Heather Torgersen is currently the Senior Director of Development for the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. After receiving a bachelor of science in political science and sociology at Southern Utah University, she started her career working on political campaigns and went on to earn a M.A. in Political Science with an emphasis in Public Policy, officially becoming a UNLV Rebel. In 2008, she graduated from Emerge Nevada and transitioned into work with nonprofits, starting in a public policy advocacy and volunteer mobilization role for AARP and eventually spending nearly a decade with the American Cancer Society. While there, she worked at every level from local to national; in event planning and fundraising, led a national training team for development, and secured major gifts while managing a team of fundraisers. Heather recently completed a doctorate degree at UNLV in the School of Public Policy and Leadership with a focus on higher education funding. Specifically, looking at dedicated funding for Minority Serving Institutions through student support programming to increase degree attainment and ultimately the social mobility of students. 

Outside of her life at UNLV, she is a founding board member of the local non-profit, Branded One CrossFit that offers free memberships and support to disabled service men and women. She is a licensed Realtor, which is a hobby she does on the side with her husband. Together they have three young children and a rescued tortoise that ensure life is never boring.

To learn more about how you can support the College of Liberal Arts please visit: https://www.unlv.edu/liberalarts/support