Family: Immediate family is my husband, Mike, our beautiful daughter, Leeanne, and son, Joshua.
Pets: One big, white fur ball of a dog named Champion and, currently, four cats: Theo, Princess Purr Muffin, Minnie Ha Ha and Charlie. Actually, our pet population is down a bit right now.
Education: University of Kentucky, bachelor's degrees in sociology and economics; Florida Coastal School of Law, Juris Doctor.
Admitted to the Bar: The Florida Bar, May 2001; The Bar of the Middle District Court of Florida, May 2001
Employed by: Law clerk for U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas E. Morris
Field of practice: All areas of federal litigation, plus a bit of elder law.
Professional organizations: The Jacksonville Bar Association Elder Law Section, The Jacksonville Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, Christian Legal Society, American Bar Association.
Community involvement: I'm always doing something. I used to be very active with The JBA's Holiday Project, the Guardian ad Litem's Christmas gift program and rescuing stray cats. Most of my current community work involves pro bono legal services to senior citizens through Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and running a summer intern/associate program for law students placed in federal litigation law firms and federal agencies.
How did you become involved?
My mom started me on a path to always give more than is expected. Kathy Para started me in the elder law work.
How can someone else become involved?
When something piques your interest, ask how you can help or come up with your own idea and present it to those in charge. Para is a blessing to the legal community and happily will find a spot for anyone desiring to volunteer.
What have you learned/achieved through the experience?
We are all more blessed than we realize and living by the golden rule is not only possible, but preferable.
What was the last book you read or are reading?
At any given time, I am reading three or four books. I just finished "Right and Wrong Thinking" by Kenneth Hagin. I am in the middle of "Living Life on Purpose: A Guide to Creating a Life of Success and Significance" by Greg Anderson. I recently started reading "Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation" by Parker Palmer and "The Warrior" by Joyce Swann.