Heather brings enthusiasm, creativity and communication expertise to Columbia Public Affairs. After serving as the Communications and Events Coordinator for an international congregation of Catholic Sisters, Heather developed a deep affinity for advocacy, collaboration and community building. She loves looking at big-picture problems and then digging into the details to find win-win solutions.

Throughout her career, Heather has helped organizations reach their long-term goals and communicate their priorities effectively. Heather knows how to engage an audience and bring important conversations to the table. With a passion for service and an obsession with organization, Heather helps our clients stay on top of their tasks while keeping their objectives top-of-mind.

Prior to working in the nonprofit world, Heather served as a Public Relations intern for a local author, speaker and mediator, where she helped implement a social media and communication strategy for a national audience. In that role, Heather collaborated with a small team to create promotional material, coordinate speaking events and develop engaging talking points.

Heather received her Communication Arts degree from George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. While there, she served as member of the National Communication Association's Lambda Pi Eta honor society, worked as a Teacher’s Assistant for the Communication Department and implemented a curriculum to teach communication skills to at-risk youth. Heather also enjoyed serving as a Big Bruin during her college years, where she mentored struggling students after school or met them for wall-ball games during their lunch breaks.

Heather now lives in Portland with her husband Joshua and their two lively kittens Jack and Jill. When she’s not working, you’ll find Heather enjoying nature – either hiking in one of Oregon’s beautiful forests or capturing them in an oil painting.