Her Story
About Heather
Heather Mena-Carias, MSML, serves as an Assistant Director of Admissions at Lehigh University, where she is dedicated to expanding college access and advocating for students from diverse, underserved backgrounds. A first-generation college graduate, Heather’s professional mission is deeply rooted in her lived experience navigating the complexities of higher education without traditional guidance. Her commitment to student advocacy was sparked early by her mother, who served as a paraprofessional and dedicated her career to ESL and neurodivergent students while Heather was in high school. Observing her mother’s tireless advocacy for inclusive learning environments shaped Heather’s foundational understanding of empathy and the necessity of accessible support systems.
As the eldest daughter and a primary caregiver for her mother, who battles Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Heather has developed a profound sense of resilience and responsibility. These personal roles inform her professional philosophy: she champions students from all walks of life, especially those whose opportunities have been limited by circumstance, ensuring they feel seen, supported, and empowered to pursue their educational goals.
Heather’s perspective is further influenced by her father’s professional journey. By witnessing him build a successful career through perseverance and skill-building rather than a traditional linear path, she learned that while a degree provides structure, its true value lies in how one engages with that education to build a purpose-driven life. This belief in the value of multidimensional experience is reflected in Heather’s own path; between completing her degrees, she became a Licensed Nail Technician and Certified Medical Nail Technician/Advanced Nail Technologist, and worked briefly in the health and wellness field. For Heather, these "unexpected journeys" are not detours, but formative experiences that reveal new dimensions of identity and purpose.
Heather began her career in education within the Pennsylvania Migrant Education Program, a critical federally funded initiative under the U.S. Department of Education. In this role, she served as a vital link between the government’s educational mandates and the families who needed them most, connecting high school students to the resources necessary to overcome systemic barriers. This experience was foundational to her career, providing her with a high-level understanding of federal advocacy and the grassroots dedication required to ensure equitable access for migrant and seasonal farm-working families.
In her current role at Lehigh, Heather manages recruitment across New York, Florida, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Her deep connection to these regions is personal; having lived in Honduras during her youth, she possesses an intrinsic understanding of the cultural nuances and realities of the students she serves. This background allows her to move beyond traditional recruitment, helping international and immigrant students see higher education as a transformative possibility.
Extending her impact beyond her primary responsibilities, Heather champions students from all sectors of society. While her roots drive her expertise in specific regions, her professional philosophy is universal: she ensures that every student, regardless of their background or circumstance, feels seen and empowered. Heather is an independent researcher exploring how lived experiences shape leadership, and she remains deeply active in the professional community. She serves on the PACAC Scholarship Committee, co-leads the Latine Collective, and serves as a Navigate LU Coach, all while preparing to deepen her involvement with the Latina Mentoring Initiative in New York. Through these varied roles, she uses a lens of intercultural communication and empathy to advocate for all students, ensuring they find a clearer and more accessible path forward.
Heather holds a B.A. in International Studies: Comparative Cultural Studies and Spanish Studies from Susquehanna University and an M.S. in Management and Leadership from Western Governors University. A multilingual mentor, she is guided by the principle of "leaving others better than she found them." Whether acting as the bridge or lighting the path, Heather strives to ensure that those who follow her find a clearer, more accessible, and more empowered way forward.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Heather
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute the fire behind my drive and my success to my mom. For years, I watched her navigate a long, uncertain road to a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, facing misdiagnosis after misdiagnosis with incredible grace. Even on days when her body felt like it was failing her, her spirit never wavered. Instead of turning inward, she looked outward. She is always wearing a smile, always finding a way to support, guide, and uplift everyone in her orbit.
She gave me my "life’s directive." She told me, "Don't stay behind for me. Push yourself forward with everything you have, but as you climb, make sure you are pulling others up with you." She taught me that true progress isn't a solo sprint; it’s a communal journey. Because of her, my mission is to strive to leave every person and every program better than I found them. She instilled in me the belief that our real impact isn't defined by our own titles or actions, but by the transformation and empowerment we spark in the people around us. I don't just work for myself. I work to honor that legacy of collective strength.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to always lead with curiosity. In any professional environment, curiosity is the catalyst that opens doors to deeper understanding, continuous growth, and the authentic connections that fuel long-term success.
Alongside this, I live by a guiding principle: “If you can’t be the bridge, be the light for others.” I believe that if you aren't yet in a position to directly create a pathway for someone, you can still provide the clarity, mentorship, and encouragement they need to navigate their own.
My ultimate advice is to remember that success is not a solo sprint. True leadership is defined by collective progress. Your impact is measured not just by your own achievements, but by how many people you empowered to rise alongside you.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to embrace the non-linear path. We often feel pressured to have a perfectly curated trajectory, but some of my most formative leadership lessons came from the "detours," like becoming a Licensed Medical Nail Technologist between my degrees. Those experiences taught me more about care, service, and professional identity than any traditional classroom could. Don’t view unexpected journeys as distractions. Always view them as the experiences that add depth to your perspective.
Secondly, find your 'why' and let it be your anchor. In a field like higher education, it’s easy to get lost in the data and the deadlines. I stay grounded by remembering my mother’s resilience and my own journey as a first-generation graduate. When you lead with your lived experience, your advocacy becomes authentic, and your impact becomes personal.
Lastly, redefine success as a collective achievement. In many professional spaces, we are taught to compete for the only seat at the table. I challenge you to build a bigger table instead. As my mother taught me, 'push yourself forward, but bring others with you.' Your legacy won't be defined by your title, but by the doors you opened and the lights you lit for the women coming up behind you.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
In the world of higher education and international recruitment, the biggest challenge right now is a growing sense of restriction and fear. Global policy shifts and domestic changes have created a lot of 'preconceived notions' and anxiety for students and their families. When people feel restricted, they often lead with judgment or resentment toward the system, which can damage the bridge between a student’s potential and their access to a degree.
However, this creates a massive opportunity to lead with curiosity and rehumanize the process. The current landscape is calling for us to move away from being "gatekeepers" and toward being "lights." For me, the opportunity lies in:
Replacing Judgment with Understanding: Instead of viewing a student’s non-traditional background or complex international status as a hurdle, I choose to be curious about their lived experience. This allows us to find creative pathways rather than just seeing dead ends.
Building Community, Not Just Enrollment: As my mom taught me, it’s easier to push forward as a group. The opportunity in my field is to stop seeing recruitment as a solo transaction and start seeing it as building a supportive community that helps students transition from their home countries to a new life.
Being the Light When We Can’t Be the Bridge: We won’t always be able to solve every systemic issue or financial gap (the bridge) overnight. But we can always be the "light," providing the transparency, empathy, and guidance that helps a student navigate their own trajectory with confidence.
The biggest opportunity today isn't just in hitting numbers. It’s in changing the mindset of the industry to be more collaborative, helping people just to help them, and leaving every student better than we found them.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that anchor both my work and my personal life are community, service, empathy, curiosity, grit, and cultural and emotional intelligence. To me, these values aren't just independent traits; they are interconnected.
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