A writer of journalism and creative nonfiction, Cassidy’s work appeared in the Washington Post, USA Today, and Newsday. Among other honors, she was a writer-in-residence at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Cassidy served as Executive Director of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, and the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization in Arlington, Virginia. She was perhaps best known for her ongoing advocacy for affordable housing, and ending homelessness.