Heiss was educated at St Clare's College, Waverley, then at the University of New South Wales, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989. After a cadetship at the Australian International Development Assistance Bureau (later AusAID) in Canberra, she returned to UNSW to complete an honours degree in History in 1991.[2] She gained her PhD in Communication and Media at the University of Western Sydney in 2000, becoming the first Aboriginal student at the university to achieve this, which she considers her proudest achievement.[3] While working on her doctorate, Heiss ran writing workshops in regional New South Wales, and also travelled to Canada and New Zealand to do research there, giving several guest lectures while abroad.[2]
After attaining her doctorate, Heiss taught an Introduction to Indigenous Australia course at the University of Western Sydney, but became disillusioned with academia and resigned her position after a year or two, although retaining her unpaid role as an adjunct associate professor at the Badanami Centre for Indigenous Education at the university,[2] a position she continued until at least 2011.[4]
Heiss was a consultant researcher and writer for the Barani Aboriginal history website, first published by the City of Sydney in 2001.[6]
Heiss was appointed to the State Library of Queensland board in 2017.[18] As of 2021[update] she is not on the board, but a member of the Indigenous Advisory Group, an independent advisory group to the Library Board.[19]
^ abcd"Introducing Anita Heiss". Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature Project. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
^"Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research". University of Technology Sydney. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^"New books by UTS Authors | UTS Library - University of Technology Sydney". UTS Library. 5 June 2019. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
^"UTS Calendar 2014" (PDF). University of Technology Sydney. December 2013. p. 24.
^"Dr Anita Heiss". University of Queensland. School of Communication and Arts. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^Reed-Gilbert, Kerry (13 July 2018). "A short history of the First Nations Australia Writers Network". Overland literary journal. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
^Eatock v Bolt [2011] FCA 1103, (2011) 197 FCR 261, Federal Court (Australia).
^"Beagle Bay students' week at The NCIE". National Centre of Indigenous Excellence. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^"About". National Centre of Indigenous Excellence. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^"Dr Anita Heiss Our Newest Ambassador". Worawa Aboriginal College. 3 July 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^Note: Not listed on the school's Ambassadors web page as of Feb 2021.
^"Media Statements". Queensland Government. 5 March 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
^"Indigenous Advisory Group". State Library Of Queensland. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^"People". GO Foundation. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^"ABN Lookup". Australian Business Register. Australian Government. 12 February 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^"City of Sydney's Barani Website wins prestigious NSW Premier's History Awards in the audio/visual category". City of Sydney. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
^"ASA Medal". Australian Society of Authors. Archived from the original on 14 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
^"The ASA Medal". Australian Society of Authors. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^"Anita Heiss Wins Deadly Award". Copyright Agency. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
^"2007 Winners". Deadly Vibe. 10 August 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
^"Deadlys 2008 Winners Announced!". 17 October 2008. Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
^"2010 Deadly Awards | The Deadlys®". Retrieved 29 October 2019.
^"17th Deadlys Winner Profiles" (PDF). Deadly Awards. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
^"Nominees for the 25th Human Rights Awards announced (2012 Media Release) | Australian Human Rights Commission". www.humanrights.gov.au. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
^"Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Indigenous Writing: Winner and Shortlist Announced". Wheeler Centre. 5 September 2012. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
^Cain, Sian (16 May 2022). "'Unflinching': Villawood graphic novel wins book of the year at NSW premier's literary awards". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
^"Dr Anita Marianne Heiss". It's an Honour. Retrieved 12 June 2022.