Heather Lauer

“Digital communicator and owner at Villageous LLC. Author of Bacon: A Love Story (Harper 2009). Western girl. Hoya Saxa.”

Heather Lauer, founder of Villageous LLC, has an extensive background in digital communications, political and public affairs issues management, and grassroots organization development.

Most recently, Heather has been responsible for overseeing the online strategy of the Pickens Plan, a campaign to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil through the use of alternative energy. The Pickens Plan has been widely recognized for its groundbreaking use of social media tools to organize and activate more than 1.5 million supporters.

Previously, Heather was a Partner at DCI Group LLC, a strategic public affairs and global issues management firm based in Washington, DC. During her 12 years with DCI Group, Heather worked on a variety of domestic and international advocacy campaigns for trade associations and Fortune 50 companies in the areas of telecommunications, energy, technology, health care, and homeland security. She was also the Publisher of TCSDaily.com, which was formerly a DCI Group publication serving as an online journal of news, commentary, and analysis focused on public policy issues in the United States, Europe and Asia.

Heather has worked on several political campaigns at the national and state levels. In 2004, she directed the Floor Operation at the Republican National Convention in New York City. Heather was responsible for organizing the political activities of 4,800 delegates and alternates, and through their convention floor actions ensured that key messaging was communicated to a national television audience over a four day period. She also oversaw voter contact programs for New York Governor George Pataki’s successful re-election campaign in 2002. Her first experience working in politics was as a staffer in the War Room of Bob Dole’s presidential campaign in 1996.

On an unexpected note, Heather is the blogger-turned-author of Bacon: A Love Story (William Morrow/HarperCollins, May 2009). The book was inspired by her blog, BaconUnwrapped.com, which she launched in 2005 as a creative outlet and love poem dedicated to the Best Meat Ever.

Heather holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business Administration from Georgetown University. She currently splits her time between Phoenix, Arizona and Fairfield, Idaho. Heather also sits on the Board of Directors of Community Food Connections (Phoenix Public Market), Cascade Lake 4-H Camp and the Idaho Freedom Foundation.