Heather Schatz is the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, for Mayor Donna Deegan and the City of Jacksonville.

Prior to being appointed to her current position, Heather spent five years at WJCT Public Media, where she served as an award-winning senior producer for First Coast Connect, The Florida Roundup and What’s Health Got to Do with It?. She also contributed to WJCT News, Jacksonville Today, the Jacksonville Music Experience and Edible Northeast Florida, with a focus on the art and artists of Northeast Florida.

She also worked at CBS News in New York City, where she produced news and feature stories for multiple network programs and was invited to join the Writers Guild of America, East. Heather was also the Communications Director for Best Buddies International and YoungArts Foundations in Miami (her hometown), where in addition to her primary responsibilities, she had the opportunity to curate a gallery show at Miami International Airport, help apply for and manage an ArtPlace America Creative Placemaking Grant, and work on several Miami Art Week and Art Basel Miami exhibitions and events.

She devotes much of her time to the community, and currently serves as a board member/Mayoral Liaison to the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, and as a board member for the Cathedral Arts Project. In addition, she co-chairs Leadership Jacksonville’s Arts & Culture Day (and is a member of the Class of 2022) and is on the Cummer Museum of Art & Garden’s Education and Gardening Committees, and the Florida Theatre’s Marketing Committee. Heather is also one of the co-founders of “904 Day” and continues to help plan it each year.