Get to Know

Cathy Heidelberg

	Click to enlarge         Cathy Heidelberg

Job title and what you do in 25 words or less:
Director of Data, Assessment, and Accountability – I provide consultation, training and support to district-, building- and teacher-based teams on the collection, analysis and interpretation of data to improve curriculum and instruction and to increase student achievement and student growth.
 
Describe yourself in three words:
Organized, goal-oriented, empathetic, a “people person”  (I guess that is four words).

Family:
I have two adult sons, Jim and Scott.

My oldest son Jim, his wife Julie, and my two granddaughters, Emma (age 8) and Katie (age 3), live in Tampa, Fla. Jim is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University with a bachelor’s degree in engineering.  After working for Accenture Consulting for a number of years, he is now self-employed as a business consultant, mortgage broker and realtor. His wife, Julie, is a public relations consultant.

Scott has a bachelor's degree from Columbus College of Art and Design. He is a professional photographer who does work for catalogs, magazines, websites, public relation firms and businesses. He owns a studio in downtown Columbus near Nationwide Arena and lives in the Short North.

Hometown:
I was born in Toledo and lived there all my life. After 40 years in education as a teacher and administrator, I retired from the superintendent’s position in Ottawa Hills school district in Toledo in July 2010. I moved to Columbus in August 2010 while serving as the interim superintendent in Granville for six months. I then started in the director’s position at the ESC in March 2011. I look forward to developing new professional networks here in Central Ohio and enjoying the amenities of Columbus.

Favorite food or dining spot:
I love seafood. My favorite Columbus restaurants are Columbus Fish Market, Refectory, Worthington Inn and Hyde Park Grill. For Mexican, my favorite is Señor Antonio’s on U.S. 23 in Lewis Center. 

In Toledo, my favorite places are The Beirut and Mancy’s Blue Water Grill.

Favorite hobby:
Gardening. It is very therapeutic. I would like to become involved in the master gardener program.

Favorite movie(s):
The original Star Wars trilogy: Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. I remember taking my two sons to the opening day showings of all three movies in the 1970s. We were all so excited. We still enjoy watching them together even now.

Favorite vacation spot:
My absolute best vacation ever was a surprise birthday trip to Paris, France. I also love the electricity and excitement of Broadway in New York City; the natural beauty and relaxed pace of Sanibel Island, Fla.; The Homestead near Sleeping Bear Dunes, Mich.; and the history and art of Charleston, S.C. My travel goals are to visit the national parks and see more sites in Europe. We are planning a family trip to Italy next summer.

Name one dream you have that is yet to be fulfilled:
Watch my grandchildren grow up to become happy, fulfilled adults.

If you could spend time with one person living or dead, it would be:
My father. When I was 16 years old, he died suddenly of a heart attack at age 42. I was just beginning to get to know him as a person, not just as my dad. I would love the opportunity to do that now.