About High Point

A smiling woman stands in front of a mountain landscape in the winter time.

Meet Heather Distad

she/her/hers

With over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit, outdoor, and advocacy fields, I am thrilled to bring my passion and skills to nonprofits nationwide!

My extensive experience is well-rounded, thanks to working for many small, up-and-coming organizations. I excel in team and volunteer leadership, fundraising strategy, program administration, donor and partner relations, philanthropy communications, event planning, and community engagement. I thrive in environments where my skills are required to pull multiple strategies into one, ensuring a cohesive, coordinated, and transparent plan.

Let’s connect!

Where I especially shine—organizing, inspiring, and leading others on a team to reach a goal.

I have always had a deep desire to bring people together, harness their collective energy, and lead them on a meaningful journey. I founded High Point Nonprofit Consulting in 2020 to help organizations reach their next highest point by meeting them where they are and collaboratively implementing effective strategies and tactics. I pride myself in the experience that I provide my clients, staff, colleagues, donors, and volunteers in how I serve them. I approach this work with the philosophy of Booker T. Washington: “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”

My career in the nonprofit field started immediately after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in social work and nonprofit management and a minor in psychology and service leadership. My early career focused on disadvantaged youth and career development programs. During this early career, I obtained my Master of Science in Recreation, Sports, and Tourism, specializing in recreation management, special events, and strategic leadership. This move launched my career into overseeing youth recreation programs, events, and fundraising campaigns for outdoor and advocacy organizations statewide and nationally.

I currently serve as a board member for the San Juan Mountains Association and Big City Mountaineers, two organizations that share my values of promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in the outdoors, providing transformative outdoor experiences for youth and adults, and leaving places better than we found them.

I reside in Durango, Colorado, with my partner, Eric, and my loving pup, Miles. I enjoy photography, travel, and all things outside (especially ultrarunning, climbing, mountain biking, skiing, and sailing).

I recognize, publicly and intentionally, that I live, work, and organize on stolen and occupied traditional land that is just one piece of a larger, boundless terrain for Indigenous Peoples; Ute Tribe, Jicarilla Apache, Arapaho, Comanche, the Diné Nations, and others.

What People Are Saying

“I have worked with hundreds of event planners over the years ( 50 + major corporate events a year for 13 years!) and very few are at the caliber of Heather. We worked together on [Access Fund’s fundraising gala]. Virtual events are especially difficult and Heather managed the program with best in class communication and organization. …such A+ talent.”

— Sklyer Williams, Business Manager | Touch the Top, Inc.

“Heather is one of the hardest working, most dedicated people I know. Her positivity and creativity are contagious. Heather leads with grace and empathy yet sets the bar high and supports her team every step of the way. I am constantly impressed with her drive to learn, explore, and help others. Her relationship building is genuine, her communication style is honest and her work ethic cannot be beat.”

— Melissa Daruna, Assistant Town Manger | Town of Eagle

“Heather is a multi-talented philanthropy professional who excels in team leadership, donor strategy, project management, and event planning. She has an innate talent for connecting with her team and inspiring them to do their best work. Heather also has a deep understanding of donor motivations and preferences, allowing her to create strategies that effectively engage donors and nurture lasting relationships. When it comes to event planning, Heather's creativity and organizational skills truly shine. From concept to execution, she brings a unique vision to each event, creating memorable experiences that resonate with donors and leave a lasting impact. Heather's passion for making a positive impact, combined with her diverse skill set, make her an asset to any organization fortunate enough to have her.”

— Holly Smolenski, VP of Marketing and Philanthropy | Access Fund

“Heather is the best supervisor I have had in my career. She is a natural, caring, and dedicated leader who advocates for her team members and goes to bat for each and every one of them. She is an amazing philanthropist and relationship builder and her event planning skills go unmatched. I have no doubt she will lead teams for the rest of her career, and organizations will be forever better because of it.”

— Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard, Executive Director | Urban Native Collective

Project Examples

  • Led an organizational feasibility study related to fundraising channels, messaging, and technology. Created a progressive national fundraising campaign.

  • Led fundraising event strategy and planning. Was a strategic thought-partner throughout the planning and execution of the initiative.

  • Led community outreach efforts and volunteer programming throughout the state of Colorado. Developed architecture and campaign strategies behind a new CRM database. In addition, provided team management mentorship.

  • Helped the organization hone in their messaging and executed national, multichannel fundraising campaigns.

  • Developed and executed national education event strategies. Coordinated advocacy efforts for PCOS Awareness Month.

  • Developed a patient recruitment outreach strategy and social media campaign alongside patient advocacy groups in the United States and Australia.

  • Executed and designed a progressive annual impact report for donors.