From 1958 to 1976, Hightower worked at the University of California Press as a graphic designer, then moved to New York where she worked as an editor for McGraw Hill and The Saturday Review, and as a grant officer at Carnegie Corporation,[4] where she was involved with the development of Sesame Street as a consultant.

[3] Hightower was hired as executive director of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) in 1977.

She is credited for initiating AIGA chapters in 38 cities, increasing income to $2.3 million from $215,000.

[2] Hightower left AIGA in 1995, working as a program development and fundraising consultant in New York.

Board Member: vice-chairman, with musician Billy Taylor, New York State Council on the Arts CAPS Program (grants to individual artists), 1974-1984; American Design Council, 1980-1994; The Innovative Design Fund, 1979-1984; Publishing Center for Cultural Resources, 1984-1989; National Kidney Cancer Association, 1991-1995.