At Thomas Jefferson School of Law, I have taught Wills & Trusts, a bar-tested doctrinal course that requires students to engage in case analysis, statutory interpretation, and careful application of the law.

I also served as the supervising attorney and Director of the Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic, where I guided law students through real client representation and helped prepare future attorneys to approach their work with skill, ethics, and professionalism.

In 2025, I became Director of Clinical Programs, overseeing the law school’s clinics, including the Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic, Small Business Clinic, Nonprofit Clinic, Patent & Trademark Clinic, and Probate Clinic.

This work has given me the opportunity to teach, mentor, and lead while helping shape the next generation of attorneys to serve with preparation, integrity, and respect for the law.

My judicial philosophy begins with the Constitution and the oath I took to defend and protect it. The Constitution is not a suggestion. It is the foundation of our system of justice and the guide for every decision made in a courtroom. As a candidate for San Diego Superior Court Judge, I believe the role of a judge is to apply the law faithfully, without fear, without favor, and without political pressure.

Respect and justice for all must be more than words. The Constitution protects the freedom to believe and the freedom not to believe. One person’s convictions are not superior to another’s. The promise of our courts is that every individual stands equal before the law.

A judge must be fair but firm. The law must be followed and accountability matters. At the same time, courts are where real lives intersect with the law. People come to court from many different paths and circumstances. The role of the court is not to judge a person’s character or worth, but to evaluate actions, apply the law, and resolve disputes with integrity.

An independent judiciary is the bedrock of our democracy. Judges must remain free from political pressure, public bias, and outside influence. Justice requires the discipline to decide cases based on the facts, the evidence, and the law as written.

If entrusted to serve as a San Diego Superior Court Judge, I will approach every case with preparation, discipline, and respect for the people whose lives are affected by the court’s decisions. The public deserves a judiciary that is independent, principled, and committed to the fair and impartial application of the law.

I am honored to have earned the support of judges, attorneys, veterans, civic leaders, elected officials, and organizations throughout San Diego County. Their confidence means a great deal to me.

Because judicial elections are nonpartisan, I have chosen to keep this page focused on the individuals who know my work, my character, and my commitment to fairness and the rule of law. I am grateful for the organizational support I have received, and I encourage voters who rely on those organizations for guidance to review their endorsement lists directly.

At the end of the day, the most important endorsement is yours, the voter. I encourage you to review my background, learn about my work, and decide for yourself.

Judges and Judicial Officers

• Honorable Robert O. Amador
• Honorable Brian D. Erickson
• Honorable John Scherling (Ret.)
• Honorable William V. Gallo (Ret.)
• Honorable Kenneth Medel (Ret.)
• Honorable Renée N.G. Stackhouse
• Honorable Robert F. O'Neill
• Honorable Polly H. Shamoon
• Honorable Daniel S. Belsky
• Honorable Justice Julia A. Kelety
• Commissioner Steven Berenson

Elected Officials

• Senator Brian Jones
• Mayor Bill Wells, City of El Cajon
• Major John McCann, City of Chula Vista
• Mayor Rebecca Jones, City of San Marcos

Prominent Community Leaders

• Joseph J. Strazzeri, Esq., Partner and Founder of The Law Office of Strazzeri Mancini, LLP and the Founders Group
• Greg Wardd, Executive Director of The Center for Respectful Leadership

Veteran Leaders

• Melissa Washington, Founder and CEO of Women Veterans Alliance
• Larry Broughton, Founder and CEO of broughtonHOTELS and award-winning author
• LtCol Gary S. Barthel, USMC, Ret.
  Civilian Military Lawyer, Former JAG Lawyer

Service has always been part of my life. As a veteran, attorney, and mother, I have tried to use my time and experience to support people in real and practical ways.

I have provided pro bono legal services to individuals and families who needed help but did not have the ability to hire counsel. I have also organized toy drives and other donation efforts to support children and families in need.

My service in the community has included:

• San Diego County Bar Association, including board and committee service
• Stand Down San Diego
• Jewish Community Center, Senior Legal Clinic
• Women Veterans Engaging the Nation
• Women veterans jail program, 2015
• Veterans History Theater
• Veterans Bar Association
• Probate Attorneys of San Diego, Probate Handbook Committee
• Lions Club of San Diego
• Volunteer service in my children’s school community
• Big Brothers Big Sisters

I believe service matters most when it is consistent, not performative. Whether through pro bono legal work, veteran outreach, community programs, or school involvement, I have always believed in showing up and doing the work.

• LL.M., International Taxation, Magna Cum Laude
  Concentrations: Financial Services and Wealth Management
  Thomas Jefferson School of Law
• Juris Doctor (J.D.)
  Thomas Jefferson School of Law
• Bachelor of Science, Management
  University of Phoenix

• “Beyond the Uniform: Legal Advocacy for Those Who Served,” Daily Journal (November 2025)
• “Inclusion Beyond Appearances: A Call to Action for the Legal Community,” San Diego Lawyer Magazine (September/October 2024)
• “Beyond What We See: Creating a Workplace That Supports Invisible Disabilities,” Local Media (February 2025)
• “Leveraging Outsourcing and Technology in Law Practices: The Key to Success in 2023,” The Practitioner, California Lawyers Association Solo & Small Firm Section (Summer 2023)
• “The SECURE Act: Are You SECURE in Your Planning for Retirement Accounts?” ABA GPSolo Magazine (November/December 2022)
• "Estate Planning Simplified: Your Family, Your Plan, Your Legacy" (June 2, 2022)

• Rising Star, Super Lawyers (2016–2026)
• Top 50 Veteran Business Leaders of Influence Honoree, San Diego Business Journal (2023)
• Women of Influence in Law Honoree, San Diego Business Journal (2023)
• 40 Under 40, SD Metro Magazine (2023)
• President’s Pro Bono Service Award, State Bar of California (2015)
• Women Resiliency Award, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2015)
• Trailblazer Award, California Department of Veterans Affairs (2016)
• San Diego Military Hero Award, Channel 10 and Coleman University (2014)
• Veteran of the Year, American Combat Veterans of War (2014)
• Adjunct Professor of the Year, Thomas Jefferson School of Law (2020)
• Alumna of the Year, Thomas Jefferson School of Law (2019)
• Superb 10.0 Avvo Rating, Top Attorney in Estate Planning
• Powerhouse Patriot Award (2014)
• VIP Woman of the Year, National Association of Professional Women
• Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges (2013)
• Veterans Clinic Alumni Scholarship (2012)

I enlisted in the United States Navy at 18 and served from 2005 to 2010 as a Master-at-Arms, the Navy’s military law enforcement and security force. That experience shaped my commitment to duty, accountability, and the rule of law.

I was assigned to Marine Corps Security Force Battalion at Kings Bay, Georgia, where I served in security forces protecting one of the Navy’s strategic submarine bases. My responsibilities included serving as a harbor-side machine gunner, safeguarding restricted waters and protecting critical national defense assets.

I later served at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay in Crete, Greece, where I worked as base police and ultimately served as Watch Commander. In that role I supervised law enforcement operations and made rapid decisions affecting the safety of service members, civilians, and the installation itself. The responsibility required discipline, sound judgment, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.

My military service taught me that leadership requires preparation, fairness, and accountability. Those lessons continue to guide my work in the law and my commitment to public service. If entrusted to serve as a San Diego Superior Court Judge, I will bring the same discipline, respect for the law, and dedication to protecting the public that defined my service in the United States Navy.

***Disclaimer***

I am a former member of the United States Navy. Use of my military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the United States Navy, the Department of Defense or any branch of the U.S. government.