Paralegal Division Ambassador Program

Susi Boss has been a paralegal for over 35 years with experience in bankruptcy, personal injury and family law and has been a Senior Paralegal at Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, LLP for 15 years. 

Susi has been a member of the Paralegal Division since 2003 and currently serving as District 5 Director as well as President of the San Antonio Paralegal Association.  Susi has an Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies from the Kaplan College of Paralegal Studies.   

Susi has been married to her husband Russ for 45 years.  They have a son and daughter and 5 grandchildren.  In her spare time, she is involved in many aspects of her church as well as her dogs, cats and horse.  She and Russ enjoy cruises.

Arturo Ortiz is a Paralegal at Cacheaux, Cavazos & Newton, LLP (CCN) and is based in the firms’ McAllen, Texas office where he has worked since 2019. He has extensive experience in both U.S. and Mexican legal matters. Born and raised in Mexico City, he began working in the legal field in 1988 as an intern at the office of a Mexican Attorney/Mexican Notario Publico. Arturo also worked at the Fentanes Law Firm in McAllen, Texas, for 20 years where he learned a great deal regarding Mexican law. He later went to work for the law firm Contreras Gutierrez and Associates in Edinburg, Texas, first as a bookkeeper and later as a Paralegal, after becoming Certified by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in 2015.  In college, Arturo majored in computing science and software programming, and he is proficient in the use of several applications related to the practice of law, such as Westlaw and Lexis Nexis. His prior experience on the administrative side gave him the opportunity to learn tools such as Timeslips and QuickBooks. Additionally, Arturo is bilingual in English and Spanish, and bicultural, which is an asset as he works with clients from both the U.S. and Mexico. He is currently the co-chair of the CCN Legal Assistant Training initiative, and an active member of District 15 of the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas, and of the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas at large, where he has served as CLE sub-chair.

Erica Anderson is a senior litigation paralegal at Mullin Hoard & Brown in Amarillo, Texas. She has her Associate Degree in Applied Science with emphasis in Paralegal Studies from Amarillo College and she is an Advanced Certified Paralegal in Trial Practice (“ACP” through NALA).

She has previously served the Paralegal Division through many positions, most notably President, TAPS Committee Chair, Treasurer, District 7 Director, Membership Committee Chair, and as a contributing editor of the Paralegal Ethics Handbook. Erica currently serves as the Director for District 7 and Chair of the Public Relations Committee.

Erica has also served on the Texas Panhandle Paralegal Association in several positions, and currently serves as its Professional Development Chair. Erica is a former Chair the Advisory Committee to Amarillo College’s Paralegal Studies program and adjunct professor on technology for Amarillo College’s Continuing Education for Seniors program. Erica also serves as the Administrator to the Computer & Technology Section of the State Bar of Texas. With her memberships in these associations and in NALA, Erica is able to participate in a variety of ways to help develop the paralegal profession.

Erica began her career as a file clerk at MHB in 2003 and continues to work diligently to become the lead paralegal on the matters she works on. Erica has given several presentations on ethics, technology, and promoting professionalism, and continues to be active in the community with various charitable and pro bono organizations.

Michele Boerder is a litigation paralegal in the  Dallas office of Morgan Lewis and has 40 years of experience.  She has a Master’s and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas, and has an A.A. from the El Centro College Paralegal Program in 1979.

She is a Board Certified Paralegal – Civil Trial, Texas Board of Legal Specialization and a Certified Paralegal (“CP” through NALA) as well as a past President of the Paralegal Division, State Bar of Texas and a past President of the Dallas Area Paralegal Association.

Michele also has served on the State Bar of Texas Paralegal Committee (1991 – 2009), the TBLS Paralegal Civil Trial Commission, and NFPA’s Certification Standards Committee.

She received the Dallas Area Paralegal Association’s Paralegal of the Year Award in 1995, NFPA’s Paralegal of the Year award in 2005, the Dallas Area Paralegal Association Lifetime Achievement award in 2006 and NFPA’s William R. Robie Leadership Award in 2011.  Michele is also an instructor and consultant in the Paralegal Certificate Program at SMU’s Certification Standards Committee.

Rhonda Brashears is a paralegal with the firm of Underwood Law Firm, P.C., Amarillo, Texas, and has been a paralegal for 32 years. She specializes in personal injury and civil trial defense law. She received her B.G.S. from West Texas A&M University in 1998, her Certified Paralegal designation from the National Association of Legal Assistants in 1996, and was board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law in 1998.

