Born and raised in New York, Cathy Rath then ventured out west, completing her education at UCSB and SFSU where she is a professor in the public health department. As a social justice advocate and organizer, she led public health campaigns at Planned Parenthood and Transforming Communities, where her innovative approach to violence prevention was published by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. Her efforts to reduce violence against women earned her the 2000 Millennium Leadership Award by the Marin Independent Journal. A writing coach and tutor from middle school to the graduate school level, Cathy also guides debut writers in crafting and completing their books. In January 2021, Cathy published her first novel, Ripple Effect. During the turbulent 1970s, Cathy was actively involved in a variety of protest movements, and her story draws upon these profound experiences.