Dr. Heidi Petak

Dr. Heidi Petak grew up eating words for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Words like "efficacious," "sagacity," and "effervescent," tasted like sweet treats summoned by her reading eyes and writing pen. She explored history and lands, fantasy and reality, poetry and fiction, drinking deep the rich delights of words.

She loved it all so much that she earned an M.A. in Communication from the University of Arkansas and a Ph.D. in Communication from Regent University, specializing in Theater Arts Studies. She worked as a radio DJ and voiceover artist, and went on to write over 75 faith-based dramatic scripts and 13 musical drama scripts for Word, Brentwood-Benson, Lifeway, and Lillenas. Two of those musicals won Dove Awards. Now, as an adjunct professor and Communication Strategist, Dr. Heidi Petak inspires leaders to communicate hope to curb turnover and grow healthy organizational culture (SpeakEagle.com).

In her own life, Heidi was given the opportunity to communicate hope when, in 2010, she discovered a family history riddled with breast cancer and chose to undergo a preventative mastectomy. In an effort to encourage women anticipating this monumental surgery, she wrote her devotional, "The Faith to Free-Fall: Preparing Your Spirit for Your Mastectomy." Heidi invites you to share her devotional with friends and family and welcomes you to grow as a life-giving communicator by reading her second book, "Say It Brave: Wisdom and Faith for Tough Conversations."