Employee of the Month Archive
The employees listed below were recognized by their coworkers for their outstanding abilities and achievements, and received Employee of the Month (EOM) awards in 2006. For a list of recent EOMs and some background about the award, see our section entitled Employee of the Month.
July 2008: Monica Lepe
Monica has worked at the Firm since June 2007 where she is an Investigative Clerk on the evening shift. She was nominated for this award based on her excellent research and organizational skills, deposition reviews and summaries, and training others in the department. So remarkable were her contributions, she was designated an Investigative Assistant Lead after only a short time here.
Monica attended UC Berkeley where she earned a B.A.degree in Geography with a minor in Russian Language. She spent a semester abroad in Moscow where she found the winter weather very cold, but the people warm and welcoming. Monica also spent a month in St. Petersburg during her undergraduate studies. She enjoyed learning about the Russian culture while honing her language skills.
Her first career after graduation was as a cartographer for several companies, including Lonely Planet, which sent her on a three–month assignment to Mexico to research and write sections of their guidebook for that country. Monica followed that with three years in New York City which she loved for all the reasons everyone else loves it. After working in Philadelphia for a few years at her father’s construction company, she returned to the Bay Area.
In addition to visiting friends and planning her next trip, Monica hopes to get involved in local theater and find new ways to contribute to her community. In the meantime, we are very happy she is part of our team.
June 2008: Anne Cook
Anne has been a programmer at the Firm since March 2004. During that time, she has worked on numerous projects with a strong sense of dedication and solving all those “bugs,” that appear when they are least welcome, to meet deadlines that affect everyone here. She is part of the true infrastructure upon which we all rely on a daily basis.
Anne attended UC Berkeley where she studied French and Art History, earning a B.A. degree in French. She remains enamored with art and art history. Although not an artist herself, Anne continues to enjoy the many art forms available in the Bay Area and likes to walk around San Francisco to observe the diverse architecture and other historical structures for which the city is known worldwide.
Despite her love for the arts and realizing employment opportunities were limited, Anne completed study and received a B.S. degree in Computer Science from Sonoma State University. Her first jobs in this field were with three firms that have since gone the way of most dot coms.
In addition to her passion for art and art history, Anne is also enamored of musical theater having attended a production of “A Chorus Line” this past summer with others planned soon. She loves to read about art and art history, as well as fantasy and historical fiction; in fact, she enjoys reading about almost anything.
May 2008: Amy McElroy
Amy has worked at the Firm since July of 2007. She is a valued member of the Probate Department.
April 2008: John Krajewski
John was hired as an evening temp to do a project in early 2007. Before too long, he was asked to become a permanent member of the Data Processing team, and in September he was made the Lead of that department. The firm has found another gem.
John was in the Air Force during the 1960s, which is where he first became familiar with planes and ships. As a member of Air Force Intelligence, his assignment was to train others in the identification of enemy planes and ships, do air reconnaissance photography and instruct flight personnel in Electronic Warfare (audio recognition of enemy radar and implementation of counter–measures). After serving in Viet Nam and many other locations, he left the service as a Staff Sergeant.
John then held several jobs in San Francisco including a stint at Mailing Management where he coordinated advertising and mailings for all the major arts organizations, and at International Diamond Corporation in San Rafael.
His next adventure began in 1982 at Lucasfilm where he assisted in setting up the fire and EMT services at The Ranch. He also handled less mundane tasks such as herding cattle, mending fences and milking George Lucas’s cows. He spent some time with ILM (Industrial Light and Magic), the special effects unit, and was subcontracted to Pixar for one of their productions. John also began to build a large library of audio and video materials as a resource for film makers. After Lucasfilm moved to the Presidio in San Francisco in 2005, John “retired” for about a year.
John collects old video, radio broadcasts and animation, and he has over 20,000 items in his personal library. John likes to write poetry, especially Cowboy Poetry.
March 2008: Joey Lazzareschi
After graduating with a degree in Political Science, Joey found a job about a year ago at Brayton Purcell where he was hired as a Case Clerk on the Exigent Health team. He was soon promoted to Paralegal Assistant in that department based on his excellent work product and willingness to learn more. Joey says that his experience here has allowed him to learn a great deal about how cases are developed and all the details that are involved. He will be moving to the Investigations Department as an Investigator very soon to apply his knowledge there and learn more to assist our clients and their cases.
