About
For more than 20 years, Heidi Johnson has dedicated her career to changing lives through youth development, environmental stewardship, international education, and the arts. She has seen all sides of nonprofit organizations from the ground up, working in roles including executive assistant, grant writer, program officer, and executive director.
Heidi founded Grey Dog Group to focus on what she does best — writing, research, and planning to help nonprofits deliver meaningful programs and services. She understands the challenges that nonprofits face every day. With that in mind, she uses her writing, planning, and organizational skills and experience to help nonprofits meet their fund development goals and free up busy nonprofit professionals to focus on other priorities.
Heidi holds a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management from The New School for Public Engagement in New York City and a B.A. degree in East Asian Studies from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. She spent her junior year abroad in Beijing, China, and the 2000-2001 academic year in Taipei, Taiwan on a Fulbright Fellowship. She is a graduate of Leadership Columbia, and in 2013, The State newspaper recognized her as a “20 Under 40” honoree. Under Heidi’s leadership, the South Carolina Secretary of State named Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia as one of the state’s ten nonprofit “Angels” in 2013.
Heidi grew up outside of Portland, Oregon and has lived in New York City; Columbia, South Carolina; and Washington, DC. She is currently based in Williamsburg, Virginia. In early 2020, Heidi completed volunteer training with Literacy for Life and began tutoring with the organization. In Columbia, she served as a pet therapy volunteer with her schnauzer Daphne for Lexington Medical Center and Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands and mentored a child with her husband through Big Brothers Big Sisters. She enjoys reading, cooking, listening to music, and walking her grey dog Bert.
Heidi founded Grey Dog Group to focus on what she does best — writing, research, and planning to help nonprofits deliver meaningful programs and services. She understands the challenges that nonprofits face every day. With that in mind, she uses her writing, planning, and organizational skills and experience to help nonprofits meet their fund development goals and free up busy nonprofit professionals to focus on other priorities.
Heidi holds a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management from The New School for Public Engagement in New York City and a B.A. degree in East Asian Studies from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. She spent her junior year abroad in Beijing, China, and the 2000-2001 academic year in Taipei, Taiwan on a Fulbright Fellowship. She is a graduate of Leadership Columbia, and in 2013, The State newspaper recognized her as a “20 Under 40” honoree. Under Heidi’s leadership, the South Carolina Secretary of State named Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia as one of the state’s ten nonprofit “Angels” in 2013.
Heidi grew up outside of Portland, Oregon and has lived in New York City; Columbia, South Carolina; and Washington, DC. She is currently based in Williamsburg, Virginia. In early 2020, Heidi completed volunteer training with Literacy for Life and began tutoring with the organization. In Columbia, she served as a pet therapy volunteer with her schnauzer Daphne for Lexington Medical Center and Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands and mentored a child with her husband through Big Brothers Big Sisters. She enjoys reading, cooking, listening to music, and walking her grey dog Bert.