Who

We Are:

President

VAISS: Vermont Association of Investigative & Security Services

Member

NCISS: The National Council of Investigation and Security Services

NDIA: National Defense Investigator Association

NLADA/NASAMS: National Legal Advocacy and Defense Association/National Association of Sentencing Advocates and Mitigation Specialists

Susan Randall, Owner and Investigator

Susan Randall is the owner and founder of VTPrivateye, LLC. Susan has worked as a private investigator in Vermont for over 27 years, working closely with a wide range of attorneys, on civil and criminal, state and federal cases. She is a fully licensed Private Investigator in Vermont and New York State. She has worked as a Mitigation Specialist on capital, federal and state criminal cases. Susan has helped prepare countless state and federal cases for trial. She also worked as an investigator and Mitigation Specialist with the Federal Public Defender's Office, in Burlington, Vermont throughout 2012 and 2013.

Prior to working as an investigator, Susan worked as a journalist in the newsroom at the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in NYC. She went on to work as an Associate Producer for the A&E Television Network on the hit series, Biography, and worked freelance producing pieces for the BBC, and filed stories for NPR’s, All Things Considered and Morning Edition.  Susan worked in documentary film in New York City, and in the past twenty years, Susan has dovetailed her work as a filmmaker and investigator, producing over forty-five mitigation sentencing videos, which have been used both before and at sentencing, to work toward downward departures.  Susan & her team have also worked with various other filmmakers and editors to produce many settlement and “Day In the Life” videos for civil cases, which have been used for mediation/settlement purposes, for Personal Injury cases, and to help present cases to jury focus groups.

Susan Randall received a BA from Brown University in International Relations and Modern Culture and Media. Susan continues to attend and teach Investigator and Mitigation Specialist trainings all over the country. In 2022 she participated and benefitted tremendously from the ACLU’s Scharlette Holdmann Mitigation Mentorship Program. Susan has taught many investigator trainings for the NDIA, VTACDL, Vermont Law School, and NLADA and NASAMS, and New England Investigators’ associations. 

Susan is President of the Vermont Association of Investigative and Security Services, [VAISS] where she coordinates trainings for investigators around Vermont, and advocates for better pay and resources for her investigator peers, and to keep public records available. She tries to help her fellow investigators stay informed of new cutting edge technology and online investigations, which is increasingly important to the profession. When she’s not investigating, or delving into creative film, writing or yoga/wellness projects, Susan can usually be found adventuring with her husband, and 21 & 23 year-old daughter and son, traveling, and decompressing in nature.

Merry Postemski, Lead Investigator

Merry Postemski has worked in Vermont’s criminal justice system for over 25 years, and as an investigator for more than 20 years. Merry obtained a Master’s of Science in Counseling Psychology from the College of St. Joseph, in Rutland, Vermont, in 1998, after getting her B.A., in Forensic Psychology, from Castleton State College in 1993.

Prior to joining VTPrivateye, LLC as a licensed investigator in 2022, Merry worked for 21 years as a Legal Advocate and Senior Investigator for Disability Rights Vermont (DRVT), a federally funded non-profit law office. Merry’s primary role at DRVT, in addition to advocating the rights of people with disabilities, was to conduct abuse and neglect investigations, including death investigations, in inpatient psychiatric facilities, prisons, juvenile justice facilities, residential care facilities, and in the community.

Merry has presented statewide and nationally on a variety of topics, including: Interviewing People with Intellectual Disabilities; Interviewing Youth and Staff in Juvenile Justice Facilities; FAPE and the IDEA in Juvenile Detention and Adult Correctional Facilities; Diversion and Access to Mental Health in Prisons and Jails; and Breaking Down Barriers within the System of Care.

In addition to extensive work in the field as an investigator and advocate, Merry’s prior experience includes working as a mental health clinician within the Vermont Department of Corrections, as the Statewide Director of Vermont’s former Pre- Sentence Alternative Program, a family crisis worker and mediator, and a therapeutic foster parent. Merry has been a long-time volunteer with her local Court Diversion and Restorative Justice Center.

Merry’s incredible depth of experience in the criminal justice system and within Corrections, and her passion for investigation work is a perfect fit for the unparalleled compassion, devotion, and attention to detail that the VTPrivateye, LLC team brings to the pursuit of justice. We feel very lucky to have Merry’s level of skill and expertise on our team.

