Family Law CASA Board
Family Law CASA is guided by an involved, dedicated and passionate Board of Directors, all of whom support the organization with generous contributions. This group of community and business leaders is responsible for financial oversight, goal setting, policy development, and fundraising. We are most grateful to our volunteer directors for their work in leading, strengthening and supporting CASA services for vulnerable children.
2022 Board of Directors:
President: Lauren Aldinger, Community Volunteer

Vice President: Verónica Quiñónez, Veronica Quinonez Law PLLC

Verónica Quiñónez is the owner of Veronica Quinonez Law, PLLC. She joined the board in 2021. Her practice focuses on providing legal representation and mediation services in the area of family law, including civil protection orders and cases involving issues of domestic violence and sexual abuse. She received her Juris Doctorate degree from Seattle University School of Law, and her undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at El Paso. Verónica is a 2017 graduate of the University of Washington Law School Washington Leadership Institute, a 2021 graduate of the Hispanic National Bar Association’s Latina Leadership Academy, and a current Ladder Down fellow. She was an adjunct professor at the University of Washington School of Law in 2018. Veronica was the President of the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington from 2018-2019, previously served as LBAW’s Immediate Past-President, President-Elect, and the Director of Clinics, and she has also served as Region XVI Deputy President of the Hispanic National Bar Association and Representative of the HNBA Young Lawyer’s Division. Verónica enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, traveling, and cooking.
Secretary: Bryan Digel, Pathstone

Treasurer: Megan Charles, PwC

Board Members:
Sherri Anderson, Law Offices of Sherri M. Anderson

Hillary Collyer, Lasher, Holzapfel, Sperry and Ebberson

Katherine De Bruyn, Community Representative

Brad Elias, Amazon

Brad Elias is a corporate counsel at Amazon.com, where he manages a large portfolio of commercial litigation and advises on a variety of complex legal issues. He works closely with many of Seattle’s largest law firms, including Perkins Coie, which introduced him to Family Law CASA. Prior to joining Amazon, Brad spent thirteen years as a litigator at O’Melveny & Myers in New York, where he specialized in securities, financial services, and technology disputes. He also maintained an active pro bono practice, with a focus on education and family law, and was honored by the Legal Aid Society on two occasions for his outstanding pro bono service. He is a graduate of New York University School of Law and Georgetown University, where he earned a bachelor of science in finance. He lives in Queen Anne with his wife and two daughters and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities.
Melanie English
Judge Helen Halpert, retired

Blake Hilty, Socius Law Group

Kellie McKenna, Moss Adams

Joel Odimba, Holt Woods & Scisciani, LLP

Rebecca Pimley, Nordstrom

Jean Rietschel, Retired Judge
Gary Sampson

Mei Shih, DuBois Cary Law Group PLLC

After graduating from the University of California Davis, with an B.A. in International Relations and East Asian Studies, Mei moved to Beijing China to learn to speak Mandarin Chinese. When she returned to the United States, she began working at a law firm in downtown San Francisco and soon realized that the legal field was the path for her. She earned a law degree from California Western School of Law in San Diego, California in 2010.
Little did Mei know, she had been preparing to be a lawyer from a young age. As a first generation Chinese-American, she helped her non-English speaking parents navigate cultural barriers that affected many aspects of their lives in the United States. From an early age, she translated legal documents, explained technical terminology, and experienced first-hand the challenges that my parents faced as new immigrants. Now she has a translational skill that makes her legal practice unique.
Mei is dedicated to educating people and arming them with resources to make the best choices in their situation. Throughout her legal career, she has been involved with many non-profit legal clinics providing legal advice to low income and indigent communities. She has served on various boards for children’s daycares and schools, and volunteers with ABAW and JAJEC. Today, Mei is a board member of the International Families Justice Coalition, a non-profit organization that provides legal assistance and representation to immigrants and foreign nationals that do not speak English who are involved in issues that require a family law attorney. Mei also served as a member of the board of her local Parent Teacher Student Association.
Mei grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area with her large extended family. Mei and her husband love exploring the Pacific Northwest – hiking, kayaking, and discovering all the many parks in the area with their two boys. They love traveling as a family and learning about different cultures. Some of the amazing places they have explored include Indonesia, Turkey, Czech Republic and Cuba. Mei’s other passion is baking delicious desserts for her friends and family.
Lorna Tumwebaze, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
