Heather was born in Northern Saskatchewan, but spent most of her childhood in Northern BC. She arrived in the Lower Mainland in 2004 to attend the Simon Fraser University. She was recognized as a Jack Diamond Athlete while attending SFU and playing on the Varsity Volleyball team. She graduated from SFU in 2007 with a Bachelors of Arts in Georgraphy and a Semester in Dialogue. While at SFU she pursued individual disaster managment studies in San Francisco researching earthquake policy and procedure.
After graduating she worked as a Emergency Planner with the EmergeX Planning Inc. She also worked for the City of Burnaby as part of the Youth Services team at Eastburn Community Center.
Heather started at SCARP in September 2008 in the disaster management stream. While at SCARP, Heather was the Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC) student rep and active in the Planning Student Association ( PSA). She completed an internship with the District of Tofino Development Office where she worked on promoting green transportation networks. She also spend a semester in Victoria working for the Ministry of Community and Rural Development assisting with the enactment of Bill 27, the Green Communities Act. Heather's Masters Project was the creation of a vulernability index for the social and built environment for the District of Tofino in relation to tsunami hazards. The project was developed and supported by the Ministry of Safety and Solicitor General. Heather presented her Masters Project in May 2010. While at SCARP she also took part in the International Field School in Plaridel Philippines. While in the Philippines, Heather worked directly with the community, building capacity and knowledge around the risks and dangers of poor solid waste management.
Heather is currently living in Georgetown Guyana working for the Canadian Institute of Planners in partnership with the Amerindian Affairs Office of Guyana.
Canadian National Nuclear Award in Clean Energy (2004); Ira M. Robinson Award in Community and Regional Planning (2008); M Dorothy Mawdsley Award of Excellence at Graduate Study Level( 2008); Jack Diamond Scholarship for Academic and Athletic Excellence ( Member of Varsity Volleyball Team); Simon Fraser University Student Society Research Grant- Simon Fraser University (Summer 2007); Top Biogeography Student- Simon Fraser University Department of Geography; Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) Research Grant (2008-2009); GoGlobal International Travel Grant (2010); Amacon Beasley Travel Grant (2010); Faculty of Grauate Studies Travel Grant (2010); CARE Housing Society International Award (2010); Emergency Management of BC Scolarship (2010).
PLAN XXX- Directed Studies: Intergovernmental Negotiations and Relations PLAN XXX- Directed Studies: Community Resilience and Green Energy PLAN 548X - Internship LARC 510B- Sustainable Design PLAN 583- Housing Policy PLAN 548K - Disaster Planning PLAN 515 - Qualitative Research Methods PLAN 506 - Planning Law PLAN 595 - Negotiation and Faciliation PLAN 511 -Quantitative Research Methods PLAN 502 - Planning Theory PLAN 548B- Community Service Learning
Ministry of Community and Rural Development, Province of British Columbia (2009) Policy Analyst/ Research Officer Provincial Emergency Program ( October 2008- Present) Thesis project City of Burnaby- Park and Recreation and cultural Services ( 2004- present) Community Worker EmergeX Planning Inc. (August 2007- January 2008) Emergency Planner
University of British Columbia (September 2008- April 2009), , Academic Assistant- Civil Engineering 201
District of Tofino- Development Services ( Summer 2009)