Judy Cutler, Lead Investigator

Judy Cutler has worked as an investigator on the federal and state levels for over 14 years. After graduating from Andrews University in 2001 with an English Literature degree, Judy continued her educational adventure at Vermont Law School, graduating with a J.D. from VLS in 2005. Soon realizing that she was better suited to fact finding than advocacy, Judy applied to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and graduated from the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA in 2008. Judy worked as an FBI Agent in the New York Field Office until 2014 and enjoyed nearly every minute of it. In a decision that Judy re-examines from time to time, Judy moved back to her home state of Vermont to raise her family. Judy worked at the Vermont Agency of Education for eight years, primarily investigating conduct complaints against licensed educators and violations of special education law, but also serving as the AOE’s public records officer for six years. Before joining VTPrivateye, Judy took a short, but delightful, detour from her professional trajectory in 2022 and worked at The Manghis Bakery in Montpelier, VT for a little over a year. 

As a native Vermonter, Judy is thrilled to be working at VTPrivateye, traveling the roads of Vermont, and talking to the unfailingly interesting people who live in our state. When she’s not working, Judy enjoys baking, going for runs with her friends, stacking firewood, and trying unsuccessfully to beat her kids at Mario Kart.

Wendy Loomis, Lead Investigator

Wendy Loomis has over 25 years of experience working as part of Vermont’s criminal justice and medical systems. Wendy obtained a B.A. in Health Science and Biology from Castleton State College in 2002. Wendy has extensive training in advocacy, forensic interviewing and streamlining the investigative process.

Prior to joining VTPrivateye, LLC as a licensed investigator in 2024, Wendy worked for 15 years as Executive Director of the Rutland County Child First Advocacy Center and Special Investigation Unit (CFAC/RUSI) and for 7 years as the Executive Director of the Vermont Children’s Alliance (VCA).  As a member of the investigative multi-disciplinary team, Wendy’s primary role was to provide family advocacy and forensic interviewing services as part of the investigative series in child abuse allegations. 

Wendy’s prior experience includes working for the Southern Vermont Health Education Center (SVAHEC) as Health Careers Facilitator and MedQuest Executive Director creating educational programing to garner interest in healthcare careers by Vermont’s High School students and as an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician advocating for patients both in hospital and in the field.  

In her down time Wendy enjoys wood working and other various creative outlets, along with traveling and spending time with family.

Nick Phillippo, Lead Investigator

Nick Phillippo graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Nick returned to Vermont after graduating from college and started working at VTPrivateye LLC as an investigative intern. He was a quick study, and immediately started adding a lot of value to the investigation on our cases. After many months of shadowing numerous other investigators and absorbing as much information as possible, Nick found he had a real passion for investigation and soon became a licensed investigator in the State of Vermont. Ever since getting his PI license, Nick has been working and learning alongside others in the office, diligently investigating many criminal state cases.  Nick has a genuine desire to find the truth and he enjoys making connections with witnesses and clients. He has an open, unassuming and humble demeanor, and he is easy for witnesses and clients to talk to. Nick is always willing to assist on a case, and has proven to be a very effective and tenacious investigator, as well as an excellent writer. Nick is a fast learner, has a great attitude, is eager to learn and has been enjoying being mentored by the more senior investigators at VTPrivateye. He brings technical savvy to our team, and has shown a real gift for surveillance. We are all very grateful to have Nick and his positive energy on VTPrivateye’s investigative team!

Amaia Perta, Lead Investigator

Amaia Perta is a native Vermonter who recently returned to New England after a decade on the West Coast. She holds a master’s degree in forensic psychology from California State University, Los Angeles and an undergraduate degree from Bard College. Amaia has an impressive background in research and media production. Amaia has worked in mental health facilities on both coasts, and as a podcaster, adjunct professor, and an associate producer. She was also the lead researcher for a true crime author. As a result of this breadth of experience, she brings a holistic, well-rounded perspective to her work at VTPI and her diligent support of VTPI's clients. She spends her “free time” wrangling her daughters in the woods of Addison County. All of us at VTPrivateye are thrilled to have Amaia on our investigative team, as she is super smart, compassionate, and excellent at investigation work.