Taite Heller

Taite Heller is a Health and Exercise Science student at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Along with her major, she is pursuing minors in Biology and Psychology while maintaining a 3.97 GPA. Expected to graduate in 2027, she is currently following the Pre-Physician Assistant track and plans to continue her education through PA school. Her academic journey reflects a strong interest in healthcare, scientific learning, and serving others through patient-centered care. While pursuing her studies, Taite is also a Division I student-athlete on the Wake Forest University Dance Team. Balancing academics and athletics requires dedication, discipline, and effective time management. Her commitment to both areas earned her recognition as the team’s MVP during the 2025-2026 season, an award that reflected her effort, reliability, and contributions to the program. As a member of the dance team for three years, Heller trains and performs for more than 15 hours each week while managing a full academic schedule. She contributes to the university community through performances at athletic events, helping create an engaging and energetic atmosphere for fans. Her role also includes participating in junior spirit programs, where she encourages and supports young dancers. In addition, she represents the university, athletic department, and team at alumni and donor events. Each year, she competes at the Universal Dance Association National Championship in the Division IA category. During the 2025-2026 season, the team achieved a major milestone by winning the DIA Gameday Live national championship, the first title of its kind in program history. Leadership and advocacy are also important aspects of her college experience. Taite serves as a representative for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, where she helps strengthen communication between student-athletes and the athletic department. Through this position, she supports leadership initiatives, campus engagement, and student-athlete representation. In 2025, she was selected to serve as the student-athlete voice at the Faculty Advisory Committee meeting for Wake Forest Athletics. This achievement marked the first time a member of the Spirit Program had been chosen for that role. She was also selected to represent Wake Forest Athletics at a Leadership & Character Development Program event, where she spoke about team culture, values, identity, positivity, and mindset. Her interest in healthcare has led her to gain valuable research experience. As a Research Assistant for IGROOVE-POWER, Heller assisted graduate students in collecting and organizing muscle power measurements involving the knee and ankle joints. Working within a geriatric movement laboratory allowed her to gain experience in functional movement assessment, cognitive aging research, and non-pharmacological health interventions. During the Spring 2026 semester, Taite served as a clinical research intern for The Osteoarthritis Prevention Study at Wake Forest University. This multisite clinical trial focuses on whether diet, exercise, and weight-loss maintenance can reduce the risk of knee osteoarthritis in women at risk of developing the condition. The experience provided additional exposure to clinical research practices and healthcare-related studies. In 2024, Heller also served as a virtual tutor through Wake Forest University. She worked one-on-one with a sixth-grade student, creating personalized lesson plans and interactive activities designed to support academic development. Through regular communication and encouragement, she helped build a positive and productive learning environment. During the Spring 2026 semester, she launched “Dancing With the Deacs,” a dance class created in partnership with the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Winston-Salem. Through this program, Heller teaches dance to children and adults with Down syndrome while encouraging movement, confidence, and self-expression. She also volunteers as a dance instructor at GiGi’s Playhouse, where she works with both children and adults through educational and developmental programs. Taite Heller has been selected to serve as a Teaching Assistant in Human Gross Anatomy. In this role, she will assist faculty members with cadaver preparation and dissection, support laboratory sessions, and mentor fellow students. She is also working toward earning her Certified Clinical Medical Assistant certification while seeking additional opportunities to gain direct patient care experience. Through her achievements in academics, athletics, research, leadership, and community service, she continues to prepare for a meaningful future in healthcare.