Practice Team Lead: Finance & Schools

Areas of practice: public school district operations and finance, human resources, municipal finance, and information technology

Biography

After spending much of her early career in corporate banking, Heather transitioned into public service. For over a decade she has worked in public school district operations and finance, serving in positions such as data analyst, accountant, manager of accounting and systems, and director of fiscal affairs for Windham and Avon Public Schools in Connecticut. By writing, implementing, and training staff on best practice-based policies and procedures — covering a multitude of areas such as payroll, benefits, purchasing, accounting, facilities management, nutrition services operations, and student activities — Heather has transformed department activities into exemplary models. Her work implementing modern IT solutions and creating paperless workflows has generated greater efficiency, transparency, and accountability for school districts. Some of Heather’s proudest accomplishments include creating and implementing the first nutrition services consortium in Connecticut, designing benchmarking protocols for both certified and non-certified staff negotiation strategies, fashioning, negotiating and implementing health plan changes, instituting risk management practices to address workers compensation costs, and presenting on public school finance best practices at Quinnipiac University’s summer 092 administrative certificate program. She holds School Business Administrator certifications in both Connecticut and Massachusetts as well as a New England Swim Official credential, often officiating on a volunteer basis throughout the northeast. Heather serves as a Board Member for her regional high school booster club and sits on the Principal’s School Council for the regional middle school.

Degrees

MS, Organizational Leadership, Quinnipiac University

BGS, Business Administration, Eastern Connecticut State University