PPWs of the Year 2023
Ms. Kassie Cardona, PPW
Montgomery County Public Schools
Kassie has served as a Pupil Personnel Worker in Montgomery County for 10 years. Prior to her work as a PPW, she served as a Bilingual Therapeutic Counselor, Curriculum and Training Designer, and Teacher of Life Skills & Workplace English and Workplace Spanish. She originally trained to be an opera singer, loves to study languages and sociology, and is the mother of 5 children and a fur/feather parent to 6 cats and 1 bird.
Some of her favorite ways to serve include creative and complex problem-solving to empower kids and families, sharing inspirational affirmations, tips, and strategies with fellow staff, supporting the career development of up and coming professionals, curating school and community resources, and sustaining unconditional positive regard for all.
Jennifer Laque serves as a Pupil Personnel Worker for Anne Arundel County Public
Schools. Jennifer served as a field PPW for 4 years and has served in the role of
McKinney-Vento Resource PPW for the last 5 years. Prior to joining the Pupil
Personnel team, she served as a Professional School Counselor for 12 years. In her
current role as the McKinney-Vento Resource PPW, she has been innovative in
creating programming to support families and students experiencing housing
instability. As an advocate, providing access and opportunity to marginalized
students and families is her passion. She is dedicated to her work and strives to
build partnerships beyond the schoolhouse.
Notable partnerships include Operation Open Doors, a housing assistance partnership resulting in McKinney-Vento families receiving housing vouchers and housing stability support. In addition, partnering with the local Parks and Recreation, resulted in MV students receiving scholarships, and a summer camp opportunity for students that experienced extended hotel stays throughout the school year. Building capacity among colleagues to strengthen their collective impact is one of her
professional priorities. She is proud to be a Pupil Personnel Worker and support
the shared mission of her fellow PPWs.
