Cass Severe

Cass Severe | Founder, Meet Her At The Gate (MHATG) Cass Severe is a powerhouse advocate, speaker, and change agent dedicated to dismantling barriers for justice-impacted women. As the founder of Meet Her At The Gate (MHATG), she has created a nationally recognized reentry initiative that provides pre-entry support, resources, and community-based care for women returning home from incarceration.

Her work is deeply personal. Justice-impacted herself, Cassandra intimately understands the struggles of reentry—the lack of support, the systemic hurdles, and the stigma that follows. Instead of allowing these barriers to define her, she transformed them into fuel for her mission. From the very facility where she once served time, she now partners with the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC), leading pre-release programs and personally meeting women at the gate upon their release with love, dignity, and tangible resources.

Cass’s impact extends beyond MHATG. She has played a key role in establishing a nonprofit for a major anti-violence organization, serving as an Executive Director, advocating for holistic support for system-impacted individuals. Her expertise has led to partnerships with correctional institutions, policymakers, and community leaders, ensuring that reentry services are not just available but intentional, transformative, and sustainable.

Her academic journey is just as inspiring. Currently pursuing her Master of Social Work (MSW) at Monmouth University (Class of 2025), she is dedicated to using her lived experience and education to shape policies and programs that truly serve the people who need them most. Cass’s commitment to social justice and second chances has also led her to be appointed to the Board of Trustees for the very facility where she was once incarcerated, a full-circle testament to the power of redemption and resilience.

Her leadership has been cultivated through participation in some of the most impactful justice reform fellowships, including:

🔹 Beyond the Bars Fellowship at Columbia University

🔹 Women Transcending Collective Leadership Institute (CLI) 

🔹 Alumni Network Coalition (ANC) – Inaugural Cohort

Through these spaces, Cass has connected with visionaries, movement-builders, and system-impacted leaders, furthering her commitment to abolitionist organizing, reentry justice, and sustainable change.

A sought-after speaker, Cass has shared her story and expertise on national platforms, including Sarah Jakes Roberts’ Woman Evolve Tour, where she boldly testified to the power of healing, faith, and perseverance—an experience that led to a $10,000 investment into MHATG from SJR herself. She is also a featured guest on the I Love Me More podcast, where she speaks on overcoming adversity, building resilience, and advocating for justice-impacted women.

 Cass is deeply committed to mentorship, advocacy, and creating sustainable change. She has drawn inspiration from influential leaders like Dr. Jamila T. Davis and Tamika D. Mallory, whose books have further shaped her journey. Through her work, she embodies the message that forgiveness, transformation, and leadership begin within—starting with herself.

When she’s not advocating for women, Cass prioritizes self-care as a radical act of resistance, firmly believing that rest, joy, and community are just as essential as the work. Her motto? “Book flights, not feelings.”

Through every challenge, every victory, and every moment of doubt, Cass continues to stand in her purpose, break generational cycles, and lead other women to their own transformation.