APH Welcomes Heather Spence as APH Press Director

APH is pleased to announce the hiring of Heather Spence as the APH Press Director. APH Press publishes educational content, including textbooks for teacher preparatory programs, in the field of blindness and visual impairment to support teachers, families, and other professionals.

As director, Heather will oversee published educational content while setting strategy for future growth. She will also ensure APH Press’ strategies align with the APH organizational strategy by developing and managing a 3-5 year publishing plan that meets the needs of educators and university programs.

“I am thrilled to join the APH team,” said Heather. “I look forward to spreading APH’s vision and providing services to our clients. I worked with the Press while at the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), so it is nice to have the opportunity to work with the authors again and help to ensure that the Press is meeting the needs of educators in the field.”

Heather previously worked for AFB for more than 10 years in a variety of positions. While there, she worked as the Business Systems Manager for more than two years, where she worked with staff to optimize new platforms and managed programs to support the virtual workforce; Product Fulfillment and Customer Service Manager for nearly three years, where she played a vital role in moving to print-on-demand, which streamlined the fulfillment process; and Customer Service Associate – Publishing for three years, where she coordinated customer service operations for product sales.

Currently living in Sandusky, Ohio, Heather earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from The Ohio State University. Her areas of specialization include more than 15 years of non-profit experience, including more than 10 years in the blindness and visual impairment field and eight years in publishing.

“I see the vision for APH Press is aligned with APH’s mission of empowering people who are blind or visually impaired. It makes me excited to continue servicing the field and furthering the impact,” said Heather.

This position will work closely with the APH product development team, which is led by Kate Herndon, Senior Director, Product Operations, and Analytics.

Want to connect with or welcome Heather? Send her an email at HSpence@aph.org.