Heidi Quine BSc, MSc, MBA

Vietnam Director

Heidi was appointed Country Director for Vietnam, effective 1 October 2024.

Heidi joined Animals Asia in 2011, first as a Bear Team Manager at our Chengdu Bear Rescue Centre, China, then as Senior Bear Team Manager. Most recently she held the role of Vietnam Bear and Vet Department Director, heading up the bear care and veterinary department at our Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre – the only sanctuary in the country accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. Heidi and her team have rescued and cared for nearly 200 former bile bears at the sanctuary.

Heidi is deeply committed to building local capacity and empowering future leaders. In her previous role she dedicated herself to building a culture of capacity building, fostering talent and leadership within the team. Under her leadership, a Vietnamese management team was developed, including five bear team managers, four junior veterinary surgeons, and a sanctuary manager. She further oversaw the launch of Animals Asia’s pioneering Vietnamese veterinary nursing internship.

Heidi also led on training and development to fully staff our second bear rescue centre in Vietnam in Bach Ma, a wholly Vietnamese-run sanctuary. By building up Vietnamese professionals in the veterinary and animal welfare sector, Heidi has not only strengthened the organisation but also ensured a sustainable future for animal welfare in Vietnam, driven by local expertise and passion.

Heidi holds an MSc in International Animal Welfare, Ethics, and Law from Edinburgh University where her research was on the “Challenges and opportunities in enacting and expanding animal welfare and protection legislation in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” & “The understanding of animal welfare and motives of current and former bear bile farmers - A study in Vietnam”. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Human Resources from the Australian Institute of Business.

Heidi has lived in Vietnam since 2015 and has increasing proficiency in the Vietnamese language. She has called Tam Dao National Park home since 2016, where she lives with her three rescued cats, Mì (Noodle), Ân Sủng (Grace) and Bảo An (Family Treasure)