Megan Heber

Megan Heber has dedicated the past 15 years to harnessing the power of mission-driven work within arts and nonprofit organizations, focusing her efforts on transforming communities with passion and purpose.

As a professor of practice of Arts Management and Nonprofit Leadership in Southern Methodist University's Division of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs (CCPA), Heber teaches both graduate and undergraduate students, specializing in strategic planning, fundraising, marketing, governance, change management, financial literacy and budgeting. She also serves as the director of the CCPA graduate programs and liaison to the CCPA Advisory Board.

In 2024, she was honored with a nomination for the HOPE (Honoring Our Professors’ Excellence) Award, which recognizes SMU faculty who go above and beyond in helping students succeed both inside and outside the classroom. Subsequently, she was selected as the HOPE Graduate Professor of the Year.

A classically trained musician, Heber's journey in the arts began in New Jersey, where early exposure to music inspired a lifelong commitment to the transformative power of the arts. Her diverse career has included roles as the Executive Director of the Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas; Director of Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations for the University of North Texas College of Music; Event Coordinator at the Murchison Performing Arts Center; and as a military musician in the United States Navy Music Program.

Heber's contributions to the arts were recognized when she received the 2020 Business Council for the Arts Obelisk Award for outstanding support of arts and culture in North Texas, and when she was named one of “30 Under 40” by her undergraduate alma mater, Rowan University. In 2024, she was nominated and selected for professional membership in the Recording Academy, which has a community-driven and peer-reviewed annual membership invitation process.

An active participant in the North Texas arts and nonprofit community, Heber is involved in several boards and committees, including The Arts Community Alliance (TACA) Perforum Committee and the City of Dallas Cultural Plan Implementation Steering Committee.

Megan holds an MBA and an M.A. in Arts Management from SMU, along with degrees in Music Education and Education from Rowan University and Organizational Leadership from Thomas Edison State University. Her comprehensive education and diverse experiences enable her to lead with a unique approach that melds robust business strategies with a creative vision.