Rhonda has been a member of the Paralegal Division since 1990. She currently serves the Division as an Ambassador.  In addition, she served as Director of District 7, 1996 until 2001, Secretary, 1999 to 2001, President Elect in 2001 and 2007, and President of the Division in 2002 and 2008.  She has also previously served as Chair of the On-Line CLE Committee, the TAPS Planning Committee, the Publications Committee and as Editor of the Texas Paralegal Journal, receiving the Outstanding Committee Chair of the Year as the Publications Chair 2006-2007.

Rhonda is a member of the Texas Panhandle Paralegal Association, where she has served as President, President-Elect, Treasurer and NALA Liaison.  

Rhonda has been the Paralegal Division Coordinator since November of 2015.

Clara is the 2014-2015 Past-President of the Division and served the Division in several capacities before then.  Namely as District 16’s 2005-20016 sub-chair on the Professional Development Committee, and District Director for two terms from 2006 to 2010.  While on the Board of Directors, Clara served as liaison for the National Association of Legal Assistants and the Association of Legal Administrators, and on the Division’s Executive Committee as its 2007-2009 Secretary, and 2009–2010 Parliamentarian. Clara served as Chair of the Membership Committee from June 2012 to June 2013, the same year she was elected as the 2013-2014 President Elect.

Clara is a Certified Paralegal and EEO Legal Investigator with the office of the General Counsel of the El Paso Electric Company (“EPEC”).  In her role as in-house Equal Employment Opportunity Investigator, she investigates matters which may be construed as a violation of any state or federal employment laws, or the Company’s policies and procedures.  In her capacity as paralegal, she works closely with inhouse and outside counsel on employment, civil and commercial litigation matters. Clara responds to Claims for Unemployment Insurance benefits and represents the Company in Appeal Hearings before the Texas and New Mexico unemployment Commissions.  Prior to her move to EPEC, Clara worked at Kemp Smith LLP, in the specialty area of Labor and Employment Law for 17 years, and with Associate Judge, Kathleen C. Anderson, in Family Law for five years.  Clara has been a paralegal for 30 years and has been very vocal on the imposition of mandatory continuing education requirements for all Texas paralegals.

Clara received her A.A.S. in Paralegal Studies from the El Paso Community College and has served on the college’s Advisory Committee for the Paralegal Program.  Clara is a former member of the El Paso Paralegal Association and has served on that organization’s board in various capacities, including President in 2003, the same year she received the Paralegal of the Year Award.  Clara is a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators and is currently working on earning her AWI-CH certification.

Clara enjoys many interests, including artistic projects, reading, hiking, bike riding and yoga!  Clara has an identical twin, Claudia.  She is married to Bucky (Mark) and they have two lovely daughters, Jazmine and Olivia.  In addition, they have been blessed with six beautiful grandchildren, Jason, Raymond, Jordan, Jayden, Gabriel, and Trynity.

Patti became a member of the Paralegal Division (PD) of the State Bar of Texas in 2001. Her first volunteer experience with the PD was in 2003 co-chairing the Socials Sub-Committee of the LAU (now TAPS) Planning Committee, and then served as Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee in 2004. Subsequent to Annual Meeting, she served two terms as director of District 5 for the greater San Antonio area.  Toward the end of her second term, Patti was elected by the Board of Directors as President-elect, and then served as President during the 2007-2008 PD Board year.  Following her presidency, Patti has continued to serve the Division as the Ambassador Chair and as the Continuing Education Committee Sub-Chair for District 5.  Also, Patti has served on the TAPS Planning Committee in various capacities since 2003.

In addition to working with the Division, Patti has served on the Board for the Alamo Area Paralegal Association, Inc.   She is also the Volunteer Coordinator for the San Antonio Bar Association’s Community Justice Program, having served in this capacity since the program’s inception in 2002.

Patti is an intellectual property paralegal with Schwegam Lundberg Woessner, and has over 18 years experience working in this field of law. Prior to her IP days, she worked in medical malpractice defense and practiced in corporate and estate planning law.  She has worked in the legal field for over 25 years.

Patti is married to Steve Giuliano.  Having traveled throughout the United States as a military spouse, she has been fortunate to gain experience with the legal process in California, Indiana, and Ohio. She attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and received her degree in paralegal studies from the ABA-approved program at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.

Megan is the Senior Paralegal and Office and Property Manager of The Brender Law Firm, located in the medical district of Fort Worth. She has worked for Art Brender since 1983, after starting her career in the legal field as a legal secretary in 1982 for another law firm. Megan graduated from Southwest High School in 1983 and while working for Art Brender, obtained her B.A. from the University of Texas at Arlington. Megan’s experience at The Brender Law Firm includes handling personal injury, product liability, insurance bad faith, criminal, civil rights, probate, medical negligence, mass torts, class actions, sexual harassment, and employment discrimination cases from intake through trial and appellate litigation, including two cases before the United States Supreme Court, Watson v. Fort Worth Bank & Trust, 487 U.S. 977, and Trevino v. Texas, 503 U.S. 562.

