Susan G. Heegaard

Susan Heegaard is the president of the Midwestern Higher Education Compact. Heegaard represented Minnesota, serving on MHEC’s Commission as a commissioner alternate from 2004-2009, during her time as commissioner of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. From 2013-2018, she worked as a senior consultant with HCM Strategists, a public policy firm, primarily with the Lumina Foundation Strategy Labs, connecting state and system leaders with effective approaches aimed at improved postsecondary education approaches and outcomes. She was also a vice president and education team leader for the St. Paul based Bush Foundation.

Heegaard has guided policy under two governors and a U.S. senator, worked for the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, the Minnesota Private College Council, and the Minnesota Planning Agency. Heegaard holds a law degree from Mitchell Hamline College of Law and a bachelor's in economics and government.

She began working for the Compact in November 2018.