Heather Baker, from Mishawaka, IN, is in her first year as a Graduate Teaching Assistant with the K-State band program. As a Ph.D. candidate, she studies Curriculum and Instruction with a Music Cognate. Before moving to Kansas, Heather taught in the Indiana Public School system for ten years. 

Heather holds an undergraduate degree from Ball State University (Muncie, IN) and a Master of Music Education degree from VanderCook College of Music (Chicago, IL). She is a member of the National Band Association and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). She is an honorary member of Tau Beta Sigma, and an alumnae member of the international music fraternity, Sigma Alpha Iota. Heather is also a member of numerous state music educators associations, including as Texas and Kansas.

Most recently, she was selected as a 2024 Intern Scholar for the Technology In Music Education (TI:ME) Leadership Academy (San Antonio, TX). Heather was named an Outstanding Music Educator Award Recipient in 2021 for "Outstanding Contribution to Music Education." This award was presented by Quinlan and Fabish Music, a store servicing Chicagoland, Indiana's central and northern regions, and lower Michigan. She holds the prestigious "Timothy R. Donoghue Graduate Scholarship" Award for Kansas State University for 2023 and 2024. While teaching in public education, her school system was recognized as a NAMM “Best Community for Music Education” every year from 2016 to 2023. Heather has been a Conn-Selmer Institute Volunteer team member for over 15 years and received the Conn-Selmer Institute “Hall of Fame” Award in 2015. 

Heather and her husband, Dan, have two children: Bryant (6) and Charleigh (4). They enjoy being outside, hiking and kayaking, camping, and traveling.  Dan was a successful high school choir director for many years and now works as the Executive Producer of Heart of America (HOA) Productions, LLC. He coordinates and hosts performance events for elite choirs in numerous cities across America.

-- Go Cats!