Jimmy Casas has been an educator for over 30 years, serving twenty-two years as a school leader, including fourteen years as Principal at Bettendorf High School. Under his leadership, Bettendorf was named one of the Best High Schools in the country three times by Newsweek and US News & World Report.
Jimmy was named the 2012 Iowa Secondary Principal of the Year and was selected as runner-up NASSP 2013 National Secondary Principal of the Year. In 2014, Jimmy was invited to the White House to speak on the Future Ready Schools pledge. Jimmy is also the author of nine books, including the best-selling books Culturize, Live Your Excellence, Handle with Care, and Recalibrate the Culture. Jimmy is the owner and CEO of J Casas & Associates, where he serves as a professional leadership coach for school leaders across the country.
Dr. Jessica Cabeen is a principal, speaker, and leadership coach who challenges the pace of modern leadership with a simple concept: when you live well, you lead well.
She currently serves as Principal of Austin Online Academy and Austin Area Learning Center in Austin Public Schools (Minnesota). Across her career, she has led at every level of the system—as a middle school and kindergarten principal, special education assistant director, and special education teacher—bringing a grounded, practitioner’s lens to her work with leaders.
Jessica is a Minnesota National Distinguished Principal and Principal of the Year by Educational Dive. She is the author of multiple books, including Principal in Balance and Unconventional Leadership, and co-author of Balance Like a Pirate. She is also a regular contributor to Edutopia and writes the “Slow Leadership” column on her blog.
When she’s not greeting students at the door or holding office hours in the hallway, you’ll find her with her husband, Rob, their sons Kenny and Isaiah, and their dogs, Herman and Harvey—living the same balance she challenges others to pursue.
This book reminds us that leadership isn’t about one grand gesture—it’s about the consistent “drips” that shape culture and influence others over time. A must-read for any leader looking to elevate their impact. An absolute home run!
Jordan Montgomery, Montgomery Companies, Performance Coach, Author, Speaker
Jessica Cabeen and Jimmy Casas have written the book I didn’t know I needed. Their heart for educators shines through, offering research-backed, manageable steps needed to pull even the most exhausted among us out of the chaos.
Carmen Maring, Middle School Principal, National Distinguished Leader, Adjunct Professor