Heather McNew Schill grew up in Berea, Kentucky, and has dedicated her career to community engagement and continuous improvement. As a Berea College graduate with a background in Psychology, Sociology, and Child and Family Studies, she first served as a social worker before returning to Berea to lead community engagement efforts. For over a decade, Heather worked in CELTS (Center for Excellence in Learning through Service) at Berea College, mentoring students and coordinating the many student-led community service programs and the Bonner Scholars Program.

After leaving CELTS, Heather worked for Partners for Education (PFE). While at PFE, Heather directed the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) programs, which connected 100 AmeriCorps members to school districts across the PFE service region by providing mentoring and tutoring for young people. She also directed the organizational learning team, which was responsible for providing orientation, on-boarding and on-going professional development for over 300 PFE employees, year of service members and school-based contracted staff, all of whom worked throughout the PFE 31 county service region.

Now, as Director of Continuous Improvement at Berea College, Heather helps employees and departments identify inefficiencies, eliminate obstacles, and enhance effectiveness. She leads lean training, facilitates best-practice sharing, and has supported over 90 individuals in earning Lean certifications. Approximately 16% of Berea College staff have participated in Lean training, with 14% completing certification projects, demonstrating the impact of her work. Additionally, under her leadership, an intensive summer program was created to introduce students to continuous improvement principles and professional networking.

Beyond her role in Continuous Improvement, Heather serves as Co-Chair of the Staff Forum and previously as Staff Liaison to the Board of Trustees. She is passionate about making work processes smoother and more meaningful, empowering individuals and teams to create lasting, positive change.