 to January 2016 after a long-term career in public service in Louisiana. She was been a leader in the Department for more than 28 years, where she led efforts to promote independent living for individuals with developmental disabilities and transform behavioral health care services for hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents. Prior to her appointment as Secretary, Kliebert served as the Department’s Deputy Secretary, where she provided leadership to the agency’s program offices, including the Offices for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, Behavioral Health, Public Health, and Aging and Adult Services.

She has over 26 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker and has a master's degree in social work. She  currently serves as  chair of the Bridge Center for Hope, serves as  past chair of the Louisiana Educational Television Board.

Ms. Kliebert has been married for 41 years, has three children and seven grandchildren.

Growing up “inside the Capitol,” and with more than a decade of experience in governmental relations, Ginny brings her unique knowledge of Louisiana’s political process to the table. As a consultant to numerous political campaigns, including that of a former Louisiana governor, as well as her experience working in the communications office for a U.S. Senator, Ginny is able to effectively communicate a “beyond the headlines” perspective to both clients and lawmakers. Although Ginny has worked on numerous political and communications campaigns for industrial manufacturing and transportation sector clients, she has also played an active role on behalf of clients in the ever-increasingly important health sector. Ginny graduated with honors from the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University.

Munn holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology from Louisiana State University and a Master of Science degree in Health Administration from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois.

Kathy Oubre serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Pontchartrain Cancer Center. PCC is a community-based cancer center with locations in Covington and Hammond. Kathy oversees all non-clinical aspects of the organization including finance, clinical research, pharmacy, multi-specialty infusion, and program development.

Kathy serves on the boards and legislative committees for the International Oncology Network and the Community Oncology Alliance. Kathy is the immediate past president and current legislative chair for the Louisiana Medical Group Management Association. She also serves on the editorial boards for the Center for Biosimilars and the Journal of Evidence-Based Managed Care and is an Advisory Board member for the Oncology Circle, Association of Community Cancer Centers and You Night Empowering Events.

Kathy has a BS in Speech Pathology from LSU and a MS in Speech Pathology from SLU. She lives in Mandeville with her 3 pets, 3 children and husband, David.

Dr. Janet Pope was selected by the Louisiana School Boards Association as their Executive Director in July 2018 after serving five years as their Board Development/Legislative Specialist. Pope’s appointment marked a notable milestone in both the association’s and the state’s history as she the first and only woman to be selected to serve as the full-time Executive Director of one of the major associations representing Louisiana local government.

Prior to joining LSBA Dr. Pope, a Lafayette native, served nineteen years in a large, traditional public school system in south Louisiana where she held various teaching and administrative positions. Dr. Pope is an advocate of continuing education and professional development who believes in leading by example. She is National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certified and has passed the School Superintendent Assessment. Pope was awarded a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Kim Sport, a native of New Orleans, graduated from the schools of Radiologic and Nuclear Medicine Technology at Charity Hospital of Louisiana in New Orleans, Holy Cross University and Tulane Law School, where she was inducted into the Order of the Coif. After a career working as Executive Counsel to the Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court and as the Community Relations Director for the Louisiana Judicial Administrator’s Office, Sport spends her time volunteering her legal and other services to numerous not for profit organizations.

Sport founded and chaired Jefferson Dollars for Scholars which awards summer camp and college scholarships to students in the Jefferson Parish Public School System. Sport was the first woman to ever chair the United Way’s Regional Fundraising Campaign and founded the United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council. Sport is a three-time cancer survivor. As a cancer advocate, Sport launched Breastoration, a non-profit organization which provides funding to help women obtain breast reconstruction procedures following mastectomies. Sport drafted numerous legislative bills to assure that health insurance providers cover every stage of a woman’s breast reconstruction and to also assure that no procedure required to restore a mastectomized breast is considered cosmetic.

As the first Public Policy Chairman of United Way for Southeast Louisiana, Sport drafted and successfully advocated for five groundbreaking domestic violence bills to help women immediately divorce their abusers, to provide punitive damages for physical and mental injuries caused by family violence, to increase criminal sanctions for domestic abuse and violations of protective orders and to make possession of a firearm a felony offense during a protective order and for 10 years following a conviction of domestic abuse battery. Sport was elected the first chairman of the Louisiana Commission to Prevent Domestic Violence and has drafted and spearheaded amendments to over 150 provisions of domestic violence law. She serves pro bono as an attorney and advisor in divorce cases involving family violence, conducts continuing education seminars to domestic violence and family law professionals. As an advocate for women and children,  Sport co-chaired the Governor Edward’s Summit on Equal Pay.

