Heather witnessed the Bellingham Tragedy. At the time, she lived in Bellingham and worked in Cordata. She saw the explosion from her office window. “Was it a plane crash?” she thought. “What was it?” She wasn’t quite sure. Because she was located far enough away, it lingers as mainly a visual impact, but nevertheless something she would never forget.
Years later, she saw the Pipeline Safety Trust’s (PST) business manager job listing. She had heard the name before, but wasn’t too familiar with the work. She decided to find out a little more, which is when she learned about all the hard work PST has done for nearly two decades influencing pipeline safety regulations both in Washington state and federally.
“It was then that I realized PST was doing really great work with such little fanfare,” she said. “I immediately wanted to learn more about the position.”
Heather joined as the Pipeline Safety Trust’s (PST) business manager in 2021 and brings a dedication to efficient and effective back-office operations including, fiscal, administrative, information technology, and human resource management.
In her short time with PST Heather has already been impacted by PST’s mission in many ways. Working for PST has made her rethink her energy consumption and in addition wonder if it’s time to switch to an electric car or not.
“Even though it may not be the most economical decision for me, I have a 15-year-old son and want him to have a decent world to live in,” she said. “Working here has made me more accountable for the tiny part I can contribute to our environment.”
When in the office, Heather enjoys taking calls from people who need help and so she can assure them PST is there for them.
“It’s such a good feeling to provide that support, and to hear the gratitude people have when we help them navigate a challenging system,” Heather said.
She also points out the variety of conversations had at PST with a multitude of different stakeholders, who, at times, have vastly different interests.
“I think it’s interesting that we have good relationships with the industry,” she said. “I like the balance of watchdog and diplomat. I like working for an organization that can balance all these complicated issues.”
Heather previously served in administrative and executive roles in the military engineering, public works construction, and real estate development industries focusing on advancing the effectiveness of processes and procedures, directing day-to-day workflow of operations, and providing supportive leadership to projects and people across 10 time zones.
She graduated with a BA in French from Western Washington University and earned a Human Recourses Professional Certification from Cornell University. In her free time Heather and her family can be found recreating in the snow by winter and crabbing in Puget Sound whenever possible.
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