RITA HEATHERINGTON has written and arranged music for many years, and has, during the last few years, worked exclusively with sacred music. She holds Bachelor and Masters degrees from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is a former Dean of Students at Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, and has served as program coordinator for Florida Community College at Jacksonville.

Educator, choir director, and composer, she has been active as speaker for civic organizations and church groups, offering programs dealing with the development of American musical theater. Her music has won several awards, the most recent being a first place award for "A Song for My Son". She is currently vice president of the North Florida Christian Music Writers Association (NFCMWA).