Hi, I’m Heather, a New York City-based writer and entrepreneur. I’m a graduate of Alfred University in New York (B.A. History & French), Emory University in Atlanta (M.A. Early Modern History), and I worked for over ten years at Starbucks Coffee corporate in the Store Development Department doing construction, design, and real estate.

For years, I’ve been searching for a way to combine my interest and experience in writing, art/design, history, travel, and business. The pandemic offered a much-needed burst of inspiration with the boom in online education. I am motivated by the idea of bringing the past to life through really good storytelling, beautiful illustration, and intimate conversations. I established Travel & Culture Salon in 2021 with the hope of creating an experience that left you feeling like you’d just gone on an amazing tour of a museum with an unbelievable guide—after which you got to swing through the gift store before going out to a fabulous local dinner.

I grew up in Saint Louis and remain a Midwest girl at heart. I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to live in amazing cities throughout the world including Paris, Avignon, Atlanta, Washington DC, San Francisco, Seattle, and Amsterdam. I’ve also traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, the US, Mexico, and Central America. These experiences have shaped my passion for distilling the complexity of academia and the nuances of other cultures into light, leisurely knowledge that enlightens and entertains.  

In the quiet moments, I write. To be sure, I’ve been working on that novel for who-knows-how-long-now, but I’ve also written pieces about current issues that have garnered some attention.

Being a mom to two teenagers brings me the most joy and inspiration. They are my teachers, and not a day goes by they don’t expand my universe for the better.