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.

Bryan joined the board in 2021. As a Managing Director at Pathstone in Bellevue, WA, Bryan is responsible for advising families on a variety of wealth management related topics, including financial planning, investment management, tax planning, risk management, and trust and estate planning. By working closely with his clients’ external professional partners, Bryan seeks to integrate these issues into a clearly defined plan and path forward. Prior to joining Pathstone, Bryan acted in a similar capacity as a Managing Director at Cornerstone Advisors. Bryan’s career in wealth management also includes over 23 years with TD Ameritrade where he worked directly with clients, and served in leadership, training and strategic business development in multiple capacities. Bryan graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Business Administration. In addition to being a Certified Financial Planner^TM, Bryan is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®), a designation which specially equips him to assist individuals and their attorneys in understanding the complex financial implications of divorce. He serves on the board of the Washington Planned Giving Council. A Pacific Northwest native, Bryan grew up in Seattle developing a love for hiking, climbing, and music. He continues to share these passions with his wife and three children.

Mei joined the board in January 2022.

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.

Megan joined the board in 2021. She is a senior manager in PwC’s assurance practice, serving clients ranging from early stage startups to pre-IPO and newly public companies to large cap enterprises.  She leverages her public accounting experience to provide a variety of professional services to her clients, and has experience in many industries partially driven by living and working in Denver and Boston prior to moving to Seattle.  Megan received a BS and MS in Business Administration with a focus in accounting and economics from the University of Colorado and holds an active CPA license in Colorado and Washington.  Megan and her husband decided to make Seattle their home, and spend their free time chasing around their young daughter.

Jacqueline Balinbin joined the board in 2023. She is a Senior Vice President and practice leader of the Executive Benefits department at USI Insurance Services. With 20 years in the insurance industry, Jacqueline is committed to employing creative and intentional solutions for common industry shortfalls. Prior to her current role, Jacqueline was responsible for relationship management and business development primarily in the Pacific Northwest. She is a graduate of the University of Wyoming and a past board member of the Children’s Trust Foundation (now a part of Children’s Home Society). Jacqueline and her family reside on Mercer Island. In her spare time she enjoys exploring local trails with her two puppies, volunteering at her son’s school and attending his many athletic endeavors.

Brianna joined the board in 2023. She is a senior manager at Moss Adams LLP’s assurance practice. She serves a variety of financial services clients with a focus in public and private financial institutions, along with considerable experience with employee benefit plan audits. She received her Master’s of Professional Accountancy from Central Washington University and her undergraduate degree in accounting from Arizona State University where she became a member of Omega Phi Chi multicultural sorority. Brianna lives in West Seattle where she enjoys cooking, staying active outdoors, and traveling.

Hillary joined the board in 2020 and is a family law attorney at the law firm Lasher, Holzapfel, Sperry and Ebberson. She has years of experience litigating complex marital dissolutions and contested parenting matters, including establishing residential schedules and child support, as well as post-decree modifications of parenting plans, child support orders, and relocation actions. Hillary has appeared before courts in Washington State, as well as in the federal and state trial and appellate courts of Virginia and Washington, D.C., where she began her legal career before moving to Seattle in 2013. Hillary lives in Magnolia with her husband, Joaquin, and their two dogs, Molly & Finn. She enjoys travel and outdoor adventures.

Katherine joined the Board in 2022.  She retired as Chief Information Officer at Perkins Coie, a Seattle-based international law firm.   At Perkins, she was responsible for world-wide technology and web strategy, document and data management, telecommunications, legal practice tools, and user support.  Prior to joining Perkins in 1989, Katherine was founder and Principal at Arcadia Associates Inc.  The firm served national and international clients including the Fortune 500, foreign and domestic government agencies, non-profits, professional firms, colleges, labor unions, and small businesses on computer systems as well as with information and records management.  She has served on ten non-profit boards, often focusing on policy and governance issues.  She currently serves on the Boards of Town Hall, the Seattle International Film Festival, Martha and Mary (a children’s and senior care organization in Poulsbo), and the Kitsap Humane Society.  Katherine’s previous non-profit experience has involved working with under-served children in King County and Cambodia.  She is pleased to continue being involved with a mission that engages her professionally and personally.

