Heather Dobrich

Heather Dobrich is a seasoned nonprofit leader, educator, and grant strategist with more than 12 years of experience driving organizational growth and community impact across Georgia. Currently serving as Director of Program Operations for South Georgia Healthy Start and Deputy Project Director for Project Elevate at Mercer University School of Medicine, she has secured over $11 million in federal, state and
foundation funding to advance rural health and maternal well-being. Heather’s career spans program leadership, education and communications — from coordinating multi-county prevention and victim advocacy programs at Hodac, Inc., to mentoring faculty in grant development and teaching English and learning support at Central Georgia Technical College and Perry High School. She is recognized for her expertise in strategic planning, partnership development and sustainable program design, with a proven ability to align public health initiatives with community needs. A published co-author and featured thought leader at national conferences, Heather holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from Georgia College & State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Georgia.