Country: Canada (Québec)
Career: Freelance Advocate
Organisation/Project: Rapha Québec
Originally from Scotland, Heather completed postgraduate training at Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre in London, UK and went on to specialize in research in the field of neurological rehabilitation. She holds a Master’s Degree in Music from Edinburgh University and a Master’s Degree in Public Health and Health Services Research from Aberdeen University. She moved to Montreal, Canada from Switzerland in 2004 and currently works at McGill University as Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Heather is passionate about ending violence against women and girls, helping them find safe spaces to flourish, and equipping them to develop their agency and autonomy. She is Vice-President of the Board of Logifem, an organization which provides emergency and post-shelter services for women and children in Montreal, and continues her work as an advocate for survivors of violence against women through her writing and activism at both the local and international level. In 2021, she helped to found the Rapha Project, a community-based research study looking at the response of the church in Quebec to violence against women.
My reason for joining CNEDA:
"To belong to an international community of advocates and activists and share best practices and ideas."
Some of my personal and professional interests:
"British coastal paths and politics, gluten free food and growing vegetables."
The languages that I speak, read, and/or write:
"English and French."