Get to Know…Heather Crump, Community Impact Manager for Education

Describe your role at United Way so a third grader could understand it.

My role at United Way is Community Impact Manager for Education. I help support education cradle to college. This includes kindergarten readiness, student success in schools, and support for students’ overall development.

Share your career history and how you made your way to United Way.

I have been a teacher with Wichita Public Schools for the last decade, first as a 3rd grade teacher and then as a Special Education Teacher supporting kindergarten through 5th grade. Working in the classroom was a fantastic learning experience but I realized that I wanted to make an impact on students that were outside of my classroom as well. What better place than United Way to make an impact in our community?

What are your interests or pastimes?

As a mom, I love watching my kids play sports and spending time with my family. Music is also a huge part of my life; I have a song for every occasion and will sing them to you unsolicited. Going to concerts and experiencing live music is one of my most favorite things to do. I am also an avid reader, I especially love Janet Evanovich, animal lover (I would pet a crocodile if I thought it wouldn’t bite me), game nights with friends, Red Sox baseball fan, and a San Francisco 49er fan.

Share a favorite book or movie and why.

My favorite movie of all time is Tombstone. Tombstone came out when I was a child, so it has a lot of nostalgia for me, but it also has romance, comedy, and action all rolled into one movie. It also has great quotable lines such as “You’re a daisy if you do.”, “I’m your huckleberry.”, and “You called down the thunder and now you got it!”. Fun fact, I am the most annoying person to watch this movie with because I cannot resist saying all the lines, most of the time directly before the character speaks them in the movie.

Please share a little bit about your family.

I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Caleb, for almost 17 years and we have two amazing kids. My fifteen-year-old son, Alex, plays soccer and competes in track, and my fourteen-year-old daughter, Lily, plays volleyball and softball. We also have several pets including dogs, cats, a hedgehog, fish, and frogs.

What is the number one reason you love working at United Way?

The number one reason I love working at United Way is that I can see the impact being made in the community. Children are the future and being able to invest in them is such a privilege.

What would the title of your autobiography be?

My autobiography would be “Sarcasm, Song Lyrics, and Movie Quotes” because these are things I use every day. Sarcasm can provide comedic relief and I am fluent in song lyrics and movie quotes, as mentioned above, I have a song or quote for every occasion. These things help me in everyday life whether I am spending time with family, learning something new, serving others, or facing a struggle.