Community-Engaged Leadership

Dr. Heather Jo Mashburn

Heather Jo provides leadership and strategic direction for all co-curricular service and community engagement opportunities and undergraduate leadership education and programming. Heather Jo believes that mutually beneficial community engagement can serve as a vehicle for student leadership, for discovering one's purpose, and for fostering deeper impact and transformation. In addition to leading CEL, Heather Jo co-directs a prestigious leadership and mentorship program for the division of Student Affairs. Heather Jo has more than twelve years of experience working in higher education having worked directly with community engagement activities, leadership development, international travel, risk management, student conduct, and scholarship programming. Outside of work, Heather Jo enjoys gardening, live music, running, and spending time with her young family.

• Ed.D. Educational Leadership | Appalachian State University
• M.A. Higher Education Administration | Georgia Southern University

Summer Wisdom

Summer joined Community-Engaged Leadership in 2018, after previously serving as a Learner Partner on three ASE programs. She spent her first 5 years in CEL as an Assistant Director working with Alternative Service Experience and currently serves as an Associate Director working with the Plemmons Leadership Scholars and the Sustained Dialogue program and Appalachian Interchange Retreat. She previously served as the Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs at Appalachian State working with the Appalachian Student Ambassadors, and was the founding staff member of the LGBT Resource Office at East Carolina University. Summer met her husband Hunter Boone during their first year at App State in undergrad. They have two young daughters, Decker and Robin.

• M.A. Sociology | East Carolina University

Megan Kasper

Megan serves as the Associate Director of Community-Engaged Leadership / Director of the Leadership Minor. She is a two-time graduate from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics; Secondary Education and a Master of Arts in Student Affairs Administration. In addition to working as public school teacher, Megan has more than eight years years of experience working in higher education having worked directly with leadership development, learning communities, teacher education, career development, college access, and scholars programming. Megan is motivated to support the career goals and personal development of a diverse student population. Her professional interests are in equity issues in public and higher education, social justice, leadership development, and education policy. Megan is happily married, a twin, and passionate about serving others and traveling to new places.