Sport received the first statewide Woman of Excellence Award in the category of Volunteerism & Civic Involvement from the Louisiana Legislative Women’s Caucus. She was named a 2000, 2004 and 2009 Woman of the Year by City Business Magazine and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. She was named a Top Female Achiever by New Orleans Magazine and a Community Quarterback by the New Orleans Saints organization. and received the Citizen Lawyer Award from the Louisiana State Bar Association. Sport received Crimestoppers’ George Loker Community Service Award, the Heart of the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans Award, the National Council of Jewish Women’s Hannah G. Solomon Award and was inducted into the Louisiana Women in Government & Business Hall of Fame. Sport was selected Gambit’s New Orleanian of the Year, St. Charles Avenue’s Advocate of the Year, and, most recently received Breastoration’s Legacy Award,

Jessica Starns is a founding Partner at Starns Kenny & Easterling, LLC, where she maintains a niche practice providing governmental affairs (lobbying), business formation and licensing, regulatory compliance, and legal services to breweries, distilleries, CBD producers, wholesalers, e-commerce platforms, hotels, special event organizers, and alcohol, tobacco, CBD, and vape retailers. Jessica’s clients enjoy the benefit of her expertise in navigating state and local legislative processes, and federal, state, and local regulatory processes. She is an active member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and numerous industry organizations including, the National Association of State Liquor Administrators, the National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals, and the Association of Louisiana Lobbyists. She is a member of the board of directors for Ellevate Louisiana.

Jessica served as the managing partner of Jessica Starns Attorney at Law, LLC, a boutique governmental affairs and law firm, for six years prior to forming Starns Kenny & Easterling, LLC. She has also previously served as the executive counsel for the Louisiana Office of Alcohol & Tobacco Control, special counsel to the commissioner of the Louisiana Division of Administration, and special counsel to the governor of Louisiana on budget, tax, commerce, and alcoholic beverage legislation. Jessica frequently speaks on alcohol and tobacco policy at national industry association conferences and has drafted and played an instrumental role in the passage of numerous legislative instruments.

During her time of government service, Jessica played a vital role in converting a $500,000 agency deficit to over a $1.2M surplus by developing and implementing solutions to increase productivity and initiating technological advancements. She also successfully developed and implemented methods to enhance customer service and maximize resources by establishing sound policies and training programs, simplifying bureaucratic processes, eliminating wasteful practices, and leading initiatives to work with various state and local departments to combine duplicative regulatory procedures. She was honored as "Division Star" out of hundreds of employees for demonstrating exceptional personal performance standards.

Jessica is obtained her Juris Doctorate from Chapman University, Dale E. Fowler School of Law where she was appointed to the Honor Council, was a research assistant in the area of administrative law and was a member of the Tax Law Society and Public Interest Law Foundation. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from Tulane University with a double major in sociology and mass communications. Jessica resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with her husband Brian, a firefighter, and their son Dax.

Brushawn Vedor is the CEO of Assuring Hearts Med Pass LLC,  Assuring Destinations LLC Transportation Service,  Assuring Possibilities Inc., and BBM Properties. Brushawn Vedor  holds a bachelor of General Studies, with a minor in Sociology and Psychology. Brushawn also holds an associate degree in Nursing. She became certified as a CNA instructor in 2014 and graduated several CNA students. Moreover, she is a graduate of Burks Baker Realtor School. Brushawn is a sustaining member of Louisiana Home Builders Association and the 200th member of Ellevate Louisiana. She is the president and founder of Assuring Possibilities Inc., an non-profit organization that partners with Chase Remodeling & Construction and Nell Builders LLC., to build homes, house the homeless, and provide the necessities to sustain life. Brushawn has 17 years of experience in nursing where she started to learn the foundation and fundamentals at an early age of 16 as a patient care assistant. Over the last 17 years Brushawn has practiced nursing in med surg, psych, geriatrics, and emergency care. Brushawn dedicated seven years of nursing to Ochsner Health Systems before starting her own business. Brushawn has the vision to bring Assuring Hearts Med Pass LLC to many cities around the state of Louisiana and eventually across the world. Brushawn has three children, four bonus kids, a heavenly son, one dog, and a future life-long partner, Shivers. She loves to read, travel, and relax with her family and friends.