The Journal is happy to announce that Heather Spaulding is joining the Journal as a part-time reporter and office manager.

Spaulding was born in Bellingham, but she became an island girl when she moved to Friday Harbor with her family, at the age of six.

She graduated from Friday Harbor High School in 1990, and like most of her classmates, she was often heard exclaiming how she couldn’t wait to leave, how boring the island life was.

She attended Evergreen State University in Olympia, Wash., with most of her credits being in history and literature. Evergreen is a somewhat alternative college, and does not hand out letter grades, and does not make students declare majors and minors.

To her surprise, by the time she received her bachelor of arts, she found she missed her home, island life, and found herself moving back in 1994.

Always an animal and wildlife lover, her first job was with Friends of the San Juans as a public outreach coordinator. If she was going to make this place her home, she wanted to do what she could to protect it.

Protecting it meant the people in it as well the environment, so she became an active volunteer for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services, as well as joining Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor. She has held an array of jobs over the years, and is owner of Tiger Eye Legal Services.

She has always loved to write, and journalism combines her love of investigating with her passion for words. Heather is excited to join the team at the Journal of the San Juans!

To contact her about news stories, community events or any questions you can call 378-5696 or email hspaulding@sanjuanjournal.com.