Heather Barrett

Heather Barrett is Deputy Director for the BFREE Biological Field Station and Privately Protected Area located in southern Belize. She received an M.A. from the University of Florida and then spent several years exploring possible career choices: from representing artisans in the Bahamas to teaching aspiring public health professionals in New Orleans to farming biodynamic foods in northern California. She found BFREE while traveling through Belize en route to Guatemala.

Within a year of her first visit, she was hired to help lead the organization. As one of BFREE’s primary administrators, Heather has been deeply involved with the TSA and BFREE collaboration to save the critically endangered Hicatee turtle,Dermatemys mawii. She manages all of BFREE’s educational programs and much of her energy is dedicated to empowering future conservation leaders through work training, outreach and professional development opportunities.

With the help of an amazing team, she designed and launched a countrywide campaign in 2017 to #savethehicatee which continues to gain traction each October during Hicatee Awareness Month. Heather believes wholeheartedly in the power of the human potential and strives to connect individuals to opportunities that will allow them to flourish.