The NEA Foundation Appoints Dr. Heather Harding as Senior Vice President for Programs

Veteran education equity leader brings 25 years of classroom, philanthropy, and advocacy experience to national public education foundation

WASHINGTON, DC, DC, UNITED STATES, July 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The NEA Foundation is pleased to announce that Dr. Heather Harding will join the Foundation as Senior Vice President for Programs on July 8, 2026. Heather brings more than 25 years of experience advancing the best in public education through research, philanthropy, advocacy, and public engagement.

Heather most recently served as an Executive in Residence with Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC), an organization she helped found. She previously led the Campaign for Our Shared Future, a national initiative focused on strengthening and defending public education and has held senior leadership roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Before earning her master’s and doctoral degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Heather taught middle and high school students in underserved rural communities across the South.

Heather describes herself as “a servant leader who believes deeply in the power of public education, developing people to their highest potential, and telling a data-informed story to shape policy and practice.”

President and CEO of The NEA Foundation Sara A. Sneed welcomed the appointment, stating, “Heather Harding is an exceptional leader whose career has been defined by a deep commitment to educators, students, and the promise of public education. As Senior Vice President for Programs, she will help guide the Foundation’s grantmaking and fellowship work at a moment when this work matters more than ever. I am thrilled to welcome her to The NEA Foundation.” To learn more about The NEA Foundation, visit www.neafoundation.org.

LaWanda Toney
NEA FOUNDATION
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