Join Caring as Communities in this mini-series interviewing the frontline community health navigators supporting our nation’s most vulnerable patients. In this episode, Heather Koontz shares highlights from her career and the need for empathy in healthcare.
You can listen to this podcast on Apple, Spotify, and a number of other smaller platforms as well.
Heather Koontz, CBCS Community Resource Navigator, is a mother of three, an Army Veteran, and a Domestic Violence Survivor. She grew up in Virginia but left the state for about nine years from 2007-2016, during which she was stationed in South Carolina, Texas, and Alaska as part of her service in the Army. After her discharge, she moved to Kansas and Colorado to explore new opportunities.
Koontz holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology from Bridgewater College, and a master’s degree in psychology with a concentration in Health and Wellness from Grand Canyon University. She has also taken additional classes in Domestic Violence Advocacy, Life Coaching, and Holistic Nutrition, which have helped her develop a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by domestic violence survivors.
She is currently working towards developing a faith-based nonprofit organization to provide aftercare for individuals who have experienced domestic violence and abuse. She has already begun a faith-based support group that meets twice a month, and she is committed to helping survivors heal and rebuild their lives through faith, support, and education.
