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health programs, but we had not had anything related
to aircraft. And so out at that campus, it’s very exciting
to have those programs.”
And Chattahoochee Tech is also expanding
existing programs such as the aforementioned paramedics/EMT, and they’re in the process of getting
paramedicine expanded to another campus. They are
also looking to expand a diesel equipment technology
program— Georgia is home to Bluebird, one of the largest bus makers in the country, not to mention some of
the most freight traffic as well.
It has also hired a respiratory care technician program director and are working on launching that soon.
They have also just started a social work program that
will begin in January. If there is not a program you or
your children are interested in, wait a semester or two
and they may start one!
From Mom to Volunteer
Outside of her life as president, Pence is a dedicated daughter, mom and community member. “My
parents are still around, so I am very dedicated to my
mom and dad, and helping them. My dad is a small
business owner who still owns the flower shop I grew
up in. So, I help him at times, never designing flowers
though. That’s not my gift either,” joked Pence.
She volunteers for the chamber of commerce
in Pickens and at her church. “My favorite thing is
Christmastime, and I decided that our church needed
a drive-through nativity, and you know one of those
things where you say we need it, you get to do it. And
this will be year number five for our church. And it’s
not just a drive-through nativity, it takes about 80 to
100 people to put this on every year. I just love doing
things that reach the community.”
Her passion beyond the community is travel, especially in the U.S. where she only has eight states left to
complete the full set of 50. Her most recent trip was to
New Mexico with her daughter.
She loves to plan a good trip and to take people
with her.
“I’m the one that will have you an itinerary or an
agenda before we ever leave home. And then that way,
we don’t have to guess what we’re going to do when
we’re somewhere. The last big trip was we spent
Thanksgiving in New York City this past year. And
there were six of us that went, all the girls in my family. We went and had a great time.”
Like a good accountant she had the entire trip
planned, by the minute.
“They joked that, “Heather, you’re the only one
who would’ve given us an Excel spreadsheet as an
agenda.”
Baker Owens is a staff writer for James and James Magazine
Online.
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