About me
Heather Finley serves on the Georgia Department of Education’s Rural Education and Innovation Team as a Teacher Retention and Recruitment Specialist. In this role, she supports rural districts in developing sustainable strategies to attract and retain educators. Heather oversees the Georgia Registered Teaching Apprenticeship Program (GaRTAP), a statewide initiative designed to create new teacher pipelines through innovative, community-based partnerships. With a background in special education, instructional leadership, and federal program management, she brings over two decades of experience to her work. Heather is passionate about strengthening the educator workforce in Georgia’s rural communities and advancing equity in teacher preparation and support.
