Caroline Casagrande

Caroline Casagrande (born November 21, 1976) is a former American government official and political appointee in the administration of President Donald J. Trump who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Academic Programs at the U.S. Department of State overseeing global public diplomacy programs. Earlier, Casagrande served as a Deputy Republican leader in the New Jersey General Assembly representing the 11th Legislative District  from January 10, 2012 to January 12, 2016 and the 12th legislative district from January 8, 2008 through January 12, 2012.  Also an attorney, Casagrande is the youngest woman assembly member ever elected in New Jersey.[1][2][3]  

Caroline Casagrande
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 11th district
In office
January 10, 2012 – January 12, 2016
Serving with Mary Pat Angelini
Preceded byDave Rible
Succeeded byJoann Downey
Eric Houghtaling
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 12th district
In office
January 8, 2008 – January 10, 2012
Serving with Declan O'Scanlon
Preceded byJennifer Beck
Michael J. Panter
Succeeded byRonald S. Dancer
Robert D. Clifton
Personal details
Born (1976-11-21) November 21, 1976
Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Political partyRepublican
SpouseStephen Chance
ResidenceArlington, Virginia
Alma materRutgers School of Law–Camden, J.D.
Pennsylvania State University, B.S.

Early life and family

Casagrande was born in Point Pleasant, and grew up in nearby Spring Lake.[4][5] She graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School, in Red Bank, New Jersey.

While in college, Casagrande worked in the new democratic government of South Africa during her time studying at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal-Pietermaritzburg. Later, she was awarded a Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law–Camden.[6]

Casagrande currently lives in Arlington, VA with her husband, Stephen Chance, and three children.

Education

Casagrande earned a B.S. degree from Pennsylvania State University majoring in Political Science. She was elected as Undergraduate Student Government President, where she worked to reduce the cost of student transportation around campus, improve student health care services, and protect students from dramatic tuition increases. In 2010 and 2015 respectively, Pennsylvania State University awarded Casagrande the Young Alumni Achievement Award as well as the Young Alumni Political Science Award.[7]

Casagrande is a double-alumni of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.  She was an American Council for Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) delegate to Nepal in 2009. In 2015, Casagrande was awarded the ACYPL fellowship to the East-West Center to study India with parliamentarians from Asia.

Career

Casagrande was a partner and attorney with the law firm of Menna, Supko & Casagrande in Shrewsbury, N.J.[6] Previously, she worked as a litigation associate for the firm Cleary, Alfieri Jones & Hoyle (now Cleary, Giacobbe, Alfieri, & Jacobs[8]). Casagrande has also served as municipal attorney to Manalapan Township and special counsel to Fair Haven. After graduating from law school, she clerked for New Jersey Superior Court Judge Robert O'Hagan.

New Jersey General Assembly

In 2007, Casagrande ran on the Republican ticket for New Jersey State Assemblywoman of the 12th district alongside Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon. She defeated an incumbent Assemblyman (Michael J. Panter), and became the youngest woman to ever be elected to the New Jersey General Assembly.[2][1] Casagrande served in the Assembly on the Appropriations Committee and the Women and Children Committee.[6]

In 2011 Casagrande was redistricted to the 11th Legislative District where she sought re-election along with Senator Jennifer Beck, who was also shifted out of the 12th district, and Assembly member Mary Pat Angelini. They were the first trio of women to be elected as a team to the New Jersey Legislature.[9]

Casagrande served in various leadership positions within the Republican Caucus - eventually rising to Deputy Republican Leader. She also served as a Republican Commissioner on the New Jersey Redistricting Commission, which was charged with redrawing the lines of the State's congressional districts following the 2010 United States census.[10]

Casagrande lost her 2015 bid for re-election to Democratic challengers Joann Downey and Eric Houghtaling. Casagrande finished fourth among the four major party candidates behind Houghtaling, Downey and her Republican running mate, Mary Pat Angelini.[11]

United States Department of State

Starting in April 2018, Casagrande entered the U.S. Department of State as a political appointee of the Trump Administration as the Special Advisor to Assistant Secretary Marie Royce in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.[12]

Casagrande was sworn into the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Academic Programs in September 2018 with the responsibility of shaping policy across the interagency and stewarding resources in excess of 400 million dollars.  In this role, Casagrande oversaw the flagship Fulbright Scholarship program, the Education USA Network of 435 global recruitment centers, 630 overseas American Spaces, State Department sponsored English language education programming, the Humphrey Fellowship, Gilman Scholarships, undergraduate exchanges, and teacher exchanges.  

