Women Who Inspire Wednesday: Heidi Huppert
Written by Chris Schnell, Program Coordinator
From navigating the streets of Anchorage as a teen with nowhere safe to go, to leading lifesaving programs as Chief Program Officer at Covenant House Alaska, Heidi Huppert is a living example of resilience, compassion, and transformative leadership.
Heidi’s journey into social work wasn’t sparked in a classroom. It began in survival. As a teenager, she often found herself sleeping in laundromats, abandoned buildings, and even cemeteries to escape an unsafe home. A chance encounter with a Covenant House outreach worker gave her a card, and eventually, a place to rest without judgment. That moment planted a seed. At 20, she came back to Covenant House, not as a client, but as a peer outreach worker, and she never left.
Over the last two decades, Heidi has climbed the ranks at Covenant House Alaska, holding titles from case manager to director of housing to her current role as Chief Program Officer. She works every day to ensure young people find the safety and support she once needed.
Heidi is a prominent member of the Anchorage community, known not only for her advocacy and program development but for her deep empathy and fierce commitment to justice. Her leadership is rooted in lived experience, and she has helped shape policies around ethical storytelling and equitable pay for those with similar backgrounds. Her work has been nationally recognized, including contributions to Reaching Teens by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Outside of her professional accomplishments, Heidi is an artist, writer, and passionate mentor. She encourages young women to define their own paths, trust their instincts, and embrace critical thinking. “Make up your own mind,” she says. “Don’t fall for it.”
When asked about the women who inspire her, Heidi points to Lieutenant Ellen Ripley from Aliens, a fictional but fierce example of leadership under pressure. It’s fitting. Like Ripley, Heidi is a force—courageous, strategic, and quietly powerful.