About Us
Want a Short Bio?
Heather is a grateful veteran homeschool mom of 3 biological and 2 internationally adopted children. Heather is a Registered Dietitian, a certified Cultural Intelligence (CQ), Unconscious Bias, DISC, and ATD Master Trainer, as well as a Learning Specialist holding a master’s degree in educational psychology. She is also a thought leader advancing her own transformative learning theory designed to enable epiphanies as learning outcomes.
Heather’s passion for cross-cultural unity evolved from her years living as an interracial family in wonderful, yet culturally and ethnically homogenous, communities. She specializes in helping organizations learn about and prepare for successful cultural diversity.
Culture and personality undergird the complexity of our behaviors, perspectives, communication, and how we learn. Therefore, Heather integrates research-based principles and transformative learning approaches to help people engage and relate more effectively across differences.
Her practical, encouraging, and compassionate approach enable psychological safety and opportunities for growth and unity. She shares from a biblical or faith-neutral perspective, scholarly support, humor, and humbled insights gleaned from the worthy work of intercultural bridge-building.
What is Culture?
Culture is the accepted and familiar behaviors, beliefs, and assumptions about what is “normal” for members of a particular group.
We define culture broadly for this workshop—organizations have cultures, families have cultures, schools have cultures, regions have cultures, and even different functions across organizations have cultures.
Culture can also simply be thought of as “the way we do things around here.”
What is Cultural Intelligence (CQ)?
Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is the ability to recognize and adapt to cultural differences. CQ is a globally recognized approach to assess and improve effectiveness across cultural differences.
Learning Through Education
I received my master's in Educational Psychology where I specialized in learning, cognition, and motivation. As a Learning Theorist, I have expertise in both adult and child learning. During my graduate work, I became a thought leader developing my own transformative learning theory designed to foster epiphaniesas the pinnacle of learning outcomes.
(Everyone has had an"epiphany"-that deep 'Aha!' that changes, not just your thoughts but, your life. I want to learn from your epiphany experience as a part of my ongoing research.
If you want to share your epiphany story, find me at www.epiphanyscholar.com *
*website currently under construction)
I’m an ATD-Certified Master Trainer® with proven work designing and facilitating more than 100 in-person, virtual, and hybrid workshops, seminars, classes, and training courses with hundreds of learners from all walks of life.
So, I am a thought leader, a scholar, educator, public speaker, and a Master Trainer of adults.
Learning Through Culture
Twelve years as an interracial family, 4 years building and leading multiethnic outreach initiatives, a lifetime traveling to 14 countries and serving in 5, and 3 years of post-graduate work in sociology and intercultural communication, developed a global and multicultural mindset. I love learning from and about people and their cultures.
In my professional work, I noticed a need to build multiethnic diversity and community in my organization and the homeschooling movement. So, I initiated a talent acquisition strategy that increased diversity in my teams by 129%. These employees went on to lead, reach, and serve across cultures. I continued to influence positive change by leading the creation and implementation of a multiethnic outreach program, and through intercultural training, coaching, and mentoring. I then collaboratively pioneered work to increase cultural awareness and multiethnic integration into the homeschooling movement at large.
So, I am a cross-cultural connector, bridge-builder, and social justice ally.
As a Certified Cultural Intelligence (CQ), Unconscious Bias, and DISC Trainer, Consultant, and Coach, I help people and organizations work and relate more effectively across cultures and behavioral styles. These tools and capabilities support the creation of diverse communities and learning cultures.
So, I am an interculturalist, and CQ & DISC Consultant, Coach, and Trainer.
(If you want to learn more about how Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and DISC tools can help you improve your effectiveness across cultures and behavioral styles, contact me and let's brainstorm options and solutions!)
Learning Through Leading
Four years managing two customer-serving teams as both a Program Manager and then Director taught me business and strategic leadership skills. I developed Human Resources skills as I wrote job descriptions, and recruited, hired, promoted, and supervised onboarding for 10 employees. I loved creating talent and leadership development for my staff of learning professionals.
So, I am a business leader and strategic thinker who helps people reach their potential.
Learning Through Creating
Close collaboration with Communications and Marketing departments provided incredible experience in external affairs and branding including the chance to create and facilitate a huge variety of media-including Facebook Lives, podcasts, webinars, virtual and in-person educational offerings, and many other events!
So, I am a seasoned brand champion, speaker and interviewer.
Finally, I write and design learning experiences, content, and resources. I work with subject matter experts and write web content, scholarly articles, whimsical scripts, college-level courses, curricula, blogs, K-12 classes, and more! I create the instructional design for job aides, courses, and e-learning.
So, I am a writer and learning experience designer.
In the end, I seek to be a humble listener, learner, and leader...and hopefully in that order. My hope is that my life and skills will be used to help normalize unity amidst diversity which then builds authentic relationships and community.
If I can accomplish that, I will have lived a successful life indeed.