Brad will be joining the board in January 2022.

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, PhD, MSW, joined the board in 2018 and is a licensed clinical psychologist who works as a parenting evaluator and Guardian Ad Litem in private practice focusing on divorce, paternity, modification and adoption cases.  Dr. English earned her PhD in clinical psychology from Seattle Pacific University and her dissertation research centered on attachment issues and parental support in parenting plans.  She also has a master’s degree in social work and worked for King County Superior Court Family Court Services for more than 10 years (and took the CASA training in 1998!).  Dr. English has been a frequent speaker for the court, local bar associations, Department of Judicial Administration, National Business Institute, Washington State Correctional facilities and community mental health clinics and is past president of the Washington Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (WA-AFCC).  Besides being a part of the CASA board and time with her family and 2 cats, she enjoys trail running, traveling and treasure seeking.

Abdul Kallon joined the board in 2023. He represents clients in sensitive, high-stakes litigation, including regulatory and First Amendment matters. His practice is informed by nearly 30 years of experience gained in private practice and as a judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

For over 12 years, Abdul presided over a broad range of civil and criminal cases, including commercial litigation and constitutional rights matters. Abdul was nominated to the federal bench by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2009.

Prior to his judicial service, Abdul was a partner in private practice. His broad and significant trial practice included cases before arbitrators and state and federal courts; he tried multiple cases to a jury verdict in federal court as a first chair. Abdul began his legal career as a clerk for Judge U.W. Clemon of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

Julie Maloney joined the board in 2023. She is the Manager of Human Resources at Puget Sound Energy where she leads a team of Human Resources Advisors that handles all employee relations and labor relations issues as well complex strategic projects.  Julie has over 30 years of Human Resources Leadership experience in a variety of different industries such as Healthcare (Providence-Swedish), Shipyards (Vigor Marine), Glass Manufacturing (Hartung Glass), Wind Energy (Vestas), Transportation (Waste Management), and Distribution (International Paper) located both in the Pacific NW and California. Julie has supported and/or volunteered in various non-profit organizations such as Susan B. Komen Portland, OR; St. Joseph’s Center in Venice, CA; Women’s Shelter of Holy Rosary Church  West Seattle, WA; Desert ARC Foundation Palm Desert, CA to name a few. Julie has a strong interest in CASA Family Law from both a parental perspective from being a Mom and divorced; and from a sibling perspective with a younger brother with Downs Syndrome.  Julie is a passionate supporter of under-represented groups who struggle to obtain advocates for their custody cases. Julie is a graduate with her Masters in Counseling Psychology from California State University and her Bachelors in Psychology from University of California Santa Barbara. Julie lives in South Everett with her significant other. She enjoys weight-lifting, avid Seahawks & Cowboys fan, being on the water and spending time in the desert.  Julie has an adult son who lives and works in Southwest Washington.

Page Perey joined the board in 2023. She is currently the Director of Elementary Special Programs for the Issaquah School District. In this role she oversees the district’s Dual Language, Highly Capable, and Early Learning programs. Her career in education began in 1998 in the Snoqualmie School District where she taught for 9 years. Prior to her current position, she spent 11 years in middle, elementary school and district leadership in the Issaquah and Kent School Districts.  While she has 24 years in education it was not her first career. She spent several years in the hospitality industry at the Hyatt Regency and Club Med and in the non-profit world at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Seattle Works. She is a graduate of Miami University of Oxford, Ohio where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She also holds a Master of Global Management from The Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona. She volunteers on the King County Library Foundation’s annual gala planning committee and is active in P.E.O. a philanthropic women’s organization that provides scholarships and grants for women who are pursuing college and graduate education. She and her husband love to travel and have visited many beautiful destinations from Hawaii and Mexico to China and Taiwan but continue to return to France annually where they love to do self-guided walking and cycling tours. Page always loves returning home to her Peloton. They both grew up in Seattle, met in middle school and currently live in Renton.

