Cathie Vallas-MckinzieInvestigative Analyst
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Cathie Vallas-McKinzieCathie has dedicated her professional and private life to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of abused, traumatized children and families alike from her days as a Domestic Relations Officer, Court of Common Pleas, Pittsburgh to present.
She holds a BA in Criminal Justice from Edinboro University, a MS in Criminal Justice Administration from Mercyhurst University and is certified in Mediation and Stress Management. With over 25 years of dispute resolution mediating cases and acting as a liaison between courts, attorneys, governmental agencies, mental health communities and family members, she is an experienced veteran championing for exploited children. 30 years ago, Cathie was the second person to found a supervised visitation business in the Pittsburgh area. It provides a safe, conflict free atmosphere for abused children who are embroiled in highly |
combative, high risk situations. She has invested most of those years not only visitations, but home investigations where sexual or physical abuse was indicated. She understands the complexity of the victim’s reticence to divulge the personal and private pain they have experienced. Further, years of interviewing dysfunctional family members, has given her the ability to foster a safe environment for individuals to unburden themselves without judgment.
Cathie currently serves as an Adjunct Instructor for the Life Enrichment Program at the Community College of Allegheny County. She is the owner of three successful small businesses in the Pittsburgh area. The diversity of the businesses, from art and design, tutoring and mediation/court visitations, allows her to spread her wings into the fields she cares most deeply about.
She has been a very active member of the Pittsburgh Community, serving on advisory boards, heading fundraising activities, spearheading recruitment and volunteering for various organizations. Examples include the Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh, Special Spaces of SWPA, Safe and Supportive Schools, PA Innocence Project, and the Thunder Mountain Lenape Nation promoting cultural awareness. She lectures around the Pittsburgh area on the importance of community involvement, stressing less and being your best self. Cathie further teaches therapeutic art, stress less and rest and relaxation to a diverse population suffering from anxiety.
She is excited to be a part of the Cold Case Foundation community and is eager to work together in bringing a resolution to families living under unimaginable situations.
Cathie currently serves as an Adjunct Instructor for the Life Enrichment Program at the Community College of Allegheny County. She is the owner of three successful small businesses in the Pittsburgh area. The diversity of the businesses, from art and design, tutoring and mediation/court visitations, allows her to spread her wings into the fields she cares most deeply about.
She has been a very active member of the Pittsburgh Community, serving on advisory boards, heading fundraising activities, spearheading recruitment and volunteering for various organizations. Examples include the Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh, Special Spaces of SWPA, Safe and Supportive Schools, PA Innocence Project, and the Thunder Mountain Lenape Nation promoting cultural awareness. She lectures around the Pittsburgh area on the importance of community involvement, stressing less and being your best self. Cathie further teaches therapeutic art, stress less and rest and relaxation to a diverse population suffering from anxiety.
She is excited to be a part of the Cold Case Foundation community and is eager to work together in bringing a resolution to families living under unimaginable situations.