Anna Higgins Email & Phone Number

Bend, Or, Us

United States

Redmond, Oregon, United States

VP of Human Resources, Communication and Innovation+Strategy

Redmond, Oregon

Worked alongside the superintendent and executive team, I lead tactical and visionary strategy for the organization with deep political savvy and human-centered approaches. I am a strong generalist, capacity builder and team leader. I embrace our organizational commitment to equity and oversee our internal and external communication, organizational and workplace culture, as well as oversight and supervision of the student success department and its portfolio of programs, including i4Education, the non-profit innovation arm of the High Desert ESD.

I worked to inspire and foster a culture of innovation within the High Desert ESD and Central Oregon school districts by raising the capacity of staff and leadership to be courageously curious and creative. Through investigation, coaching, strategic idea mapping, design, communication support and evaluation, I guide organizations, teams, programs and individuals to identify their high potential impact ideas and move those ideas from inspiration to implementation.I designed and implemented an innovation process, ThinkUp, that encourages anyone in our organization, regardless of position to bring an idea forward that has the potential to increase excellence, equity and efficiency. ThinkUp allows me the distinct pleasure of working intimately with many entrepreneurs. Learning from and with them about how to bridge best practices of entrepreneurship back into public education.

i4Education is the non-profit innovation arm of the High Desert ESD. Simply put, i4Education is about educators' ideas, made better with human-centered design, grounded in collaboration with local entrepreneurs.

Oregon

I provided neutral coaching, facilitation, strategic planning and targeted support to collaborative organizations around the state.

Central Oregon

I served as the founding Director, launching a collective community movement that aims to improve child and youth outcomes from before birth to career. I took a nebulous concept of a few to a robust regional, cross-sector partnership with a focused set of initiatives and shared indicators. As the Director of a lean staffed, high impact organization my role was soup to nuts. Advancing a 30k foot vision while getting stuff done on the ground.

Central Oregon

Together with an incredible team of instructors, I designed and taught Early Childhood Education courses with the goal of igniting wonder, passion and creativity in emerging early learning teachers. I took pride in selecting literature and developing curriculum that got to the heart of content and pushed research into practice. I held high expectations of my students as critical thinkers and reflective pre-practitioners. In addition to teaching college courses, I worked to connect each of my students to real-world application through internships. Through these field placements, my students were encouraged to make sense of the theory they were learning about in our college classroom. My particular passions are family engagement and learning environments.

Central Oregon

Parenting is both an art and a science. I dove into this work only after becoming a mother myself. Though I brought book-smarts to the groups I facilitated, I was truly living and learning alongside each of the families I was privileged to meet through this work.I shared best practices, listened deeply and came as the authentic, imperfect parent I was.

Bend, Oregon

I spent my days dreaming up new hands-on exhibits, developing interactive curriculum for young children and their grown-up, and partnering with schools and community organizations to get kids in the magical doors to learn through play.

Bend, Oregon

I worked with some of Central Oregon's most vulnerable young children and their families with an aim to prevent child abuse and neglect. I spent my days providing therapeutic curriculum for young children while scaffolding their families with support, additional skills and compassion through regular home visits and connection.

Professional License, Education

Master’S Degree, Educational Leadership & Human Development

Pacific Oaks College is relentlessly dedicated to principles of inclusion, social justice, and the valuing of every human being. I am.

Bachelor'S Degree, Human Development And Family Studies

With a laser-sharp focus, I blazed my way through my studies enjoying the benefits of a small cohort of dedicated co-learners and a robust.