KATY, TX (Covering Katy News)—Lisa Kassman, Katy ISD's executive director of facilities, planning and construction, has been named the 2024 Director of the Year by the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE).
The association bestows this honor on a member of the A4LE Global Board of Directors for outstanding service and contributions that go above and beyond normal responsibilities.
"The Association for Learning Environments is an international collaborative organization of architects, designers, contractors, engineers, vendors," Kassman said. "I'm on my third year sitting on the board of directors."
"The award was for the work that I do for the organization and in particular their last conference," Kassman said.
The conference, held in October in Portland, Oregon, saw Kassman serving as one of the co-chairs responsible for organizing 70 sessions.
John Ramsey, the association's CEO, said leaders like Kassman make the association invaluable to professionals committed to planning, designing, building, equipping, and operating the highest quality learning environments.
"We are deeply grateful to Katy ISD for supporting Lisa in her role as a global leader in school facilities," Ramsey said.
The honor comes as Kassman and her team oversee several district construction projects. These include two projects from a 2021 voter-approved bond: renovations at Cinco Ranch High School and construction of the $21 million Northwest Transportation Center near Freeman High School, which opens in Dec. 2025. The team is also managing several projects funded by the 2023 voter-approved facilities bond.
Katy ISD, which currently serves more than 96,000 students across 80 campuses, continues to grow. Enrollment is projected to reach nearly 99,000 students by the 2025-26 school year.
In her role, Kassman supervises four project managers and three assistant project managers.
"We work with a good group of contractors, and it's always fun," Kassman said.
Her journey into the design and construction industry began with inspiration from her father. "He was more of a designer, and I decided I didn't want to sit behind a desk all day," Kassman said. "So that's why I chose the construction route. You don't get to sit behind a desk all day in your role."
After growing up in the Northeast and graduating from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, Kassman held positions in California and Texas, joining Katy ISD in 2000. Her expertise in the design and construction industry spans more than 40 years, with nearly 25 years at Katy ISD. She has been an active A4LE member for over 20 years, serving in the local chapter for more than a decade before being elected to the international board in 2021.
Beyond her district and A4LE responsibilities, Kassman helped organize Katy ISD's 2023 hosting of She Builds Houston, a hands-on career exploration event introducing young women to opportunities in the construction trade.