Cassie Xu

Cassie Xu is an educator, curriculum expert, and climate change education specialist with more than a decade of experience designing innovative learning experiences that prepare students to address complex global challenges. She earned a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from Queen's University before completing a Master of Arts in International Educational Development at Teachers College, Columbia University. She began her career as a classroom educator in Toronto, Canada, and at the Canadian International School in Macao, China.

Building on that foundation, Cassie joined Columbia University, where she founded the Office of Education and Outreach at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. There, she led educational initiatives connecting scientists, educators, students, and communities. She also spearheaded multiple National Science Foundation and privately funded grants focused on broadening participation in STEM for historically marginalized groups. She later served as Director of K–12 and Continuing Education at the Columbia Climate School, leading professional learning and pre-college programs that connected educators and students with leading climate researchers and policymakers. Cassie is the lead author of Climate Change Education: A Primer for Effective Teaching and Learning (Columbia University Press) and has authored numerous academic publications, reports, and educational resources on climate literacy, sustainability education, teacher training, and public engagement with science.

Today, as Executive Director of Planet+, Cassie is leading an effort to reimagine climate education for the next generation. She believes students learn best when they grapple with authentic, interdisciplinary challenges that mirror the complexity of the real world. Through Planet+, she is helping build a new model for climate learning—one that moves beyond awareness to develop the judgment, collaboration, and systems thinking needed to create meaningful solutions to society's most pressing challenges.