Practice Areas
Business Transactions, Litigation, Estate Planning
Education
BA Beloit College 1981, MA The Ohio State University 1989, JD Seattle University School of Law 1997.
Career
After graduating magna cum laude from Seattle University Law School, I served as a Clerk for Judge Dean Morgan at the Court of Appeals, Division II. In 1998, I joined Vandeberg Johnson Gandara PS and have been glad to be here ever since.
Community Involvement
I served on the Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority for ten years, allocating community block grants to improve Tacoma in various ways. I am a past President of the Board of Directors of SafePlace, Thurston County’s sexual assault and domestic violence shelter. I have been an active member of my local Episcopal Church for over 30 years, serving in many capacities from the leadership team to the choir. I enjoy dancing and drumming with my community samba dance group, Samba OlyWa.
Something You Are Most Proud of Professionally
- I am grateful that my work is fundamentally about helping people solve problems.
- I enjoy helping people recognize their goals and work to achieve them.
- The skills I've honed over decades of experience helps people in litigation resolve their dispute.
Why You Decided to Be an Attorney
After years of teaching English as a second language, I was ready for the next professional challenge and took the LSAT. I took a law class and found it to be intellectually fascinating, so I quit my teaching job and got a law degree. I enjoyed clerking because I could synthesize the facts, issues, and laws, and recommend the right ruling to the judges. I enjoy our private practice because of the infinite variety of issues clients ask me to help them solve. Each client has a unique issue or problem that requires designing the best solution for them.
What Are You Known For
My personal motto has always been to make sure I am part of the solution, not the problem. I hope I will be remembered for my honesty, work ethic, and fairness.