Heather De Rensis was born in New York City, but grew up in Boston as one of five children. She was an avid reader, ran indoor and outdoor track and cross county, and spent most of her summers on Nantucket. After graduating with a degree in philosophy from the University of Rhode Island, she worked with students with autism and other developmental disabilities at the Anderson School in New York. She moved to Arizona and studied education while working with foster children and then adolescent boys in a therapeutic group home. Before relocating to North Carolina, she taught fifth grade at a school in Apache Junction. This is her first year at Lynn Road. 

 

Heather De Rensis has four children who keep her very busy. She spends most of her free time at soccer fields, robotics competitions, and scouting events. Her hobbies include reading, running, gardening, and hiking. She has run three marathons, many half marathons, and is a member of two book clubs. Her favorite childhood books include The Phantom Tollbooth, The Wind in the Willows, The Black Stallion, and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.