DHA Team

David Heil, President of David Heil & Associates, Inc., is well known throughout the country as an innovative science educator, new enterprise developer, lecturer, author and host of the Emmy Award-winning PBS science series, Newton's Apple. He was the lead author on the award-winning program Discover The Wonder, which for five years running was the #1 selling elementary science curriculum in America. He is also the editor of the popular book Family Science, and more recently co-authored and edited a new publication, Family Engineering: An Activity & Event Planning Guide. David is frequently invited to speak at conferences and public events on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and the rewards of experiential learning.

Prior to establishing DHA, David was affiliated with the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI) for 13 years, serving as associate director from 1988–1996. While at OMSI, David initiated and administered many of the museum's nationally recognized education and outreach programs, and also developed hands-on exhibits for national tour. David has also taught science and enrichment programs in grades 7-12, conducted research in plant biochemistry and radiochemistry, and worked for five years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A native Oregonian, he is active in numerous scientific and educational organizations nationwide. He is a past member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Committee on Public Understanding of Science, is the past Director of Informal Science Education for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), served on the Board of Directors of the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, the Keystone Center, and as Senior Science Advisor to the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Aspen Science Center in Colorado. In 2009 David was recognized with the NSTA Distinguished Service To Science Education Award

Anne Gurnee, Senior Associate, provides program management and evaluation services for a range of DHA non-profit and corporate clients across the country. She has been affiliated with the firm since 1998, and in her first engagement, served as co-author of the nationally recognized program Family Science. Prior to her most recent affiliation with DHA, Anne served as the Education Director of Southwest Charter School in Portland, Oregon. The school was founded in 2007, dedicated to creating a small school environment that connects students to their community and the natural world. Anne was an original member of the Southwest Charter School Board, and played an integral role in developing the early curriculum model for the school. She has been working in the field of science education for nearly 20 years. In addition to her work with DHA's diverse clients, she has also worked for Explora Science & Children's Museum of Albuquerque; Explorit! Science Center in Davis, California; the California Native Plant Society; the Monterey Bay Aquarium; and the National Park Service. She has a B.S. in Environmental Planning & Management and an M.Ed. in Program Administration and Evaluation, both from the University of California, Davis.

Brian Garrison, Project Assistant, provides support with data management and analysis for ongoing projects at DHA. Brian arrived at DHA with a decade of research and teaching experience, including four years as the Research Coordinator for the Center for Applied Psychophysiology and Self-regulation at Rochester Institute of Technology. More recently, he served a year with Washington Reading Corps as a literacy tutor and family engagement coordinator. Outside of DHA, he teaches Psychology and enjoys poetry as a writer, editor, and community volunteer. Brian earned his BS in Psychology from Rochester Institute of Technology in New York and his MA in Behavioral Neuroscience from University of Waterloo in Ontario.

Bianca Breland, Project Assistant, provides support to the President, including assisting with client contracts, research and data processing, the Foundation for Family Science & Engineering, and volunteer Board and non-profit engagements. Bianca joined DHL with a decade of college-level teaching experience that spanned a community college, two large research universities, and a small elite liberal-arts institution. Her professional path has also included stints as a statistician, a chemist, and a Peace Corps Volunteer. Bianca earned a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, but found her true calling in the science of education—especially curriculum development for inquiry-based learning. She’s still a plant geek, though.