Heather Williams was the Program Director with CSP Victim Assistance Programs for 14 years and oversaw all special victim programs. After responding to an active shooter event in 2003 in Irvine, CA she created the CSP Crisis Response Team.
As the coordinator of the Crisis Response Team, Heather spent years responding to countless critical incidents to mitigate the trauma experienced by victims, witnesses and the community. In 2011, she responded to the Salon Meritage mass casualty in Seal Beach, CA. In 2014, after developing the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Peer Support Program, Heather was hired as their first Regional Peer Support Coordinator. Heather coordinated a team of almost 100 OCSD personnel, responded to critical incidents 24/7 and coordinated an Emotional Wellness Campaign.
Heather co-founded the Orange County Association of Peer Supporters (OCAPS) and works in partnership with police departments to provide mutual aid when their agency is compromised. Heather assists public safety departments develop and sustain peer support programs. Heather has also developed a two-step model for critical incident debriefing and facilitates debriefings all over the county following a traumatic event.
After spending 5 years with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department as the Regional Peer Support Coordinator, Heather elected to take her passion to another level and in 2019, established Premier First Responder Psychological Services. As a licensed psychologist, Heather is providing culturally competent therapy to individuals and couples as well as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
Additionally, she provides 24/7 crisis response services, critical incident debriefing, peer support development, oversight, training/presentations, consultation and active shooter response and recovery coordination/crisis response services.
Heather provides training as a trainer/consultant with Embassy Consulting Services to all populations in public safety on a number of topics including, but not limited to; “Building Resiliency,” a 2-day POST Certified Basic Peer Support Course and a 1-day POST Certified Critical Incident Response for Peer Support Course. Heather also speaks at conferences and to police and fire academies about the stressors and traumas of public safety with the goal of building resiliency.
Heather is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the Director of Mental Health Services for Halos4Heroes, a nonprofit serving first responders and the Director of Peer Support & Mental Health for the National Law Enforcement Cancer Support Foundation.