Being a LGBTQ Ally

Heather Hester doesn't lecture. She tells the truth — and something about the way she does it makes a room go quiet in the best possible way. Whether she's speaking to parents who are terrified and trying, HR teams building more inclusive workplaces, or educators who want to do better for their students, audiences leave feeling seen, equipped, and a little braver than when they walked in.
Current offerings include:
From Panic to Proud — The journey from fear and confusion to confident, connected parenting. Best for PFLAG chapters, family organizations, and parent nights. Keynote (45–60 min), breakout, or panel.
From Fear to Allyship — What it actually looks like to move from good intentions to genuine support for the LGBTQ+ people in your life. Best for corporate DEI events, HR conferences, and healthcare organizations. Keynote or workshop (45–90 min).
The Conversation You've Been Avoiding — How to stay in the room when things get hard. A universal parenting and leadership topic that opens doors across audiences. Keynote, workshop, or breakout (30–90 min).
Conversations Across Difference — Staying connected to the people you love and lead, even when you fundamentally disagree. Best for corporate, leadership, and community events. Keynote or workshop (45–90 min).
Additional topics available for schools, faith communities, mental health professionals, and clinical training. Custom workshops available upon request.

Heather Hester is the creator and host of the three-time Women in Podcasting Award-winning podcast More Human. More Kind., and author of Parenting with Pride: Unlearn Bias and Embrace, Empower, and Love Your LGBTQ+ Teen. She is a speaker, writer, and coach helping parents, allies, and organizations find their way from fear to something that actually feels like love.
Her work started with a phone call. When her son came out as gay in 2017, Heather's first words were a relieved "Thank god, I thought you were dead!" What followed was years of unlearning, honest conversation, and the slow, necessary work of growing into the parent her kid needed. She realized quickly she wasn't alone in that disorientation. And that most parents just needed someone to tell them the truth without shame attached. What began as a podcast and website has grown into a full platform: one-on-one coaching, a private Skool community, LGBTQ+ and Human-First consulting, and storytelling-driven workshops, talks, and articles.
Heather doesn't offer tidy answers. She offers real ones. Whether she's working with a parent or speaking to a room full of HR leaders, the question underneath everything is the same: How do we stay connected to each other when things get hard?
Heather is married to the funniest guy she's ever known and mom to their four extraordinary kids (two of whom are LGBTQ+) and one very opinionated mini Bernedoodle. She's slightly obsessed with the Weather Channel, and whenever she and her family land somewhere new, the first order of business is finding the best indie bookstore and the best coffee shop. She loves the smell of the ocean, the way damp summer heat makes everything slow down, and watching the butterflies and birds in her garden while she savors her morning coffee. She can lose herself in historical fiction, hosts a houseful of people any chance she gets, and makes a mean bowl of gumbo. Her most cherished moments are the quiet one-on-ones with each of her kids and her husband, and the six of them together, where the air is equal parts deep love, sarcasm, irreverence, and "I've got your back."