As a Life Coach Assistant and Children’s Ministry Coach, Heather is certainly a people-person. But she didn’t always know how much she wanted to work with people.

From Zoo Science to Life Coach

For a long time Heather saw herself working with animals, and even got her degree in in Animal Biotechnology and Conservation. She started working part time at the National Zoo, but kept finding that despite her qualifications, she couldn’t move-up.

Heather began to realize that God had other plans for her outside the field of zoology. She looked around and realized in her spare time she was babysitting, teaching at summer camps and Sunday schools, until she suddenly realized…“I’m passionate about working with kids!”

Soon God opened the doors for her to begin working with Youth for Christ, and six years later when she knew it was time to move on, she discovered Water Street. This time Heather gets to work with women, kids and their moms. “It’s been a really cool blessing because I never knew Water Street existed…I never knew loving people could be a job.”

“It’s been a really cool blessing because I never knew Water Street existed…I never knew loving people could be a job.”

“Ms. Heather”

In her joint role as a Life Coach Assistant and Children’s Ministry Coach, Heather helps bridge the gap between our women and kids ministries. Since all the kids call her “Ms. Heather,” when she walks around campus, moms can’t help but call out, “Hey Ms. Heather,” too.

And just being able to be a part of these families’ lives is one of the things she loves most about her job. She teaches and ministers to children living at Water Street a few days a week, and then serves as a resource to women on campus the rest of time. To her, getting to spread joy throughout this community is a gift. “Feeling like I can be here just to put a smile on someone’s face or just to make someone’s life easier,” she says, “I love that!”

Through working with mothers and their children, Heather hopes that each person can look back on their time at Water Street, and instead of just remembering the trials that brought them here, they can also remember the safety and community they experienced.

Recently Heather got to see the fruit of all their hard work when she asked each of the kids to draw a house. One young boy said, “I’m gonna draw the mission!”

For him, Water Street was a safe place, and a place where he felt at home. “It was a beautiful thing to know that once he’s grown…he can look back and not be ashamed that he was here and be like ‘wow that was a really safe time in my life.”

“It was a beautiful thing to know that once he’s grown…he can look back and not be ashamed that he was here and be like ‘wow that was a really safe time in my life.”