Melanie W. Heath
Strategy Director for Access at Lumina Foundation
- Role
- Strategy Director for Access at Lumina Foundation
- Location
- Salt Lake City, UT, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Melanie W. Heath
Higher education leader and systems thinker. Passionate about postsecondary access. Champion of simplicity.
Experience
Strategy Director for Access
Mar 2023 — Present
Lead a $14 million portfolio of work aimed at increasing access to college through strategic investments in college admissions, transfer, and state and federal policy innovations. Launched the Great Admissions Redesign, a national challenge to the higher education field to radically rethink admissions systems toward simplicity, which garnered significant national attention and catalyzed change in admissions across the country. Awarded seven grants to states, systems, and institutions after directing a robust selection process. Created a research collaborative of faculty and practitioners to study the impact of Great Admissions Redesign innovations.Develop and implement Lumina’s national strategy to increase participation in bachelor’s programs, specifically for first generation, low income, and underrepresented learners. Cultivated relationships with higher education researchers and practitioners across the country to identify partners in the work, stay abreast of innovations, and practice thought partnership with other associated efforts from across the field. Administered grants and associated budgets to advance measurable outcomes.Actively engage in the higher education field through a robust thought leadership strategy to advance the goals of the portfolio and Lumina more broadly, including national and local media interviews, speeches, writing, and presentations.
Education
University of Utah
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Educational Leadership and Policy
Portland State University
Master of Arts - MA, Writing/Publishing
Texas Tech University
Bachelor of Arts - BA, English/Creative Writing
Skills
- Public Speaking
- Fundraising
- Arts Administration
- Publishing
- Event Planning
- Strategic Communications
- Grant Writing
- Publicity
- Marketing Communications
- Writing
- Nonprofits
- Sponsorship
- Public Relations
- Media Relations
- Nonprofit Organizations
- Editing
- Event Management
- Marketing
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