Casagrande also served on the National Security Education Board.[13] 

As the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs, Casagrande promoted the message that the United States welcomes international students when questioned if the Trump administration's immigration policy had led to a decrease in foreign enrollment at US universities.[14]

Casagrande's State Department appointment ended with President Trump's term on January 20, 2021.

Countries visited to promote US academics for international students

Rutgers University

Casagrande was a Visiting Associate of the Rutgers-Eagleton Institute of Politics until 2019.[28]

In 2018, Casagrande was featured in a Rutgers television commercial[29] about training women running for public office.  

References
  1. 12the Legislative District Web page biography Archived August 5, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, District 12. Accessed June 19, 2009.
  2. Staff. "Assembly races: 12th and 30th", The Times, October 28, 2009. Accessed May 1, 2013. "It is represented by two Republican first-termers: Declan O'Scanlon Jr., a wireless telecommunications consultant from Little Silver, and Caroline Casagrande, a lawyer from Colts Neck, who at age 30 was the youngest woman ever elected to the New Jersey Assembly."
  3. AACRAO. United States bureau of Consular Affairs. US Department of State. Lauren Armenise. September 11, 2019.
  4. Campaign Web site Archived May 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Accessed June 19, 2009. "Ms. Casagrande is a life long Monmouth County resident, having been born and raised in Spring Lake with her five brothers and sisters."
  5. Living Media profile Archived February 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, October 23, 2008. Accessed June 19, 2009. "This is not to say, however, that Casagrande has deserted her Jersey Shore roots (she is originally from Spring Lake);"
  6. "Assemblywoman Casagrande's legislative webpage". New Jersey Legislature. Archived from the original on December 21, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  7. Thirteen Young Penn Staters Honored With Alumni Achievement Award. Penn State News. April 9, 2010.
  8. Cleary, Giacobbe, Alfieri & Jacobs website.
  9. Walter, Kenny. "GOP legislators kick off run for 11th District: Beck, Casagrande, Angelini would be state’s first all-female legislative team", Atlanticville, June 30, 2011. Accessed July 14, 2011.
  10. Members, New Jersey Redistricting Commission. Accessed May 1, 2013.
  11. , New Jersey General Assembly elections, 2013. Accessed November 3, 2015.
  12. (Archived) United States Department of State website. Caroline Casagrande.
  13. "NSEP National Security Education Board". NSEP. October 8, 2020. Archived from the original on 2014-04-28.
  14. Hunter, Fergus (3 March 2019). "US plays 'catch up' after collapse in international student numbers". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  15. US Boost to Hyderabad Students, by Joyeeta Basu. Deccan Chronicle, March 6, 2019.
  16. American Dreams TV5 News. March 5, 2019.
  17. EE.UU. promueve que estudiantes universitarios colombianos se formen en su país. Hoy Diario Del Magdalena. May 12, 2019.
  18. EE.UU. promueve que estudiantes universitarios colombianos se formen en su país. Diario Del Cesar, May 12, 2019.
  19. EE.UU. Promueve Que Estudiantes Colombianos Se Formen E Su Pais. La Opinion, May 12, 2019.
  20. Fulbright Scholarship Programme Set To Return. By Morgan Adderley. The Tribune. May 15, 2019.
  21. Bahamas Information Services Updates. "PM Minnis Endorses Reinstatement of Fulbright Program." By Lindsay Thompson, The Bahamas Weekly. May 14, 2019.
  22. Sonha Em Estudar Nos EUA? O Pais Quer Mais Alunos Brasileiros. By Beatriz Bulla, Estada. August 27, 2019.
  23. Feira Education USA. E-Noticias. August 2019.
  24. Article in China.com. August 2019.
  25. Beliebt bei US-Studenten. Wiener Zeitung., June 12, 2019.
  26. DAS Casagrande at Unomattina RAI 1. Exchange Programs - U.S. Department of State on Twitter. December, 2019.
  27. Subsecretaria de Estado de EU promueve la educacion internacional. Techcnologico de Monterrey., by Richardo Trevino, Redaccion Nacional. April 2, 2020.
  28. "Staff Archive". Eagleton Institute of Politics. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  29. How Rutgers Is Getting Women 'Ready To Run': BTN Livebig. By John Tolley, January 12, 2019.
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