Ms Heinecke is a senior career officer with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently First Assistant Secretary Pacific Melanesia Division. She has previously served overseas in Timor-Leste, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Ms Heinecke holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales, a Masters of Arts (International Relations) from the Australian National University, and a Masters of Economics from the University of New England. She speaks Tetum and Tok Pisin.