Joey enjoys sports, travel and music—not necessarily in that order on any given day. He loves to watch his favorite bay area sports teams, and attends Giants, 49ers, and Warriors games as much as possible. His favorite sports to play are basketball and soccer, and he enjoyed playing club soccer at SDSU. A lover of motorcycles, Joey enjoys riding dirt bikes, and frequents various tracks and trails in Northern California.
His travels have taken him to South America where he spent the past Christmas and New Year holidays in Venezuela with family friends, Mexico and all around the United States. He looks forward to future trips to Europe and Australia. Favorite music genres include hip hop and rock.
He is interested in attending law school, or pursuing a graduate degree in Urban Planning or an MBA. We know he will do well in whatever direction he chooses.
February 2008: Melissa King—Kalter
Melissa joined the firm last August as an Administrative Assistant in the Workers’ Compensation Department. She was promoted to Case Manager recently and enjoys the investigative aspects and added contact with clients that are part of that position’s responsibilities.
Having worked only in small offices in the past, Melissa is very appreciative of the many activities and events sponsored by the firm for its employees and the community, and she has become actively involved in a number of these. She is a member of the Event Planning Committee, plays on our softball team, is part of the group preparing for the Fireman’s Fund event next weekend, and is involved in the upcoming Marin Human Race.
Her outside volunteer work includes Soldiers’ Angels, a group that raises money for and, more importantly, corresponds with service personnel around the world. She has several pen pals still stationed overseas, and some who have returned with whom she remains in touch.
She is a die–hard Tennessee Titans fan based on her experience of attending their very first game played in Tennessee after they left Houston and the Oilers franchise in the dust. She also is a big fan of T.V. shows Greys’ Anatomy, Big Brother and C.S.I. She is an admitted “dog freak” and loves her two beagles, Muddy and Brandi. Visiting Disneyland is a much–anticipated annual event for Melissa and her husband. She also enjoys the Monterey/Carmel area and tries to spend time there as often as possible.
January 2008: Nikki Hugh
Nikki’s employment with the Firm began in October 2006 when she joined the Data Processing Department where she became a star performer. She transferred to the Service Department in April 2007 and loves her job! Nikki deals with defense counsel, the courts and many in–house personnel. She thoroughly enjoys her co–workers and the variety of tasks involved in her job. Her upbeat manner is welcome to all who work with her.
She started her own non–profit called America’s Whaling Alliance. Nikki was a speaker at the annual conference of the Public Interest and Environmental Law Association, her subject was anti–whaling laws.
December 2007: Claudia Cabral
Claudia received a Legal Secretary Certificate from Penn Foster Career Schools about in 2006 and is now in the job of her dreams—Legal Secretary at Brayton Purcell.
Prior to joining the Firm nearly eight years ago, Claudia worked at K–Mart for six and a half years as a checker, in customer service, and then as checker supervisor. We’re glad she decided to make a career change!
Her first job at the Firm was as file clerk, followed by case clerk in both the Bankruptcy and Paralegal Departments.
She has been a legal secretary for nearly a year, and loves her job and the attorneys she works for.
Leisure time activities center around spending time with her two–year old niece. Claudia also likes to shop and enjoys movies in the romance/comedy genre. She also occasionally enjoys going to baseball games, (A’s games mainly—Go A’s!!), but her real passion is for country music.
October 2007: Eric Sangervasi
He has been a member of the Bankruptcy (formerly CPO) Department since arriving at the Firm two years ago. The thing Eric likes best about his job is knowing the end result of all his work and efforts will result in helping someone. While in college, Eric worked at a large day care center where he won the kids’ respect by being firm, consistent and lots of fun. These traits have carried over to his working relationships here as well.
His outside interests are probably as diverse as any you could imagine. First of all, he is very involved with his church including helping with the sound system as needed. Secondly, he is a disc golf fanatic. He plays at least once a week and sometimes more. Finally, he enjoys attending live concerts featuring punk and hardcore music three or four times per month.
September 2007: Ashley Hansen
Ashley began work in Brayton Purcell’s Settlement Department in May, 2006 where she has become a stellar performer. Her keen intelligence coupled with her sincere interest in our clients’ needs have combined to make Ashley a key contributor to the Firm’s philosophy of providing the best service to those who need our representation.
After sampling a graduate class in Public Policy which she loves, Ashley has made her choice of career paths. She will be applying to law schools in the Bay Area for entrance next fall. She plans to take the four–year evening program route which will allow her to keep working here.
Ashley runs two marathons every year. She would rather be doing anything outdoors, which is where she is most comfortable, or visiting college friends throughout California.
