Dr. Emily W. Heady

Partner & Chief Academic Officer

Emily Heady was born and raised in Southern Ohio. She earned a BA in Spanish and English at The Ohio State University and an MA and PhD in Victorian Literature at Indiana University.

At Liberty University, Emily served as a faculty member in English, founded the University’s writing program, and eventually oversaw both general education and the majority of the University’s undergraduate programs. At Longwood University, Emily served as the founding director of the University’s Office of Student Success, and she also led the University’s admissions team.

Emily has published and presented extensively in the fields of Victorian literature, higher education administration, student success, and online program development. She is also an experienced SACS-COC reviewer and QEP Director and Evaluator.

Emily is married to Chene, and they have two children and a small black dog. In her free time, Emily serves as a pianist at Compassion Church of the Nazarene in Lynchburg, VA, and she loves to cook.

“My own educational training was as traditional as it gets—residential flagships with D1 sports. Working closely with a great team of online educators, though, I came to appreciate all the ways learning can happen. I get most excited when I see an educational program firing on all cylinders—great content, ease of use, strong interaction, clear goals and assessments, and real-world outcomes. This is how people’s lives change, and this is how education makes the world a better place.”