Deena Rataezyk joined the board in 2023. She is the Vice President – Marketing and Communications Director at Sound Community Bank. Her focus on outward communication, brand development, and campaign integrations has allowed her to create a holistic marketing team responsible for all aspects of social media, web performance, digital and print advertising, trigger campaigns, and company analytics. Deena works closely with all stakeholders to monitor marketing performance in relation to the bank’s strategic goals. Prior to joining Sound Community Bank, Deena spent time at Real Networks and Nightforce Optics, where she furthered her marketing career by learning the ins and outs of marketing SAAS and relationship-based programs. Deena graduated from Washington State University with a degree in Consumer Studies. Her first experience with the Spokane County Courts, in their Diversion Unit, changed her outlook on the needs of the court system and began her 25-plus years of volunteering. In 2015 she was recognized as an Outstanding Advocate for her local public school system. In her free time, Deena enjoys traveling with her husband and three kids.

Jean A. Rietschel joined the board in 2022. She was appointed as a judge at King County Superior Court by former Governor Christine Gregoire in 2010. Judge Rietschel received the 2011 Vanguard Award from King County’s Washington Women’s Lawyers. In 2001 she received the 2001 Seattle Works Award. She was the co- chair of the Best Practices Committee and was the Chief UFC judge prior to retiring in 2019.  She has chaired the King County Trial Court Coordinating Committee and the Regional Law Safety and Justice Committee. Prior to her appointment to Superior Court she served as a Judge and as the Presiding Judge in Seattle Municipal Court. As an attorney she worked in her own solo practice, for Institutional Legal Services and for the Public Defender’s office. Judge Rietschel received an undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester in philosophy and a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law.

Gary joined the board of directors in 2020. Gary Sampson, MSW LICSW has a Master’s Degree in Social Work, a School Counselor Certification and an Elementary Teaching Credential. He is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and an approved social work supervisor. He has worked as both a Director of Social Services and Adoption Social Worker for international adoption agencies as well as a medical social worker for children with disabilities, an elementary school counselor and a primary school teacher for the Renton School District. Gary is married and has two adult daughters, including one adopted from Korea. He is a volunteer guardian ad litem and board member with the Family Law CASA, and also volunteers at the Seattle World School, a public middle and high school for new immigrant students. He serves on the board of directors of Renton Area Youth and Family Services and has been volunteer citizenship tutor with the St. James Citizenship Center.

Lorna joined the board in 2020. She is an MD and public health specialist and currently works at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She started off her career as a physician in Uganda with the US Embassy and the Mulago National Teaching & Referral Hospital. She has worked with the UN and many non- profit global organizations including CARE, International Youth Foundation and ChildFund International. She was a diplomat prior to relocating to Seattle, working with 26 governments in South East Asia, Africa and South America to advance south to south cooperation for health, population and development. She got her medical and public health education from Makerere University Medical School Uganda; Boston University School of Public Health; UC San Francisco & UC Berkeley. Lorna is most passionate about contributing to achieving dignity and quality of life for especially the most vulnerable and marginalized. Lorna is a Rotarian and member of Seattle Rotary Club 4.

Mike Vila joined the board in 2023. He is the Managing Principal of Bellevue Asset Management, the firm which he founded in 2003.  The boutique firm with assets of over $300 million focuses on all facets of wealth planning in service to helping high net-worth clients reach their life and financial goals.  His educational background includes degrees in Finance and Math from Santa Clara University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.  Before grad school, Mike worked as financial analyst for Latin America at Chevron International Oil.  Postgrad he worked at Deloitte Consulting, the Wall Street Journal, and in the corporate strategy group of PECO Energy.  His other recent non-profit work has included serving as President of the Endowment for St. Joseph School, the Parent Leadership Council of Santa Clara University, and as a board member of Mt Baker Housing.  He is a proud father of 3 college and post-college children.  In his spare time, he enjoys sailing, golfing and, in particular, travelling having explored Europe, Asia, Caribbean, Central America and Mexico in the last several years.