August 2007: Theresa Abad
Our Employee of the Month for August began as a temporary employee in the Workers’ Compensation Department in November 2005. Theresa became a Brayton Purcell employee in February of the following year as a Case Manager in the same department and eventually earned her credential as a paralegal. Based on her excellent work, she became a Lead Paralegal in the same department in July 2007.
Theresa was introduced to her greatest passion—black and white films from the 30s and 40s—by her mother who was also a big fan. Her favorites are those starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, and she has started a personal collection of those classics. Theresa also enjoys reading biographies of movie stars from that era. Growing up with a Father who was a wonderful Spanish guitarist, Theresa has taught herself that instrument and enjoys playing the songs she heard as a child.
Not fond of cooking yet enjoying good cuisine, Theresa has a list of favorite restaurants which she frequents often. She also enjoys travel and looks forward to returning to New York City which was a favorite of her destinations.
For those of you who may share similar interests, this is your chance to get to know a kindred spirit who has a wealth of life experiences. And, best of all for us, Theresa loves her job at Brayton Purcell and feels like she has found a home here.
March 2007: Kaellen Schlegel
Kaellen joined the firm in May 2005, as an Administrative Assistant in our Bankruptcy Department where she became a Team Lead in July 2006. She likes working with clients and seeing cases through from beginning to end. Needless to say, Kaellen likes to be busy!
Travel is her favorite pastime, a passion she inherited from her parents who took her to Europe, Asia, Canada, Hawaii, Mexico and many spots in between. She remains very active with travel, an annual camping trip with her family, and skiing and snow boarding during the winter months.
January 2007: Karla Torres
Karla started at Brayton Purcell on April 4, 2005, one day after leaving Allied Insurance where she had worked in Accounting for fifteen years. Her first job here was Law & Motions Assistant working with Jennifer Harwood. She was promoted to Legal Secretary at the end of last year and now supports four attorneys in the Asbestos Group.
Her job is to coordinate all their schedules, file and serve court documents, finalize deposition notices, and handle a large volume of correspondence—all the while meeting numerous (sometimes conflicting) deadlines. Karla also continues as back–up to the Law & Motions Coordinator.
Karla likes arts and crafts projects, and is proud of the roses she has nurtured in her yard. Her dream is to take an extended Alaskan cruise to celebrate her 20th anniversary four years from now.
November 2006: Jennifer Lopes
Jennifer began working at Brayton Purcell shortly after graduating from high school. Her nearly eleven years with the firm began in the File Room and progressed through the Paralegal Department to Settlement and finally Accounting where she has worked for two years. As one of four Trust Bookkeepers, Jennifer’s job consists of sending checks to clients based on the settlements reached in their cases. Her workload ranges from 20 checks to over 200 in a day with values from $10 to half a million. She loves what she does because it directly relates to making clients happy.
While working at the firm, Jennifer attended Santa Rosa Junior College where she received her Accounting Certificate and is only credits short of her AA degree. Her educational pursuits supported her goal to move into the Settlement and Accounting areas because she likes working with numbers.
Jennifer is a dedicated work–out enthusiast, bowls on a co–ed league every Tuesday evening and carries a 140 average with 227 being her highest ever game—pretty good numbers!! When Jennifer isn’t working or exercising, she can be found at home indulging her newest passion—Netflix. She is a movie buff who prefers comedies and love stories, and is not ashamed to admit watching an average of three on the weekends. An admitted “great” cook, her favorite food is Mexican.
October 2006: Carmen Damaso
Carmen Damaso was hired as a file clerk in 2003. After one year of employment she was promoted to a case clerk. Now, a year and a half later, Ms. Damaso is an administrative assistant. Her job includes daily responses to client questions concerning the status of their cases and ongoing aspects of their claims.
When Carmen isn’t working at the firm, she is performing with a Portugese folk dance troop, watching romantic comedies, listening to music, and spending time with her brother, two sisters, three nephews, and her niece.
August 2006: Abby Adams
Abby Adams moved from Colorado to Oregon as a young girl. Tacoma, Washington, was her next major move, as she attended the University of Puget Sound and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in French, with a minor in biology. After receiving her diploma, Abby relocated back to her hometown in Oregon and joined the Portland office of Brayton Purcell.
Abby has worked for Brayton Purcell since 1999. Within that time, she has been promoted from Receptionist to Legal Secretary, and currently holds the title of Work Flow Coordinator. She tracks the major projects within the office and monitors the staff’s progress. Her daily schedule consists of tracking the mail routing, maintaining accounting records, and monitoring dismissals, settlements, and the appellate calendar. She formats, files and monitors appeal documents and makes sure our database and internal service lists are up–to–date. Abby is also in charge of inputting and scanning the office’s deposition transcripts and documents.
