Prior to joining POLITICO Pro in summer 2015, Ms. Hefling served as the national education writer for The Associated Press. During her 18-year career at the AP, she covered diverse topics that included veterans and military home front issues and Pennsylvania politics. She also served as an embedded reporter with the 101st Airborne Division early in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 2015, she received third place in education writing in the National Headliner Awards competition.

She is a native of Wichita, Kansas, and graduated from Kansas State University. She’s married and enjoys going to parks, swimming pools and libraries with her two young kids.