Heather McChesney, Director of Statewide Access Initiatives

Born and raised in Charleston, WV; Heather McChesney has made many areas of the Mountain state her home. After graduating with her bachelor’s in English and her master’s in Secondary Education, Ms. McChesney taught in Harrison, Monongalia, and Morgan counties before making her way home to continue her teaching career in Kanawha County. For a little over a decade, she has served as the Coordinator of Curriculum, Professional Development, and Education Initiatives for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and West Virginia Community and Technical College System. In this position, she and the Student Affairs team oversee, implement, and manage multiple statewide college access and student success initiatives, including the West Virginia GEARUP program, that help students throughout the educational pipeline work to make their postsecondary and career dreams a reality.

McChesney is also the dog mama to Mr. Murphy and RocketMan, proud aunt to Josie and John, and a vivacious reader of the written word.