A longtime resident of Surrey/White Rock (B.C.), on territory of the Semiahmoo Nation, Heidi works as a writer, editor, and instructor. She leads workshops on a variety of topics, making presentations at conferences, galleries, and schools. For over a decade, she has worked with inmates at several correctional institutes in BC's Lower Mainland. She helped develop a long standing Open Mic series in her community, as well as the for-now-dormant Readings by the Salish Sea literary series. She served as her city's 'resident poet' in 2012 as part of the cross-Canada Mayor's Challenge and helped establish an official Poet Laureate program there. She enjoys lazy gardening as well as foraging for berries, mushrooms, and lines for new poems.
This is completely reliant on the requirements of the audience and the overall purpose of the event. If it's a workshop to promote a cause (e.g. on censorship during Freedom to Read Week) or a session about the history of women Canadian poets. Advance communication is my only requirement, so we can make a presentation be as valuable as possible.
Again, the nature of the workshop depends on needs of the audience. A session on writing nature poetry? Making a chapbook? Writing ekphrastic poems? Working with various genres? Planning ahead, in conjunction with the session's organizer, will determine the format and components of the workshop.
Varies, according to needs of the students. Cooperative planning with teacher(s) in advance is required.
