Dede Heimbigner has been in education for over 20 years and the principal of Diamond View Middle School, since 2019, in Susanville, California. As principal she has led the school through many changes including implementation of Professional Learning Communities, curriculum implementation, development and implementation of a classroom observation and feedback system, Social and Emotional Learning and implementation of a Positive Behavior Intervention System. All of her efforts have built capacity within teachers and teacher leaders that have resulted in Diamond View Middle School being named a 2024 California Distinguished School. Dede is a graduate of U of N, Reno and a certified MIE, Microsoft Innovative Educator and is involved in North State CUE as a contributing member. Additionally, she was Masonic Teacher of the Year in 2015 and worked with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as a technology trainer supporting design and implementation of online math curriculum programs. Most recently, Dede and her team were asked to present at the Northern California Educational Leadership Consortium PLC about school improvement efforts she led at Diamond View Middle School.