March is Women’s History Month, when we celebrate the contributions of women throughout history and contemporary society. With this series, we intend to highlight some of NPRC’s women for the work they have done throughout their careers and for their contributions to the College and higher education.
Northern Pennsylvania Regional College board member Heather Evans has enjoyed a long and successful career in the manufacturing business space. Her expertise has been critical as a member of the board since June 2023. She serves as the Human Resource Manager at Port Erie Plastics and has been with the organization since 2016. Prior to this, she spent over 20 years with AirBorn Lake City (CARON Enterprises, Inc.) working her way up from administrative assistant to corporate human resource director.
The Erie County native holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The Pennsylvania State University in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, a Master of Business Administration from Gannon University, a Professional in Human Resources credential (PHR), and a Society for Human Resources Professionals Certified Professional distinction (SHRM). She also serves as the Vice Present of the Board of Directors for the Autism Society of northwestern Pennsylvania.
Evans recognized the importance of higher education in northern Pennsylvania and jumped on the opportunity when offered a seat on NPRC’s Board of Trustees. “Higher education is critical for our region. The more education we can offer, the better off our community will be. Our workforce and industries continue to change, and we need to prepare for these changes, so our communities thrive.”
Her leadership style is focused on service and ensuring that the employee’s experience is the best it can be. She carries this same style to her role on NPRC’s Board of Trustees. “I believe my job is to help make an employee’s experience the best possible, so they can be the best employee they can be. I carry this philosophy into my role with NPRC. Whether staff or students, if their experience is positive, NPRC will continue to grow. This positivity can then spread into the community and improve the quality of life for many.”
This mindset of being a servant leader has made her life and career feel more whole. Through doing good work with and alongside so many, she’s been able to form many valuable personal and professional relationships. “I have enjoyed working to build a culture where employees feel recognized and appreciated. I also have enjoyed building trust with employees, so they know they are supported. Creating a culture where employees enjoy coming to work and know their contribution is appreciated has made me feel that I have helped make a positive impact.”
When reflecting on her own college experience, one thing she believes college helped her with tremendously was being able to value diversity and equity. College was eye opening as it introduced her to many people from backgrounds much different from hers. “Everyone I met had a unique story, but the more we learned about each other, the more we learned how similar we are to each other. And when we differed in opinion, our relationships allowed us to be respectful and empathetic.”
Evans has three key messages for readers which include not underestimating the importance you have in your life, that failure can bring the best lessons to us, and to find a cause or non-profit you care about and volunteer time to help serve that cause. “I once heard a saying that’s truly resonated with me, and it is ‘a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.’ Building someone up, encouraging them, and promoting them, doesn’t take away from our successes, but makes us all better.”
Heather is just one of the many inspiring women serving NPRC we celebrated this month. We are thankful for all the readership this March on our four featured women but acknowledge that we are an institution that is home to more than just these dedicated and strong women. We hope that sharing their stories has inspired readers and informed them they have an entire world of possibilities in their lives and careers!
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