About
Spanning over three decades, Heather DiFede has dedicated her professional life to making a lasting difference for students with disabilities. Prior to joining the High Quality IEPs project as the Executive Director, Ms. DiFede served as a SELPA Director for over a decade, however, her influence reached far beyond a local role.
Ms. DiFede is a former Chair of the SELPA Administrators of California, and has served as co-chair of the CALPADS & Compliance Committee as well as the Forms Committee. Her work has consistently bridged the technical and the practical—balancing rigorous compliance with the compassion needed to ensure systems serve students effectively. She has also been a valued contributor on numerous state-level workgroups, including the IEP Expert Panel, lending her vision and expertise to help redefine what’s possible in special education.