Heather Ashley Hayes

Dr. Heather Ashley Hayes is an award winning advanced assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies in the College of Communication and Information Sciences at the University of Alabama. She is also founder of The Teach Out, a nonprofit aimed at breaking down barriers to educational access. Dr. Hayes’ work has been called “innovative” and “incredibly important” in the fields of communication and public discourse. She is the author of two books (one forthcoming) and is currently working on a third about how what we know about the brain helps us understand how we build inclusive and equitable community.

All of her accomplishments were placed on pause in 2019 when Heather faced a life-threatening brain tumor diagnosis, which she survived against all odds. She now advocates for new ways to think about accessibility as it relates to education and public life.