Meet Heather

I’m Heather Guernsey, and I’m running for the Kansas State Board of Education because I believe every child deserves an excellent education.

I was born in Augsburg, Germany, while my dad was serving in the U.S. Army. As a military family, we moved several times before settling in Manhattan, Kansas. I’m the oldest of four children and attended schools in both Manhattan and Wamego before earning my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Emporia State University. I was also the first person in my family to graduate from college.

Education changed my life. As a quiet fourth grader, I had a teacher who saw potential in me that I didn’t yet see in myself. Her belief in me gave me confidence and helped shape my future. That experience inspired me to become a teacher.

I spent six years teaching third grade in Olathe before my husband, David, and I made our home in Chanute, where we have raised our four children. Being a mom has taught me that every parent wants the same thing: safe, supportive schools where their children are encouraged to learn, grow, and dream big.

Today, I serve on the Chanute USD 413 Board of Education and on the Kansas Association of School Boards Board of Directors. I continue to believe what I learned as a child and witnessed as a teacher: education is powerful. It opens doors, lifts people up, and helps young people discover who they can become.

I’m running for the Kansas State Board of Education because I believe in the promise of public education and in the potential of every Kansas child. I’ll bring the perspective of a teacher, school board member, and mom who is committed to putting students first and ensuring every child has the opportunity to reach for the stars.