Tess Hegedus began her career in Physical Therapy 30 years ago after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh School of Health Related Professions. Overtime, she discovered a passion for teaching and learning. Combined with her love of science these interests led to a rewarding pathway forward in the field of education. In pursuit of these interests, Tess obtained a Master’s Degree in Gifted Education from Elon University and a PhD in Teacher Education/Higher Education from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Her over 20-year career in education has been filled with a variety of experiences to include teaching, research, and administration in K-12 learning environments and higher education. Tess served as Dean of Instructional Leadership and Innovation at Randolph-Macon Academy from 2018-2020 collaborating to build technology initiatives, J-Term, Pre-Professional Pathways, and simulation labs to enhance the educational experience for students at the school. She is honored to be able to return to R-MA to serve as a Trustee and support future initiatives that benefit students and the Academy as a whole