I have been a passionate advocate for both the legal system and higher education in Arizona. For the first half of my nearly two-decades long career, I served as a paralegal and legal assistant at Phoenix law firms, as well as acting as a Bailiff in the Maricopa County Superior Court. In those roles I actively worked towards preparing attorneys for trial, editing and drafting pleadings, managing legal timelines and filings, and working with jurors. That experience has served me well as I joined the President’s office at South Mountain Community College in 2012, and served as the Manager of College Connections at SMCC beginning in 2016. In these roles at the college, I facilitated the continued partnership of the President’s office with key college, district and community individuals, groups and projects, while I also served on or directly oversaw a variety of college initiatives, including the Development office, special events, graduation, Guided Pathways and numerous division advisory boards. After five years in higher education, I transitioned back to the legal field, where I serve as a paralegal for a civil, insurance defense law firm.More...