Family Justice Center names next CEO

Submitted

The Family Justice Center (FJC) has named Catharine Miles-Kania its next chief executive officer, effective Aug. 21.

A news release said Miles-Kania succeeds Mary Murphy, who will lead the transition team in ensuring a smooth succession and collaboration with all key stakeholders.

The FJC provides free, one-stop wraparound services for domestic violence victims and their children.

Grand Island has a satellite location of the Family Justice Center at 2074 Whitehaven Road.

“Catharine brings to our team an impressive and eclectic professional background and is ideally positioned to launch the FJC into the future,” Murphy said. “She is a superstar with fire in the belly for our mission, a natural-born leader, instantly likable, and appreciates our unique model. I can’t wait for FJC partners, donors, friends and the WNY community to meet her. We hit the jackpot when Catharine threw her hat in the ring and excelled during every phase of our comprehensive and thorough CEO search.”

The news release said Miles-Kania demonstrates recognized and proven leadership from her most recent role as vice president of enrollment management at Buffalo’s Nardin Academy. She received her master’s in social work from Columbia University and has served in executive leadership at other Western New York nonprofits, including Gateway-Longview and Goodwill Industries. In addition, she served as a clinical social worker at Child and Adolescent Treatment Services and as a finance director for Congressman Brian Higgins’ reelection campaigns.

"I am honored to lead this esteemed organization that has so capably been run by Mary Murphy for the past 13 years," Miles-Kania said. 

For Murphy, it’s bittersweet as she wraps up decades of serving the Western New York community as a renowned journalist at WKBW-TV, a four-year term as Orchard Park town supervisor and, finally, as CEO of the FJC.

“Under her leadership, the FJC has transformed thousands of lives and grown exponentially both financially and physically. From just one downtown center, the organization now directly serves the greater WNY community at four satellite locations,” the news release said.

Miles-Kania said she is eager to assume the role and legacy that Murphy leaves.

"The Family Justice Center performs critically important work to help improve the lives of domestic violence victims and I, along with the outstanding staff, will continue to be leaders in domestic violence advocacy for all of Western New York.”