On this page you can learn a little about me and the events that shaped my life.

I felt the best way to convey a sense of the real me was through a question and answer session.

I've included some current photos here as well. But take note - changes are coming to this page very soon.

Thank you,

Was there a particular event that first stimulated your interest in journalism as a career?

As I look back I can honestly say that several events probably influenced my decision. Oddly enough it was a crush I had as a young girl that really piqued my interest. Here's the scoop. I had been a reporter for my junior high newspaper. Well as luck would have it, Matt Dillon was in the Houston area on a film shoot. So a chance to kill 2 birds with one stone...meet my heart throb Matt and get a story at the same time. So my grandmother drove a friend and me to the location. We thought we had a shot at becoming film extras as well. Anyway after much persuading, I convinced Matt's very intimidating manager to let me meet Matt - and get my interview. I felt SUCH a sense of accomplishment! I mean here I was, a little kid and I had managed to charm my way into meeting AND interviewing Matt Dillon. The feeling of satisfaction was enormous. I think that event lit the fire. I realized the power of persistence.

So how did the interview go?

GREAT!! At least in my mind it did. Matt was charming. We had our photo taken together and I found out some secret info. I think it was a strong influence on my life, even though I did not realize it at the time. Plus I got a tiny spot in the movie (Liar's Moon) but if you blink, you'll miss it.

Before we go any further, can you tell me about the dog I see on the blog and gallery photos?

Ha, he's only the best dog in the world! His name is Rosco and he is the SWEETEST dog I have ever been around. He is at a doggie summer camp right now learning the finer points of behavior (not that he needs it) and I MISS him so much!

So, you found the perfect dog?

YES! Umm, well okay, let me amend that. He does have this thing about digging in the garden, and well, chewing on my plants...HEY he's not even a year old yet!

Okay, moving on - tell us more about your background and how you ended up at FOX4 in Dallas.

Wait, I'm not done with Rosco yet! He's a chocolate lab. He is beautiful and only barks if someone is at the door. He lets me sleep in and he greets me every night when I get home from work. There's this field near my house with a little pond. If you look at the Mother's Day gallery pics you can see a lot more photos of him playing...plus there is an "introducing Rosco" gallery section as well and...

Uh, Heather, could we get back to what brought you to Dallas, and a little background?

Oh yeah, okay. Well I grew up in Houston and it's taken me awhile to get back to what I consider my home state. I delve into this more thoroughly in my book. But briefly, Brett and I moved to Hawaii with just a dream - to make it our home. We both loved the ocean and though we had no money, we knew we could make a go of it. I enrolled in a university there (Chaminade) and graduated with a 4.0 grade point average. Not a journalism degree but rather in behavioral sciences. I guess I had gotten a little off the track with journalism. I knew I still needed more education though so I decided to try for my master's degree. And I GOT IT! From Boston University in television and film.

Wasn't there something else about Hawaii. A point of interest?

Well yes, lots of things. Okay, I'll mention a high point. At the urging of Brett, I entered the Miss Hawaii USA pageant. I would never dared do it on my own...Texas big hair, lots of blue eye shadow, no way would I win. But I got a makeover - and to this day (and forever) I'll always remember Brett standing and cheering in the front row as I was crowned Miss Hawaii. He was the only person I could see.

So, what was your first foray into real television news?

Well the first, other than Matt of course, was at a little station in Yakima, Washington. I did a little of everything - reporting, editing, taping and I was not above sweeping up at the end of the day. Then it was on to the frigid weather of Green Bay, for a Texas girl no less.

Wait, seems to me I heard a rumor about "Heather with the weather". Am I mistaken?

Hmmm, well no you're not mistaken...I forgot to mention that. Now moving right along...

Let's hear about Green Bay. Did you like the Packers?

Loved the Packers but prefer the Cowboys. I hated the cold weather though. I did have an incredibly rewarding experience up there. I still have friends there and one of my fondest professional memories occurred while I was working at a station in Green Bay.

And what was that?

Walking the Holy Land with Packer legend Reggie White. We filmed an award winning special on that trip, but it was so much more. It was a true spiritual journey. We stood at the Wailing Wall, stepped into the River Jordan and touched the flowers in the Garden of Gethsemane. I will never forget that experience.

What role has your family played in all this?

Nothing can compare to the love and support of family. I remain very close to my mom and dad, both still live in the Houston area. My sister Hollie lives in the metroplex so I see her often. I have loads of brothers scattered around the country that I don't get to see as often as I would like - but I hold them close to my heart. Hey if you would check out my blog and gallery you would see that I had my mom up for Mother's Day and I had my dad up for Memorial Day.

I'm not sure how you would define success - it can mean so many things depending on ones perspective. I do know that whatever I have or will achieve, it's due to the love and support of the people around me. It's their confidence and encouragement through the good and bad times that has kept me going.

Two final questions. I know the writing of your book and the creation of this site are for the purpose of heightening the awareness of suicide. Can you spell out what you hope to accomplish?

And secondly, you are creating something called the Hayven Foundation. What will that focus on and when will it be up and running?

As to the first question. There remains a terrible stigma with regards to mental health problems in this country. It should not be just a minor concern or an afterthought - it causes death and untold misery. It's legacy can be a generation or more of lingering pain for those that survive. We have to make it clear that asking for help is okay, that in fact, it is the RIGHT thing to do. Admitting there is a problem should convey strength not weakness. This is especially true for men. They generally do not ask for help. It's as though they "complete" the act of suicide rather than bother someone, or have themselves portrayed as somehow less than adequate. That is such a tragedy - if only they knew what their loss means to family and friends. The very high completion rate of men's attempts attest to it not being a cry for help. For them it is all too often a deadly serious attempt.

With women and teens, we have to, as a complete and caring society, recognize the early warning signs that so often convey (and stem from) self esteem problems. In this country, with all its resource and bounty, for suicide to be the third leading cause of death among youth and for 30,000 Americans to die each year by their own hand - is nothing short of national shame. It is, in my opinion disgraceful and totally unacceptable.

That is where the Hayven Foundation comes in. Initially, it's efforts will concentrate on mental health issues - education, training, grants and scholarships. We will increase awareness of issues such as depression, lack of self esteem, bullying and all that goes with it. We have to get health providers involved, be it with screenings in the private sector, public health services and community programs. The cost of neglecting mental health problems goes up exponentially as time passes. And when the problems are neglected, we all suffer the tragic consequences. Far better to utilize the opportunities to intervene early, than to wait for the deaths, incarcerations and homelessness that are so often the result of mental illness.

My long term goal for the Hayven Foundation will be to expand it to include other causes as well. There will never be a lack of need in this country - as unfortunate as that is, but we have the resources and if we have the will, we can enact real change.