People with a Passion: Meet Kat DiVittorio
If you ever feel like your daily schedule is bursting at the seams, take a seat. I recently sat down with Kat DiVittorio, and within five minutes, I realized my to-do list was basically a vacation itinerary compared to hers.
Kat is the founder and Executive Director of the DiVittorio Center for Autism down in Corry, PA. But she doesn't stop there. She’s on the school board, the Chamber of Commerce, co-chairs the Corry Emerging Leaders Fund, and—because apparently sleep is optional—she’s also running for State Representative.
She is a force of nature. And getting the opportunity to sit down and talk with her about branding her center was an absolute honor. In fact, it’s the exact reason my "People with a Passion" philosophy exists. When you meet someone with this much fire to do right by her kids and her community, you do what you can to amplify it. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to award the center a Zdarko Photography Partnership Subsidized grant.
Here is a look at what Kat is building, the beautiful chaos behind it, and how we captured it.
The "Why" Behind the Center
The DiVittorio Center isn't just a business for Kat; it’s her lifeblood. The center was born out of a profound, deeply personal need to support her children.
Her seven-year-old son, Nicholas, is profoundly autistic. Kat lovingly describes him as an "evil genius" with a wildly exuberant nature—think Donnie from The Wild Thornberrys. Her fifteen-year-old daughter, Emily, has level 1 autism and dyspraxia, and also happens to be a wildly talented artist who was recently chosen for a Bob Ross art competition.
Kat looked at the resources available in rural Pennsylvania, saw the massive gaps, and decided to build the bridge herself. The center is a fully accredited educational and therapeutic hub that provides one-to-one support while completely removing the financial barriers that normally block families from getting this kind of care.
The need is staggeringly real: they currently have 116 people on a waitlist. It's a heavy reality, but also an incredible testament to exactly why Kat's mission is so vital.
Capturing the Beautiful Chaos
When it comes to the photoshoot, we threw out the concept of stiff, posed, "look at the camera and say cheese" corporate photography straight out the window.
Kat’s brand vibe is Energetic, Inclusive, Fun, Uplifting, and Safe. She made it very clear: she wants real kids on the spectrum. No actors. No sanitized portrayals of what autism looks like. We want the movement, the energy, and the unscripted reality of her family and her center.
We headed straight into the center's sensory room for the shoot. My goal is to become a fly on the wall in the absolute best way possible. We were able to capture various action shots, of everyone ‘in the moment’ - everyone being themselves in an unapologetic way.
"Everyone deserves the chance to thrive, and we have the resources and the ability to ensure that we all do." — Kat DiVittorio
The Bottom Line
Watching Kat talk about her kids—the way her eyes light up with that fierce, unconditional love—is exactly why I love what I do. She is building a legacy of inclusion, breaking down financial walls, and making sure rural communities aren't left behind.
We brought the authentic, energetic, and perfectly imperfect reality of the DiVittorio Center for Autism. It was an honest pleasure being behind the camera for this opportunity.
Want to learn more about the incredible work Kat is doing? Check out the DiVittorio Center for Autism at www.divittoriocenterforautism.org and follow their journey on Facebook!
At the end of the day, the camera is just a tool; the real magic is in the connection. When you can deliver a gallery that captures a family's authentic, unfiltered reality without the stress, the reaction says it all. Here’s what Kat had to say after seeing her final images:
“Chris was really great at working with us in our very unique situation as he did promo materials for the DiVittorio Center for Autism. This was my son's first experience with professional photography, and Chris did a fantastic job working with us in all of our different abilities and needs! I highly recommend him and am very grateful that we had this opportunity!”
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