Christy Heiskala

Bio

Christy Heiskala is a Credentialed Survivor Advocate on the Haeggquist & Eck (HAE) team. Her personal experience as a survivor navigating the criminal justice process and as a plaintiff in civil litigation and civil trial was the catalyst for her becoming an advocate. She is on a mission to change the survivor’s experience as they navigate their path forward seeking accountability, justice, and healing.

At HAE, Christy provides trauma-informed support for our clients and our team. Christy is the first credentialed advocate to work full-time for a civil law firm and is trailblazing a path for future advocates by speaking nationally on the importance of providing trauma-informed support in every law firm. She has trained hundreds of lawyers nationwide on how to provide trauma-informed support for survivors, from case intake through resolution.

Christy holds multiple certifications, including Credentialed Advocate (CA) through the National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA); Certified Victim Advocate through the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crimes; Certified Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Counselor through the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES); Certified Trauma Support Specialist.

Christy currently serves on the Lawyers Club of San Diego Gender Equity Committee, the San Diego Pride LGBTQIA+ Survivor Task Force, and on the advisory boards for VictimsVoice and The Natalie Project. Christy previously served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for foster children and as a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) advocate for survivors. Christy served as a legislative consultant to Chelsea’s Light Foundation and worked to help pass Chelsea’s Law AB1844 for sexually violent predators.

Christy is a co-author of the best-selling book: Stop the Silence: Thriving After Child Sexual Abuse. A native of southern California, Christy enjoys golf, hiking, travel, and exploring trails with her husband on their e-bikes.