In November of 2003, Abby earned her license to practice massage therapy in the states of Washington and Oregon, and now volunteers at a women’s shelter doing chair massages. Between work and volunteering, Abby finds time to spend with her husband, her two cats and dog—Cookie, Trigger and Prissy. Both she and her husband, Thomas, enjoy riding street bikes, hunting for deer or birds, trap and skeet shooting, as well as flying high in their hot air balloon.
May
2006: Carol Ho
Carol Ho has worked in the Data Processing Department since March of 2003. She handles case management work, which includes updating settlement conference results, client contact information, pretrial and trial dates, and other information pertaining to client matters. Carol also updates paralegal and post–deposition notes.
Prior to her employment with Brayton Purcell, Carol attended the University of California at Davis, majoring in Nutrition. She has also recently earned a Web Design certificate, and spends her free time volunteering as an intern with the County of Sonoma under the Workgroup Support division, revising county web sites.
When not busy with work and volunteer duties, Carol enjoys staying at home, playing with her nephews, and doing outdoor activities. She likes hiking, biking, rollerblading, and river rafting, a particular favorite.
March
2006: Shareen Page
In April of 2003, Shareen Page began working as an Administrative Assistant for the Settlement Department at Brayton Purcell. She later transferred to the Paralegal Department as a Pre–Trial Paralegal. In December 2004, Shareen was promoted to a Trial Paralegal.
Shareen organizes the necessary materials needed for the settlement conferences in her cases, and prepares each client’s case for trial. She also works with the deposition coordinators to confirm that the appropriate experts provide a deposition testimony prior to each trial date.
Shareen enjoys spending her spare time with her friends and family, hiking, visiting her home town in Africa, and going to the beach during the summer.
December
2005: Joy Horn
Joy Horn joined our Deposition Department as a Plaintiff Deposition Coordinator in June 2003. Her duties include scheduling and tracking depositions for our clients.
Before coming to Brayton Purcell, Joy attended Dominican College, where she majored in Liberal Studies. After earning her teaching credential, she worked as a substitute teacher for various elementary schools, and taught at a local pre–school, Good Shepard, as well.
Scheduling seems to be a theme in Joy’s life, as she fills her own and her husband’s free time with several activities—camping, hiking, biking, cheering at A’s games, visiting New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, and vacationing in Cancun.
July
2005: Shawna Mahoney
Shawna is currently a Legal Secretary for our general civil litigation department. Shawna was a student at Empire College where she earned a Specialized Associate’s Degree in Legal Office Administration before coming to Brayton Purcell. She also worked at TravelSmith Outfitters and Nautilus of Marin here in Novato.
In her spare time, Shawna spends time with her family and friends. She likes all kinds of music and enjoys eating Mexican food when she is in the mood for her favorite comfort food.
April
2005: Tobin Ballinger
Toby has been with the firm since October of 2003. He started out in the Scanning department and is now an active member of our Investigations team.
Before coming to Brayton, Toby was a carpenter with Franci Construction building custom homes. He was prompted to look for work when the weather slowed down business and luckily for us, he’s been here ever since.
In his spare time, Toby enjoys reading, writing, going to Giants games and hanging out with his lovely fiancé, Christina. In addition to being an avid golfer, Toby also mountain bikes, snowboards and wakeboards.
March
2005: Christina Clark
Christina has been a Brayton Purcell employee for the past four years. She is currently a valuable member of the Settlement department. Before coming to Brayton, Christina worked at Redwood Credit Union in Novato.
In what little spare time she has, she likes to shop, hang out with friends, collect Britney Spears memorabilia and watching her favorite TV show “Alias.”
February
2005: Montie Derby
Montie has been here for just over one year and has been a welcome addition to the Paralegal department. He started at Brayton Purcell after he and his wife moved back to the Bay Area from Omaha, Nebraska.
In his spare time, Montie enjoys cooking. He and his wife met at the California Culinary Academy and they’ve been cooking together ever since. They also enjoy hiking in the Marin Headlands with their three year old black lab puppy.
January
2005: Claudia Cabral
Claudia came on board almost five years ago, after she saw a posting on Sonoma–jobs.com for a File Clerk for the Paralegal department and she really enjoys her job. Her current position has inspired her to take classes so she may one day become a Legal Secretary.
In her spare time, Claudia enjoys going to the movies, A’s baseball games, country concerts & comedy shows, reading, shopping and hanging out with her family and friends.