Cathy is a licensed Occupational Therapist (OT) and the founder of Gowanus Treehouse and has a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Shenandoah University in Virginia. She uses a Sensory Integration therapy model certified in Sensory Integration and Praxis (SIPT) sponsored by Western Psychological Services and the University of Southern California (USC). 

In her role as director, Cathy designs the social group curriculum and brings extensive group training in Social Thinking Methodology which provides evidence-based strategies inclusive of neurotypical and neurodivergent populations to develop their social competencies, overcome self-regulation challenges, and improve their flexible thinking and executive functioning skills. She oversees OT fieldwork education and has developed affiliations with SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (Brooklyn), Columbia University, and the University of Southern California (USC). She is dedicated to providing access to OT services with underserved populations and understands how impactful architecture and environment have on all people. She has designed multiple sensory gyms, most recently in Crown Heights Brooklyn, currently on projects in Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn, in homes, and sensory rooms in Ghana as a volunteer abroad. 

Cathy believes that practicing co-regulation, perseverance, and growth mindset strategies are key approaches to assisting children of all abilities to achieve sustainable outcomes. She blends her athletic training as a former collegiate and semi-pro soccer player with her approach in supporting teamwork and perseverance. Her signature treehouse strategies include assisting children in getting “unstuck,” by facilitating flexible thinking in day to day situations and designing sensory spaces. When she is not working at the Treehouse, Cathy enjoys spending quality time with family, friends, loves animals, and is in search of the perfect wave.