About
Alliance for HOPE International supports a national and international network of Family Justice Centers, Camp HOPE America programs, the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, DomesticShelters.org, and the Justice Institute on Hidden Homicides. Together, these collaborative initiatives work to break the cycle of violence and build pathways to healing for survivors and their families.
Before stepping into this national leadership role, Catherine served as the Founding Director of the Guilford County Family Justice Center (FJC) in North Carolina—a public safety initiative designed to unite professionals under one roof to provide coordinated, comprehensive services for victims and survivors of violence and abuse. Under her leadership, the Guilford County FJC has served more than 100,000 individuals since opening in June 2015 and has expanded to include two locations. The FJC model has been recognized locally and nationally for its innovation, effectiveness, and collaborative impact.
In 2017, Catherine and her team launched the North Carolina Family Justice Center and Collaborative Communities Conference, an annual statewide event that brings together professionals from public safety, legal services, social services, healthcare, and survivor communities to strengthen multidisciplinary responses to violence and trauma. The conference has grown to attract hundreds of professionals from across North Carolina, multiple U.S. states, and international communities.
From 2022 to 2025, Catherine served as the Interim National Director for Camp HOPE America, leveraging her experience launching Camp HOPE America–North Carolina and her deep understanding of multiagency collaboration to help transform the lives of children impacted by trauma and abuse. Today, Camp HOPE America operates in 26 states and one international site, offering nearly 75 weeks of overnight camp annually.
A licensed marriage and family therapist in North Carolina, Catherine holds a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Her leadership extends across numerous boards and commissions, including the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission Crime Victim Services Advisory Committee, the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission, the Guilford County Partnership for Children, and the YMCA Metro Board.
Catherine has been recognized with numerous awards for her leadership and service, including the North Carolina Dogwood Award from the Attorney General’s Office, the Outstanding Practitioner of the Year Award from the North Carolina Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, the Early Career Award from UNCG’s School of Education, and the Outstanding Women in Business Award from the Triad Business Journal.