Heather Giron Fritts - Principal and Owner of HGF Consulting.

 

Heather's goal is to provide unique and individual services in order to support the advancement of organizations, teams and individuals. With a deep passion to support the advancement of women, girls,  and young leaders, part of Heather's mission is to work directly with these groups to foster their talent.

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As a longtime mentor and coach, Heather has a knack with helping others to find their talents and strengths, which are sometimes simply buried deep within. As a female, executive leader, sister, and mom, Heather's life course took her through an abundance of opportunity for personal growth. Believing that every lesson is worth learning, and sometimes giving up in order to grow abundantly is necessary, Heather's journey has been one well lived.

 

Recognizing that change is our only constant in life, Heather believes wholeheartedly in embracing change. Especially in today's environment, where our political, non-profit, and personal platforms are easily challenged, and values and ethics can be deterred, Heather fights alongside her clients to embrace their, sometimes painful, evolution. Being our authentic selves, inside and out, is foremost necessary to a life well lived and shared.

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In order to build community, Heather believes you must start with individuals, move to small groups, and end with the organizations that together support the whole. Believing strongly in Margaret Mead’s quote: “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has”, Heather has dedicated nearly three decades to mentoring, coaching and leading individuals and nonprofit teams to be those committed citizens that change the world. Through consulting, coaching and training, Heather helps others to be the best they can be and as a result foster healthier and stronger socially just communities.

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Executive Leader, Development Consultant, Coach and Facilitator.

 

Shifting from the corporate world of brokering personal injury settlement annuities, Heather found her way over to the nonprofit sector in 1989, where she took on her first position as Administrator for the Leukemia Society. From there she maneuvered the nonprofit and corporate world, advancing up through the ranks of administration, philanthropic and executive leadership work.

 

Passionate from the loss of a close family friend to leukemia, Heather stepped into the nonprofit sector dedicating her life to making change occur. Managing teams of more than 100 volunteers and staff to great achievements that included the Big Climb and Celebrity Waiter Luncheons where hundreds gathered to raise hundreds of thousands to fund research and find a cure for Leukemia to dedicating her time and talent to encouraging the talent of women, girls and young leaders, her experience spans three decades. Heather has trained female alumni in speech writing and presentations, coached and mentored young development officers throughout their careers, and is most recently one of the co-creators for Na Wahine Okamana, the Power of Women International Summit. 

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In the three decades that have unfolded since, Heather has provided administration, management, capacity building services, facilitation, training and coaching to individuals, teams and nonprofit organizations. Her goal is to develop the individual that can then develop the organization or cause. Her Coaching; Leadership Development; and Consulting Services are a result of what she has learned directly as a leader herself, a board member, and an interim executive. Coupled with guiding, mentoring, and leading projects and teams, she offers a personal insight into developing capable young and seasoned leaders. Heather is a compassionate and effective strategist and leader, capable of advancing your team, agency or personal self to the next level.

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Leading with Passion for Developing Emerging Leaders and Advancing Causes.

 

Heather is steadfast committed to sharing her knowledge, skills, and experience in order to motivate the next generation of leaders and nonprofits. She has served as Administrator, Development Director, Executive Director, Interim and Chief Executive Officer. Mentoring our next generation of leaders through Northwest Development Officers Association, the Association of Fundraising Professionals and Seattle University, she’s helped others to identify and advance their personal strengths. As a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) Heather has managed just about every aspect of a development team, from grant writing, to annual campaigns and major gifts, and even strategic events and dinner auctions. As a mentor, Heather has helped emerging leaders flourish as nonprofit professionals.  

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Boards Heather has sat on have included the Center for Human Services, Comparative History of Ideas Department at the University of Washington, North Urban Human Services Association, and she was instrumental in the formation of Woodway High Schools Booster 501(c)(3) as their inaugural President.

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Education & Certification

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• Certified Facilitator for Developing Capable Young People  

• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE)

• Seattle University Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership

• Western Washington University Bachelor’s in Human Services

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Humble Beginnings... 

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Born and raised in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, I have lived in King, Snohomish and Kitsap Counties. A mother of two incredible adult children, I am also blessed with a son-in-law, amazing granddaughter, and a future daughter in law.

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The third daughter of two incredible parents, a first generation US born Filipino American father and an eclectic European mother whose heritage brings about the history of the English, Irish, Welsh and more, I gained an incredible social heart from mom. With six siblings of her own, mom grew up under the love and caring of an off and on again single mother and nurse, living humbly alongside the railroad tracks of Kimberly Idaho. Mom's stories over the years have shared the memories of her mother preparing sandwiches, and sometimes just bread, to the migrant workers who hopped aboard the trains post Great Depression to get to and from orchard picking. As they would return on their trips back home, they always left fruit for grandma who then created pies, sauces and more. As LaVena's granddaughter, the seeds of compassion were sewn. I dare believe that today, one of her biggest fans remains her own mother.

 

My grandfather was the first non-white apprentice accepted into the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters and my father was the first non-white accepted into office for that same union. I believe that our heritage defines our direction, but we determine our journey. I believe that all lives matter and that there is an overabundance of privilege that is often unrecognized within our own hearts. That privilege comes in many forms, colors and shapes. Understanding our privilege and lack thereof, and our journey and those who came before us, gives us the privilege to spearhead the future path for those after us. It is our duty.

 

I truly love Scottish Terriers and Corgis, and honestly rescuing just about any animal. In another life, I am sure I lived on hundreds of acres with animals roaming everywhere. But today, I simply have two sibling rescues, Barnum and Bailey, a corgi brothers' circus all of their own.  I rode for many years, showing my folks quarter horses and am tickled that my grandbaby has ridden since the age of 18 months. Living your passion is of utmost importance to living an authentic life.

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Beyond my volunteer and pro-bono time spent supporting the organizations, boards and volunteers I care most deeply about, I spend time writing, blogging, reading, travelling, exploring great cuisine, and time spent with family. And most special, is the time I look forward to with hours spent with my granddaughter who gives me a run for my money every time a new idea hits her mind. 

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My goal in life, to have the inquisitive mind of a child, the love of a young woman, and the heart of a grandmother - I've got the last one mastered!

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Namaste,

Heather 

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