As a professional in the Optical industry since 1979 Heather has become known as the Optician to see for difficult and specialty fittings. She is a Fellow Member of the Contact Lens Society of America (FCLSA), and a Contact Lens Licensed Optician.

She started at CLS in 1984, became the Manager in 1988, and purchased the business in 1991.

As a student, she achieved the highest mark in Canada on the first year dispensing course and the highest mark in Manitoba in the first year contact lens course.

She taught the 1st year Ophthalmic Dispensing Course (now known as Optical Sciences) for 10 years and then continued to guest lecture for the 2nd year Contact Lens Course (now known as Advanced Practices-Contact Lenses) for over 15 years. For many years she has mentored students taking Advanced Practices-Contact Lenses. Heather co-taught the 2nd year Advanced Practices-Contact Lenses from 2009 to 2011.

Keeping her knowledge current and cutting edge is important to Heather. She helps to keep up to date by attending the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in Las Vegas, the Contact Lens Society of America educational events, and other seminars across Canada and the USA.

Heather has been volunteering for the Opticians of Manitoba for over 33 years. She retired as President of the Opticians of Manitoba (OOM) in July 2019 for after serving for 6+ years in this position for a second time. She also retired as Chair of the Registration Committee in July 2019. She is now a member of the council for the OOM, the Registration Committee, and is the Legislative Representative (OOM). After serving for 12 years, Heather retired in 2019 as the Opticians of Manitoba’s representative at the National Association of Canadian Optician Regulators (NACOR). She has been involved for many years in the examinations for Contact Lens Licensed Opticians in Manitoba as an examiner.

Other positions held in the past are:
President (OOM)
Vice President (OOM)
Legislative Chair (OOM)
Registration Committee Chair (OOM)
Education Chair (OOM)
Member of the Policies and Standards of Practice Committee (OOM)
Member of the Ethics Committee (OOM)
Media Spokesperson (OOM)
Secretary/Registrar (OOM)
Treasurer (CLSA)
NACO Recording Secretary (National Accreditation Committee of Opticians)
NACOR representative for the Opticians of Manitoba (OOM/NACOR)

As the Manitoba representative for the National Accreditation Committee of Opticians, Heather was instrumental in achieving Labour Mobility for Opticians in Canada.

She has lectured at Canadian Optical conventions across Canada and has been asked to lecture in the States. Her articles have appeared in EyeWitness, published by the Contact Lens Society of America, Vision Canada, MACLEAN’S, and the National Keratoconus Foundation’s Newsletter.

Community involvement:
Past Board member (6 years maximum term), Downtown Winnipeg Biz Association
Past Parking/Transit Committee member, Downtown Winnipeg Biz
Past Co-sponsor, “Into Lunch” concert series
Member, Patron’s Circle for Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Member, Director’s Circle of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre
Member, Founder’s Circle of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre
Member, Friends of the Prairie Theatre Exchange
Was involved in co-organizing the Bear Eye Care tent at the Teddy Bears’ Picnic for 9 years.
Past co-ordinator, (for Opticians) for CNIB’s Vision Health Care Month
Board Member for 4 years (two as the Treasurer) for the Contact Lens Society of America (CLSA)

Awards received:
Recognition Award for the Development of Education in Manitoba awarded by the Ophthalmic Dispensers of Manitoba, now OOM (1992)
Appreciation Award for volunteerism on the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ awarded by the City of Winnipeg
“With Gratitude” for helping to achieve Labour Mobility for Opticians in Canada awarded by the OOM (2002)
The Angus MacDonald Award for her “..commitment to professionalism, education and the advancement of the practice of Opticianry and Contact Lens fitting..” awarded by the OOM (2011)