Heather keeps herself busy with a few projects at a time, currently serving as the local community/media coordinator for NYC’s Institute of Play (IOP), while acting as a consultant for Heinz History Center and Allegheny Intermediate Unit, among others. As the local eyes and ears for IOP, Heather makes site visits to local TeacherQuest partners who integrate Game Design into their lessons and creates multimedia stories that capture their successes.

In early 2014, Heather helped Carlow University plan and implement innovative strategies as their Experience Designer and Education Technology Specialist of the in-development High Performance Learning program. Prior to Carlow University, she served as Manager of Emerging Technology for Girls, Math & Science Partnership at Carnegie Science Center, where she led Click! Spy School–an interactive, game-based tool that won the MacArthur Foundation’s Digital Media and Learning Competition in 2010. She worked with The Sprout Fund as Creativity and Technology Consultant during the revamping of Kids + Creativity Network. Heather has worked with and continues to collaborate with a diverse list of organizations such as Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Museums, Winchester Thurston, Mattress Factory, YWCA, and many others.

Digital Salad, Mallak’s self-initiated project, grew organically out of her advocacy for connected learning experiences and her affinity for programs that incorporate STEAM concepts. Since 2011, Digital Salad has mixed art-making, technology, and farm education to produce edible learning experiences for classrooms, community spaces, and neighborhoods.