More About Heather

Dr. Heather Mullins has over 30 years of experience as an educator and leader. She recently retired as the Southwest Regional Director for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). She led regional support efforts and served as a thought partner to district leaders. Prior to joining the NCDPI, Dr. Mullins served as the Chief Academic Officer for Newton-Conover City Schools where she oversaw instructional services for K-12 programs including efforts in District Improvement Planning, Professional Development, Beginning Teacher Support, Academically Gifted Services, and Teacher Leadership. 

Dr. Mullins has also served as an NCDPI Regional Professional Development Consultant and an adjunct instructor at Lenoir-Rhyne University and College of Charleston. She has experience as a curriculum specialist/instructional coach, and a high school English teacher. 

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary English Education from Western Carolina University where she was a North Carolina Teaching Fellow. She completed her Master’s degree in Gifted Education at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte, and she completed her Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Western Carolina University. 

She earned her National Board Certification in 2002, was awarded the NCMLE Outstanding Central Office Administrator to Watch Award in 2015, and was the recipient of the Western Carolina University Don Chalker Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership in 2016. In 2018, Dr. Mullins was honored with the Dr. Sam Houston Leadership Award for the NCASA Aspiring Superintendents’ Program. She was a co-founder of #NCed Chat, North Carolina’s first Twitter chat for teachers. She served on the American Institutes of Research Response to COVID-19 Advisory, serves on an advisory board for the Western Carolina University College of Education and Allied Professions, and is a member of the National Council for Innovative Instructional Leaders.

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