Please join the Department of Economics in congratulating our Alumni Leaders Board President, Heather S. Heidelbaugh, who was honored with the College of Arts & Science Alumni Award for Distinguished Service, at the A&S Awards Celebration on Thursday, March 6, 2025. 

Ms Heidelbaugh earned her Bachelors degree (AB, Economics and Political Science) in 1981 and law degree (JD) in 1984, both from the University of Missouri, here in Columbia.  

The Distinguished Service Alumni Award is a Gold Standard Award, which celebrates the remarkable dedication, service and leadership that have left their mark on the University of Missouri. Heather embodies the very essence of what it means to be a Tiger. 

In addition to being a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, Ms Heidelbaugh served as both a Missouri Student Association Senator and Presidential Assistant all four years of undergraduate school. 

Ms Heidelbaugh went on to practice law with a St. Louis firm for four (4) years, then moved on to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she is a currently a partner at Leech Tishman Fuscaldo & Lampl, LLC, a law firm with offices located in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Delaware. She is the Vice Chair of the Litigation Department and practices in the areas of commercial, products liability, torts, intellectual property and election law. She has lectured at Harvard Law School on Election law. She is a Fellow in Litigation Counsel of America and the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny. She has a preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Further, Ms Heidelbaugh received the first Pro Bono Award from the Allegheny County Bar Association, for her work in forming a legal clinic for the homeless. She is admitted to practice law in five (5) states: Missouri, Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. She was elected as President of the Young Lawyers Division of the Allegheny County Bar Association in 1992, 4 years after arriving in Pittsburgh and has twice been elected by the Bar to the Judiciary Committee.

Well known for her contributions to her community, Ms Heidelbaugh is currently serving as a County Councilwoman-At-Large for Allegheny County and represents 1.2 million Allegheny County citizens. She serves on the Budget & Finance Committee. Also, serving on the Advisory Board of Chatham University's Center for Women & Politics and the Co-Chair of the National Republican Lawyers Association. Additionally, she has been a weekly panelist on a public affairs program on public television, WQED, titled: 4802, for nine (9) years and has conducted numerous interviews with the Wall Street Journal, ABC World News Tonight, CNN, and the New York Times; just to name a few. 

Ms Heidelbaugh continues to live a life of service that exemplifies the values we embrace, of Respect, Responsibility, Discovery and Excellence, her efforts continue to make Mizzou stronger. Mizzou Economics congratulates and thanks you for your continued service! 

MIZ!