Heggerty Welcomes New Leadership to Support the Next Phase of Company Growth

Chief Executive Officer Kai-leé Berke, Chief Product Officer Heather Wiederstein, and Chief Operating Officer Tia Disick will lead Heggerty in advancing its mission to provide equitable access to transformative literacy instruction.

CHICAGO, March 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Heggerty, a leading and trusted provider of foundational literacy solutions used in classrooms across nearly 80% of US school districts, has expanded its leadership team with the addition of three seasoned EdTech executives who will oversee company growth through intentional, best-practice-focused innovation. This leadership transition marks a bold step forward for Heggerty as the company executes on an expanded vision for improving literacy outcomes through assessment-driven instruction, technological innovation, and solutions aligned with the evolving science of reading. With decades of experience leading education companies and developing market-leading curriculum and assessment resources, Kai-leé Berke, Heather Wiederstein, and Tia Disick bring with them a dynamic vision for Heggerty's future. Their combined expertise and shared commitment to educational excellence will drive the organization's continued growth, deepen its impact in classrooms across the country, and expand the pathways for all children to develop strong reading skills.

Amidst declining literacy rates nationwide, as reflected in historically low NAEP reading scores, Heggerty is committed to equipping educators with research-backed and research-proven tools, insights, and support to drive meaningful change in classrooms. "We are thrilled to welcome new leadership at such a critical moment in the fight to improve literacy outcomes," said Heggerty Board Chair Randall Hunt. "We have known and worked closely with Kai-leé for over a decade and have had a front-row seat to her leadership capabilities and the innovative approach she brings to helping companies grow and scale. She and her expanded executive team will drive the company's efforts to reach more students and empower more educators with the resources necessary for unlocking reading success."

Berke, a lifelong educator and the former CEO of Teaching Strategies, has dedicated her career to improving learning outcomes for young children. In addition to her executive leadership experience, she is an author of market-leading and award-winning classroom solutions that reach millions of children in classrooms across the country, including The Creative Curriculum, the GOLD assessment system, and Noni for Teachers.

"I am thrilled to step into this role at such a transformative moment in Heggerty's journey, as we evolve beyond phonemic awareness to provide innovative new resources that will help to transform literacy learning," said Berke. "Literacy is fundamentally an equity issue, and all children deserve access to high-quality literacy instruction. I am committed to finding new ways to improve literacy outcomes, particularly through the use of data-driven approaches to individualizing student experiences."

Wiederstein and Disick each bring decades of experience to their respective areas of the business. Wiederstein, a former classroom educator and innovative product leader with deep expertise in education technology and literacy curriculum design, will oversee Heggerty's product strategy and development. She has previously played key roles in shaping evidence-based solutions for Learning Ally, Lillio, and Teaching Strategies. Disick has spent nearly 20 years helping to scale organizations, bring new solutions to market, and optimize organizational efficiency. She began her career at Scholastic and has since held both Marketing and operational roles at Teaching Strategies, Lillio, and Hana Education Partners. In this newly-created role at Heggerty, Disick will work to scale the company's impact and optimize internal processes, systems, and teams to ensure that the company brings an efficient and intentional approach to helping more teachers and students benefit from research-backed literacy instruction.

From the ground-breaking Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Curriculum to its research-proven Bridge to Reading Foundational Skills curriculum, Heggerty has served as the leading provider of early literacy solutions for more than two decades. Building upon these foundations, Heggerty introduced Bridge to Writing, a first-of-its-kind writing curriculum, and the Heggerty Library, a robust collection of decodable texts. For more information about Heggerty and its mission to build strong readers, visit www.heggerty.org.

Media Contact:
Megan Colburn
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Heggerty

SOURCE Heggerty