I’m wachtergrrl aka Heidi Wachter.
I’m passionate about dogs, health and wellness, travel and adventure, music, art, culture, politics, psychology, mindfulness, bicycles, bird song, starry skies, unbeaten paths, vinyl records, social justice, solving the climate crisis, and projects that serve the greater good.
I take ideas from strategy to story.
My work has appeared in Experience Life, CNN, REI.com, Shondaland, Treehugger, Hunker, The Spruce, Finance & Commerce, the University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality & Healing’s Mandala, and other publications.
I also work with nonprofits, healthcare organizations, businesses, and mission-driven teams on editorial strategy, content development, communications, and special projects. My clients and collaborators have included the Institute for Healthcare Advancement, Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI), Onto Health, Hazelden Betty Ford Center, Elevance Health, AndHealth, the American Academy of Neurology, NeighborWorks Home Partners, The Compassion Museum, Ovation Lab, and others.
What I bring to the work
I’m equally comfortable thinking about the big picture and figuring out how to get the work done. Over the years, I’ve:
Created award-winning digital and print journalism and content.
Led and mentored writers and other content professionals.
Built editorial and project-management systems that improved workflows and helped deliver complex projects on time and under budget.
Developed content strategies for websites, newsletters, social media, e-learning, and other digital platforms.
Worked with teams to create award-winning websites, digital experiences, and campaigns.
Built audiences and increased engagement through editorial, email, social, and content strategy.
Spent decades translating complicated health, healthcare, science, and research into information people can actually understand and use.
Worked as an entrepreneur and independent consultant, which means I understand both the creative work and the realities of getting things done.
I’m especially interested in work involving health and healthcare, science, nature and the environment, travel, education, and organizations working toward the greater good.
Beyond the byline
I’m also a photographer and certified forest therapy guide, and I’m usually happiest outside with a camera, on a bicycle, in the woods, or exploring someplace I haven’t been before.
I also publish Opening the Trunk, an independent writing project where I explore grief, nature, travel, health, language, music, and the questions that won’t leave me alone.
Let’s work together
Have a story to tell, a complicated idea that needs clarity, or a project that needs someone who can see both the strategy and the details? Let’s connect.
