As Managing Ecologist, Woodlands, Heather leads ecological stewardship, training and mentoring, and communications and engagement related to the Garden's woodland habitats, including McDonald Woods. She works collaboratively with our team of ecologists to manage the Garden’s natural areas while helping to train the next generation of land stewards through the Garden’s Stewardship and Ecology of Natural Areas (SENA) program. She also collaborates with other staff in the Garden’s Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action, as well as staff and programs throughout the Garden, to support related onsite research, learning, and community engagement activities. Through strategic partnerships, including with the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC), Heather helps grow the Garden’s role as a leader in efforts to steward, understand, and support diverse, resilient woodlands in the region.

Heather brings more than a decade of experience in land restoration and stewardship (starting as an ecological restoration technician here at the Garden in Dixon Prairie), and a wealth of expertise in connecting land stewardship activities and programs with diverse audiences and mentoring folks as they navigate careers in land stewardship. Prior to joining the Garden, she was Director of Land Stewardship with Lake Forest Open Lands, responsible for managing their land stewardship program. This included overseeing restoration, infrastructure projects, community science monitoring, logistics, communications, and community engagement. Heather joined the Garden as an Ecologist in 2023, working on stewardship activities in Dixon Prairie, the Skokie River Corridor, McDonald Woods, and FPCC’s Turnbull Woods while mentoring the Garden’s SENA technicians.