Heather McMann is CEO of Groundwork USA, a community development nonprofit organization that is “changing places, changing lives, and changing systems”. Working at the intersection of environment, public health, and education. Heather is also an Adjunct Faculty member at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.

Under Heather’s leadership, GWL has quadrupled in size and its impact has been recognized locally and nationally, including receiving the 2014 Nonprofit of the Year by Enterprise Bank, being named as a Social Innovator by Root Cause’s Social Innovation Forum, and receiving the MA DPH Peter R. Lee Healthy Communities Award.

Heather has spent over 25 years in the nonprofit sector building community and individual assets and she holds a breadth of experience in nonprofit management, with a focus on preparing organizations for growth. Prior to joining GWL, much of Heather’s experience was with youth organizations focused on creating our communities’ next generation of social justice leaders. Heather received her MBA from the Heller School of Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and her BA from Smith College. Beyond GWL, she serves as the President of Groundwork USA, Treasurer of the MA Public Health Association and the Lawrence Partnership, and an Executive Board member of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce. She lives with her husband and their dog along the Merrimack River in Haverhill, MA.