After fifteen years of catering and exhaustion, it was time to charter a new path. While figuring out my next venture, I helped coordinate some existing events and get others off the ground for my own neighborhood.

My job of creating community lasted way longer than the short stint I had planned.  What was I doing as the Program and Events Director for South Riding, Virginia for almost 12 years but as the community grew, the events grew and grew to accommodate and keep 25,000 connected. From expanding our 3 hour Celebrate South Riding festival into a weekend extravaganza complete with a pyro-musical fireworks display to creating an annual Oktoberfest, Triathlon, Business Expo and Community Wide Yard sale, expanded concert series, 4th of July and Halloween Parades and a slew of other events, a decade flew by in a blink of an eye.With all my sleepless nights and fatigue this is when I discovered that I was in the business of producing smiles and creating memories and it was all worth it.

Heidi received her CFEE – Certified Festival and Events Executive accreditation from the International Festival and Events Association won several Pinnacle awards from the IFEA as well as the award of excellence for her community service during her time with South Riding.