Goodness500 idea lab + blog

Heather Helps Nonprofits Leverage Technology for Global Development.

Hi Heather, who are ya? Founder and Director of Catapult Design, a non-profit product design consultancy focused on disadvantaged communities. I’m a product of the Stanford Product Design program. And I spent nearly six years working in the Bay Area product development consulting world working before I finally found the courage to get out and do what I wanted to do. I’m proud of my recent ‘08 Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellowship, a program aimed at high-potential leaders with new approaches for transformational impact. However, I spend too much time twittering, volunteering with Engineers Without Borders, and watching my obese cat make cute faces.
What place do you call home? the Southwest. But specifically, New Mexico.
What place do you want to visit for the first time? Hm… maybe Japan. Or the factory that makes Circus Peanuts.
Your inspiration? Other people
A constant challenge? Other people
A moment of triumph? Putting in my two-weeks notice at my last job with the intention of starting Catapult Design
Soundtrack to your day? The muzak they play while you’re waiting for other people to enter the conference call
Superman or Batman? Penny, from Inspector Gadget (She and Brain *always* foiled Dr. Claw)
A good factoid? Sleeping in and working at night increases your productivity, according to WIRED.com
What type of person would you like to collaborate with? Anyone who’s passionate about their creative work and is NOT an engineer (sorry engineers)
A blog you read everyday? yeah, i wish. Does twitter count?
How would you spend $10K to do a ton of good (just in case someone with spare cash is reading)? Definitely on more tools to build Catapult’s machine and prototype shop — our efficiency is a function of our ability to engineer and design stuff. It’s amazing how building things gets the juices flowing… until you realize you don’t have any hex keys.
Want to ask for an “internet favor”? The obvious one is donate. (www.catapultdesign.org/donate.html) Other than that, advocate and act. We need more people looking at solutions to the problems afflicting billions.
Would you like to plug someone else’s project? Oh wow. I’m a huge fan of the Humane Society and the ASPCA

You can connect with Heather and Catapult Design on:

• Twitter,
• Facebook,
• heather[AT]catapultdesign.org,
• and by going to catapultdesign.org.