Heather Richardson Higgins (born September 21, 1959) is an American conservative philanthropist, businesswoman, political commentator, and non-profit executive. She serves as president and CEO of Independent Women's Voice (IWV) and chair of the board for its sister organization, the Independent Women's Forum (IWF), both of which promote traditional conservative values through advocacy on issues like economic policy, women's rights, and cultural matters. She is also president of the Board of Trustees for the Bradley Impact Fund and involved in various right-wing advocacy groups. Higgins has a background in finance and media, having worked as a portfolio manager and vice president at U.S. Trust, an editorial writer for The Wall Street Journal, and an assistant editor at The Public Interest magazine. She is the daughter of R. Randolph Richardson, who was president of the Smith Richardson Foundation from 1973 to 1993, and has been involved in various conservative networks, including serving as a board member of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Higgins has been recognized for her influence in conservative circles, named one of the '50 Most Influential People' by Campaigns & Elections magazine for her issue advocacy and thought leadership. She was appointed as a Commissioner on the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission and has appeared on C-SPAN since 1994, initially as Executive Director of the Council on Culture and Community. Her work extends to right-wing advocacy groups, focusing on promoting free-market principles and traditional values. Higgins holds a B.A. from Wellesley College (1981) and an M.B.A. from New York University (1987), blending her academic foundation in liberal arts and business with a career dedicated to conservative philanthropy and media commentary.