Heather Ann McDonald (born June 14, 1970) is an American actress, comedian and author. Born and educated in Southern California, she is best known for her appearances on the E! series Chelsea Lately. She was one of the eight writers on the show and often participated in sketches and segments. McDonald also write and appeared in the show's spin-off, After Lately. Her first book, a 2010 memoir of her college years, made the Bestseller List of the New York Times.
Born in the San Fernando Valley in 1970, McDonald and her four siblings were raised by their parents, who were both real estate agents. She is of three quarters Irish and one quarter French-Canadian descent. She and her brother and sister were raised Catholic and attended private, Catholic schools. After high school, McDonald went to the University of Southern California (USC), where she was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority.