She worked in the banking, insurance, and software development industries for many years before returning to graduate school to earn a master's and doctorate in theology. In 2009 she was diagnosed as being in the final stage of blood cancer and was successfully treated at VCU's Massey Cancer Center, where she recovered fully. In 2012 she and her husband founded a small, nonprofit corporation, Just Compassion, which provides free medical and dental care via mobile units to underserved children in pockets of poverty throughout Virginia and West Virginia. While her husband manages the nonprofit during the week, she does public speaking/fundraising on the weekends. Heaton joined DAR staff in 2017 as a grateful patient/staff accountant. She loves giving back to the university that literally saved her life!