Heather Austin

About Heather Austin

As a strategic leader in academic innovation and workforce readiness, I specialize in designing and scaling education programs that drive equity, engagement, and real-world results.With 15+ years of experience across higher education, curriculum design, and digital learning, I’ve led transformative initiatives that improve learning outcomes, empower educators, and align academic strategy with institutional priorities. My work spans instructional systems design, faculty development, product lifecycle planning, and technology integration, always with a student and outcomes-first approach.I’ve partnered with universities, districts, and institutions to launch scalable online programs, reimagine instructional delivery, and embed leadership, communication, and problem-solving into the learning experience. I bring a proven ability to align cross-functional teams, translate vision into execution, and lead through change with empathy and insight.I also serve as a Featured YouTube Educator with 20M+ views, where I share AI-powered job search and career development strategies. Through my channel, online courses, and workshops, I’ve helped thousands of professionals land roles at top-tier organizations like Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Stanford.Whether I’m leading internal teams, advising executive stakeholders, or building tools that bridge education and employment, my goal is simple: make learning relevant, accessible, and transformative.EXPERTISE: Academic Strategy • Program Design & Launch • Instructional Systems • AI in Education • Equity-Centered Learning • Higher Ed & Workforce Alignment • Career & Leadership Development • Cross-Functional Collaboration • EdTech Innovation • Content & Curriculum StrategyExecutive Coaching • Public Speaking • YouTube Education • Change Management

Experience

1. Featured Youtube Educator Global Academic Strategy Leader

   YouTube

   Jul 2017 — Present

   Built and scaled a global digital learning platform, reaching 20M+ learners with programs that blended academic rigor, career readiness, and equitable access for underserved populations. Recognized by YouTube’s CEO as a Featured Educator for pioneering scalable virtual learning models rooted in innovation, inclusion, and real-world application. Led academic product strategy for 10+ programs, leveraging labor market trends, learner analytics, and stakeholder input to drive measurable outcomes and satisfaction. Partnered with Google/YouTube’s Education team to advance AI-powered personalization, optimize learner pathways, and deliver high-impact instruction at scale. Directed community engagement strategy across 274K+ subscribers and 80K+ active learners, delivering virtual events, workshops, and LMS-integrated programs that strengthened career growth and learning access.

Education

• Utah State University - Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Business Information Systems, Business Education

• Utah State University - Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

  Master of Science (M.S.), Management Information Systems, Training and Development

Skills

• Training
• Academic Advising
• Campus
• College Teaching
• Career Strategist
• Online Education
• Student Affairs
• Curriculum Design
• Distance Learning
• Adult Education
• Educational Assessment
• Teaching
• Resume Writing
• Linkedin Training
• Career Development
• Higher Education
• Job Coaching
• Curriculum Development
• Educational Technology
• Student Engagement
• Instructional Design
• University Teaching
• Faculty Development
• Academic Administration
• Course Creation
• Dreamweaver
• Career Counseling
• Leadership
• Trends in Higher Education
• Web Design
• Admissions
• Coaching
• Personal Branding
• Student Recruiting
• Enrollment Management
• Staff Development
• Mentoring