Heidi Ward serves as Director of Pitt's Neighborhood Commitment in Greater Hazelwood, where she's part matchmaker, part storyteller, and full-time community champion. She builds meaningful connections between community priorities and university resources, working through place-based collaborations to unlock transformative opportunities in PreK-12 education, workforce development, and inclusive community initiatives. As a Hazelwood resident herself, Heidi brings an authentic lens to the work, amplifying her community's strengths through partnerships that honor the neighborhood's rich history.
Before joining the Office of Engagement and Community Affairs, Heidi was the Director of Community and Summer Education at Point Park University, designing participant-centered programs that helped high school students and lifelong learners discover their passions and develop transferable skills. Heidi's early career took her to Los Angeles, where she produced content for networks like FOX, Netflix, E!, and Lifetime. Her segment producing work on NBC's Naturally, Danny Seo earned her a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lifestyle Programming, proving that great storytelling can inspire people to live better.
A proud two-time Point Park University alumna, Heidi holds a bachelor's degree in Cinema and Digital Arts and an MBA with a concentration in Management - the perfect combination for someone who believes communities deserve both creative vision and strategic thinking.
