From the time I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer. My father grew up in the small town of Grays Harbor and became a dynamic trial lawyer. He was my role model, and I admired not only his skill but his values. In grade school, whenever someone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always the same: a lawyer like my father.

One moment from high school shaped the direction of my career. My father and I were in a grocery store when a man approached him, shook his hand, and said he wished my dad had been his lawyer. Afterward, my father explained that he had represented an insurance company against that man—and won. He took no pride in the victory. Instead, he reflected quietly and said, “That trial wasn’t about justice. I was simply a better lawyer.” That conversation stayed with me. It was then I decided I wanted to fight for individuals, not large corporations.

I grew up in a large, competitive family and spent my summers at the lake—water skiing, wrestling, boxing, playing tennis and handball, and now, with a few more aches, enjoying pickleball. I’ve always been a jack‑of‑all‑trades: good at most things except singing but gifted with compassion and grit. Those qualities have shaped both my life and my practice.

My father taught me to maximize—and be grateful for—the advantages we were given by chance, and to give back to those who were not as fortunate. That guidance led me to leadership roles with organizations such as the New Hope Training Center, St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Advisory Board, Inland Northwest Hospital Services Advisory Board, and the Eastern District of Washington BIAW. Although I have a strong business background, including serving on the executive team at F&M Bank and on the Board of Directors for Banner Bank, I chose a different path than most business‑minded lawyers. I chose to represent people.

My commitment to advocacy deepened during law school when I worked alongside my father on a four‑week medical malpractice trial. Later in my career, I developed a special focus on traumatic brain injury survivors, whose resilience continues to inspire me. One of the most meaningful chapters of my work involved helping bring major change to Seattle Children’s Hospital after systemic HVAC failures exposed children to aspergillus infections.

My empathy for the injured is also personal. After coaching my sons’ ski racing team, we were driving home from pizza one evening when we were struck by a drunk driver. The crash resulted in two neck surgeries and a rotator cuff repair. That experience gave me a deeper understanding of what my clients face—the pain, the uncertainty, and the long road back.

Beyond the courtroom, I’ve tried to live out my father’s message of service in broader ways. I helped form World Aquarium, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the Sea of Cortez. That work has taken me far from the office and into the water—participating in a documentary on illegal dorado (mahi‑mahi) fishing, diving to cut a mother and calf sperm whale free from a deadly net entanglement, and helping release more than 70 seals suffering from fishing‑net constriction around their necks. Those experiences reinforced my belief that advocacy takes many forms, and that we each have a responsibility to protect the vulnerable—whether human or animal.

Over the years, I have been blessed to represent many people whose lives were turned upside down through no fault of their own. Helping them rebuild and regain stability has been the joy and driving force of my career. Every day, I strive to honor the values my father instilled in me: integrity, gratitude, service, and a commitment to standing up for those who need someone in their corner.