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 Assistance (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).

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.