Heather Carter Profile
As Director of Corporate Research in the Strategic Marketing division, Heather Carter has expanded Scholastic's understanding of its customers by conducting and acquiring market research studies. Under her guidance, Corporate Research studies the needs, preferences, and behavior of Scholastic's main audiences--educators, parents, and kids. Her team's research ranges over a broad set of topics, from segmenting parents by their level of involvement in their children's education, to Harry Potter's impact on kids' attitudes toward school work.
Ms. Carter grew up in Dix Hills, New York and majored in Marketing at the Wharton School in University of Pennsylvania. Her first job was as a market researcher at Information Resources, Inc. Prior to joining Scholastic in 2000, Ms. Carter worked in market research for consumer packaged goods companies, most recently at Lancôme. The following is a selection of questions and answers from an interview with Ms. Carter.
Q: What's the most important attribute for someone in your position?
A: Inquisitiveness and flexibility.
Q: Why did you join Scholastic?
A: I wanted to work for a company that is committed to children's learning and development.
Q: What is the best part of your job?
A: I am very fortunate to interact with people from all of the business units so I have a good sense of many of the exciting, new initiatives happening across the company.
Q: Is there anything about Scholastic that came as a surprise?
A: I was surprised by the depth of Scholastic's product offering. Prior to joining, I associated Scholastic primarily with the joy of the book box arriving in the classroom when I was in elementary school.
Q: What's your favorite book from when you were a child?
A: The Little Engine That Could. With enough perseverance, anything can be achieved.
Q: You have a longer connection with Scholastic?
A: Yes. My father, who is currently an artist, won a Scholastic Art & Writing Award in the ‘50s.
