Hey there! My name is Heide and I graduated in 2021 from Columbia University, with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After nearly 20 years of modeling (a career for which I am SO thankful!), I realized that the different aspects of my personality, the variety of things that I love, could all be reflected in what I do. I didn’t have to just be a model or just be a student (although that’s completely fine to do, if that’s what makes you happy!). But I was searching for more, so I took the advice of Jennifer Lee (at least the internet tells me she said this):
“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.”
I grew up in Boca Raton, FL with two older brothers and the greatest parents a girl could ask for. I was an anxiety-ridden kid, a jock and big nerd who was obsessed with my grades and being a total perfectionist. My dad taught me how to weld and change the oil in my truck. My mom taught me to care about others and to love learning. My brothers taught me how to defend myself. We had lots of cousins around and life was really beautiful.
I fell into modeling at the age of 13 when I was quite literally chased down by an agent at a Britney Spears concert. I got my feet wet in the industry for a few years in Miami and then, at 16, had a chat with my parents and principal and decided to quit school, get my GED, and pursue modeling. 13 to 16 were hard years where we were hit with the sudden loss of my brother and my parents decided to part ways. 16 saw me spending an unforgettable and therapeutic summer in Paris with my mom for modeling and then traveling to NYC for the first time. I’ll never forget, as we came in to land at LGA, the feeling of home that came over me as I watched the famous skyline draw closer to us. After a few stops and starts and uncertainties about whether I actually wanted to be a model, I finally decided to move to NYC at 19 years old to attend Lee Strasberg’s famous acting school. I spent an intense summer attending classes 9am-5pm and learning emotional of an art acting is. However, moving to NYC was what also led me to being introduced to Conor of Muse Models, making the decision to move to NYC permanently, and essentially changing the trajectory of my life.
Conor always believed in me for who I was. He also had the tools after his many years of experience in the fashion industry to polish me up a little bit. He sent me to Paris where I booked some great editorial, which then led to Guess campaigns, which then led to the cover of GQ, which was all just part of a really great career that has played an impossibly large role in who I am today. Modeling led me to co-founding Models 4 Water with Georgie Badiel, where we raised money to drill water wells in Burkina Faso. Modeling led me to Haiti, which led me to meeting REBUILD Globally (I sit on their Board of Directors) and deux mains designs (I’ve guest-designed, modeled, and helped produce photoshoots for them both in the US and in Haiti) and ultimately led me to one of the most challenging and incredible experiences of my life: leading a team of people in holding the first-ever wellness, ethical fashion, and sustainability event on the court at Madison Square Garden.
In 2016, after getting out of a long and toxic relationship, I found myself getting antsy and felt that there was more to my spirit that I wasn’t pursuing. So, I applied to Columbia University to study psychology. Every day I walked the halls pinching myself that I got to learn from some of the most incredible, intelligent, passionate people out there. Fast forward to 2022 (and a whole crazy few years you can read about here), and I’ve got my degree, my NASM personal training certification, and behavior change specialist certification and I’ve launched a wellness coaching company, Whole Foundations.
I help women utilize fitness to find themselves, build their confidence, and learn how to design a life they deserve and love. If you have any interest in checking out my 90-Day Program, go ahead and book a free 15-minute call with me. I’d love to work with you. :) When I’m not helping my clients out, you can still catch me participating in my first love of modeling.