Heather Leigh Whitestone McCallum is a former beauty queen who was the first deaf Miss America title holder. She also served as an executive member on the President's Committee on Employment of People Disabilities. She was appointed as the US Senate to the National Council on Disability by President Bush. She was also a board member for the Helen Keller Foundation for Research and Education, from 1995-2002. She was appointed to the Advisory Council for the National Institute of Health on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, in 2002. She has also been in print articles for USA Today and People Magazine. In 2003, she filmed two public service announcements to bring awareness about "Dogs for the Deaf", which is a hearing-dog organization. She became a spokesperson for the Starkey Hearing Aid Foundation and Cochlear America's. She has written three books: Listening with My Heart, Believing in the Promise, and Let God Surprise You.