Heather Benoit is a professionally trained futurist and experienced strategist with expertise in innovation and foresight. As SGR’s Executive Vice President of Strategic Foresight, she leverages her experience to understand the most complex challenges facing local governments and works collaboratively to create aspirational visions of the future. Previously, Heather served as the Futures & Insights Lead at M3 Design, where she led futures research in technological development, social and political trends, and environmental sustainability. Prior to that, Heather worked as a product design engineer, leading the development of products ranging from delicate neurosurgical devices to ruggedized industrial equipment. Heather received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Baylor University, an MBA from the Quantic School of Business & Technology, and is currently completing a Master of Science in Strategic Foresight at the University of Houston.