Heidi Hodges grew up in Kenosha and vacationed in Door County throughout her youth. She received a BA in technical communication from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, focusing on photography, journalism, and history. To complete her major, she interned at the Door County Advocate in 1987. She remained at the Advocate for 13 years after the internship, covering the community she loves. She served as editor of the Door County Magazine from 2013-2019 and editor of the Washington Island Observer from 2019-2022. Since 2001, she has run her photography business, Heidi Hodges Photography.