Heather Thornton

Heather Thornton brings over 15 years of award-winning, dynamic professional experience in branding, internal and external communications, and integrated marketing to Center for the Future of Arizona. Her experience spans in-house and consulting agency capacities; global, national, and regional markets; and corporate and social sectors, and includes many well-known companies and brands such as Procter & Gamble Home & Personal Care (Febreze, Swiffer, Oral-B, Crest, Prilosec, Always, Charmin), Johnson & Johnson Beauty & Personal Care (Aveeno, Neutrogena, Clearasil, Lubriderm, RoC, Ambi), Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Bayer Diabetes Care, Best Buy, Philips, Tic Tac, Girl Scouts, Arizona Public Service (APS), and WebPT. Through it all, she focuses on balancing creative and data-driven critical thinking to help clients and teams harness the power of strategic communications, PR, and marketing in support of organizational goals.

After completing undergraduate studies and working for global firms and brands in New York City, Heather relocated to her hometown of Phoenix in 2012. Since then, she homed in on purposeful work aligned with her values as she became engaged and passionate about the continued advancement and development of Arizona. She believes the state’s geography and resources paired with its independent and innovative characteristics (among many other attributes), offer the infinite potential to lead key issues at all levels.

Heather holds a bachelor's degree in Arts Administration, with minors in Marketing and French Studies from Wagner College in New York City. She subsequently obtained certifications in Demand Creation and Marketing Foundations. Heather is an avid reader, leads with curiosity, and strives to embrace lifelong learning. She is an active member of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), American Marketing Association (AMA), and International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).