Over the last 25 years Heather’s work and research interests have centered around homelessness, affordable housing, illicit drug use and working with vulnerable populations.  She worked for over 15 years with street involved youth as well as adults and worked 20 plus years with the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) as an Associate Professor in the School of Social work.  Her work has combined direct service provision to vulnerable people as well as teaching, program development and research. This combination of experience means Heather is uniquely placed to have a big picture vision while understanding the skills and knowledge development needs of people from front line staff through to board members, city councilors and more. Heather’s passion and commitment to the fields of substance use, affordable housing and homelessness make her the ideal person to work with your organization and support it as it grows and develops.

Heather worked with street involved youth in Vancouver including in the downtown eastside, and later on developed a youth centre in a small northern BC city to support at risk and vulnerable youth. At UNBC her work focused on affordable housing, illicit drug use, and homelessness. She was also one of the founding members of the board of directors which developed the Quesnel Shelter and Support Society, and she considers this to be one of her most important contributions to the field.

She developed a university course on homelessness and affordable housing which she has taught at UNBC for over 15 years. Heather has also published articles on improving access by marginalized populations to social and health services.  One of Heather’s studies involved research into the use of illicit drugs by hidden and vulnerable populations in Quesnel, BC. An outcome of this research was the development of a model on the Stages of Harm Reduction. Heather continues to speak about and support work being done in the field of homelessness, illicit drug use, and ensuring access to services by vulnerable populations.