Helping Kids Thrive—With Heart, Experience, and a Deep Understanding of Gifted Minds
With over 27 years in education, Heidi Zilles-Pakuch has spent her life empowering children to grow into confident, capable, and resilient learners. She began her journey in 1994 as an elementary school teacher, where she spent seven years in the classroom before discovering her passion for working with gifted and talented students.
For the past two decades, Heidi has served as a G.A.T.E. (Gifted and Talented Education) specialist—guiding exceptional young minds to develop their strengths, embrace their individuality, and build emotional resilience alongside academic success.
Heidi holds a degree in Elementary Education from Utah State University, a Master’s in Gifted Education, and an endorsement in Educational Administration. She is also a certified Brain Coach (The Brain Academy),a certified Life Coach (Symbosis) and a certified Adventures in Wisdom™ Life Coach for Kids, bringing mindset coaching and social-emotional growth tools to a broader range of children through Anchored Within Coaching.
Rooted in Real Life—Raised on a Farm, Driven by Purpose.
Heidi’s passion for resilience, self-leadership, and connection began on a dairy farm in Northern Utah, where she grew up learning the value of hard work, family bonds, and the unpredictable magic of life with animals. Her childhood continues to shape her work today—not only in the classroom but also in the way she connects with kids through stories and emotional honesty.
In fact, she’s also an author, drawing inspiration from her deep love for her father, her family, and the lessons she learned on the farm. Her stories are grounded in real-life experiences—filled with animals, family quirks, and the beautiful mess of growing up.
Now living in Las Vegas with her husband Peter and their “Fur Family,” Heidi shares those same values with her students, her coaching clients, and anyone lucky enough to know her.
Why Life Coaching?
As an educator and advocate for gifted learners, Heidi saw first-hand how many kids—regardless of ability—struggle with confidence, perfectionism, anxiety, and peer pressure. She started Anchored Within Coaching to provide children with tools she knows work: tools to think clearly, manage emotions, and anchor themselves in strength when life feels hard.
