Mrs. Cassandra Brooks is the owner and operator of Little Believer’s Academy Inc. She operates two five star centers dedicated to quality childcare for the primarily low-income communities she serves. Most of the families she serves qualify for Medicaid or NC Health Choice. The state’s child care subsidy program is key in ensuring that these families are able to afford care and go to work.
Mrs. Brooks is known across North Carolina and nationally as a tireless advocate for low-income families with young children, and for the hardworking early childhood teachers who care for them. The early education field is plagued by low wages and lack of benefits. Mrs. Brooks became an outspoken advocate for expanding Medicaid in North Carolina after losing a beloved staff member to a preventable heart condition in 2018. In 2019 she led a delegation of early childhood teachers & providers who met with legislators across the political spectrum, and helped facilitate a roundtable with Governor Roy Cooper.
In 2020 as coronavirus shut down child care facilities across the state and left many families struggling with unemployment and lack of child care, Mrs. Brooks fought tirelessly for PPE, hazard pay, cleaning supplies, and operating grants for centers like hers. Her dedication and perseverance have helped ensure that child care continues to serve families and essential workers across the state throughout the pandemic. For many years, Mrs. Brooks has organized food and toy drives for low-income families in Wake and Johnston counties. Her tireless devotion to others has made her a beloved leader in her field.
Mrs. Brooks was recently appointed to the North Carolina Council for Health Care Coverage by Governor Roy Cooper. She serves on the advisory committee for Wake County Smart Start, the board of directors for the Partnership for Children of Johnston County. She is also an Inaugural Member Mentor for the NCAEYC and currently serves on the board for the North Carolina Partnership for Children. In the past she served in management at International Business Machines (IBM).
Mrs. Brooks has M.Ed. from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She also holds a B.S. in Business Management from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
Mrs. Brooks is married and is a mother of four children.