Heather Russell's involvement in Japanese animation began in college, where she founded the Japanese Animation Club at Arizona State University. In the 1990s she launched the Japanese Animation Cel Mailing List (JACML), one of the foundational online communities for cel collectors. In 1999 she founded Usagi's House to sell Japanese animation cels in the United States, followed in 2000 by Rinkya, a Japanese proxy bidding and shopping service which she has grown into a multi-million-dollar business now in its 26th year.

She has authenticated and facilitated the sale of cels for major franchises, including the official Vampire Hunter D releases in partnership with Anime Link, and maintains direct working relationships with studios, artists, dealers, and collectors throughout Japan accumulated over two and a half decades. Spent twelve years living in Japan, speaks conversational Japanese, and holds an extensive personal collection of Japanese animation art, original production cels, and studio materials.

Accredited Member of the Appraisers Association of America in animation art. The only AAA-accredited appraiser in the United States specializing in this field. Her appraisals are prepared in conformance with USPAP and to the qualified-appraisal standard of IRS Reg §1.170A-17. Qualified-appraiser status is determined per assignment and is confirmed in writing before any donation engagement is accepted.