Heather Cathey

 Heather Cathey is a dual-certified family and pediatric nurse practitioner in Cookeville, TN. She has clinical practice experience as a nurse practitioner in pediatric primary care, urgent care, family practice, inpatient psychiatric/mental healthcare, and substance abuse treatment. In 2016, she expanded her role into the academic realm and began teaching undergraduate and graduate nursing at Tennessee Technological University. She is currently an Assistant Professor and continues to practice part-time in pediatric primary care and mental health clinics. She coordinates the pediatric undergraduate courses and is passionate about educating future healthcare providers and the Upper Cumberland community about socioeconomic disparities and how they can impact children’s and families’ physical and mental health.  Currently, she is partnering with a local hospital to develop a pediatric nursing education program to improve inpatient pediatric healthcare throughout the Upper Cumberland Region.

Heather received her Bachelor’s (2008) and Master’s (2011) degrees in Nursing from Middle Tennessee State University and her Doctorate of Nursing Practice (2022) from East Tennessee State University/Tennessee Technological University joint program. She is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Family Nurse Practitioner and by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board as a Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.  She resides in Cookeville with her husband and 2 sons.