Megan is a board-certified paralegal in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (2008)  She has worked for The Brender Law Firm, in Fort Worth, since 1983.  Paralegal Division: Megan has served as Paralegal Division President for two terms (2016-2017 and 2019-2020) and is an Ambassador of the Paralegal Division.  She has previously served as Director of District 3 (2012-2015), Parliamentarian (2014–2015), former Board Advisor to the Pro Bono Committee, Annual Meeting Committee, and Vendor Liaison Ad Hoc Committee, and former Liaison to the Texas Young Lawyers Association and the American Bar Association.  State Bar and Local Association Involvement:  Megan has been re-appointed to serve a second term on the Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters by the State Bar of Texas (2017-2023).  Megan also served as the Fort Worth Paralegal Association’s Professional Development Chair and as the SBOT Liaison to the Paralegal Division. Awards: Megan was awarded the Fort Worth Paralegal Association’s Paralegal of the Year 2014 Award and the Paralegal Division’s highest honor, the Award of Excellence in 2018.

As Editor of the Texas Paralegal Journal, Megan concurrently serves as the Paralegal Division’s Publications Chair.  Megan also serves as the Paralegal Division’s Chair of the Website Development Committee, member of the Paralegal Division’s Long-Term Strategic Planning Committee, and the Paralegal Division Representative of the Texas Bar College (2020-2023). 

Professional affiliations: Active Member of the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas, Active Member of the Fort Worth Paralegal Association; paralegal member of the Texas Bar College; paralegal member of the American Bar Association; Paralegal Affiliate Member of AAJ; and an Associate Member of the Tarrant County Bar Association.

Megan has served as Advancement Chair and Committee Member of Boy Scouts of America; Cub Scouts, Pack 9 (2008–2013); Committee Member on the Vision Committee 2013 of St. Paul Lutheran Church; and Joshua High School Booster Club Board Member (2018-2020).

Special Announcement

Immediate Past President Megan Goor, TBLS-BCP was re-appointed by State Bar President Larry McDougal to the Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee, a Standing Committee of the State Bar of Texas, in 2020 to serve a second three-year term.  The mission of the committee is:  To concern itself with creation and means of implementation of programs, such as legal aid or pro bono efforts, to assure delivery of legal services to persons who are unable to afford counsel to represent them in civil matters.  The composition of the committee shall include members of legal aid, legal services and pro bono programs, including at least one director from a Legal Service Corporation-funded field program. This committee works in collaboration with Texas Access to Justice Commission, Texas Access to Justice Foundation, Legal Access Division, and others.  Megan is the first paralegal/Paralegal Division member to be appointed to this committee.  To learn more about the Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee, visit their website.

Javan Johnson, ACP, is a Charter member of the Paralegal Division (PD) of the State Bar of Texas.  She has served PD for two terms as President (2000 – 2001; 2006 – 2007), a member of the Board of Directors, Membership Committee Chair, Public Relations Committee Chair, and the Texas Advanced Paralegal Seminar Planning Committee, as well as many other positions.  She is a co-author of the Paralegal Ethics Handbook. She has been honored with various awards including the highest Award of Excellence in 2004 and in 2016 for her volunteer efforts with the PD.  Javan is a PD Ambassador and is a frequent speaker for PD on ethics and numerous civil trial and personal injury topics.  Javan is currently serving her second term as Director of District 14 in Northeast Texas, and is serving as a Mentor for PD Proteges.  

Javan owns Professional Paralegal Services, a freelance paralegal service which opened in February 1999.   She specializes in civil trial and personal injury litigation, and has more than 35 years paralegal experience.  She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Education from Baylor University.   Javan obtained her Certified Paralegal (CP) from the National Association of Legal Assistants in 1990, earned the NALA Advanced Civil Litigation specialty designation in 1993, and became certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 1996.

Javan is devoted to the paralegal profession and educating paralegals all over the State.  She is also a charter member of the Northeast Texas Association of Paralegals, Inc. in Longview and has served that organization in numerous positions since its inception.  Javan also assisted in organizing and starting the Paralegal Program at Kilgore College, and has taught in that program since 1988 and serves on the Advisory Board.  She has served on the Paralegal Civil Trial Commission for the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and has served on the Board of Trustees for the Texas Center for Legal Ethics. 

Her husband, Brett, of more than 30 years has been very supportive of her career goals and volunteer efforts.  They have one son, Cameron.

Ellen Lockwood received her Bachelor of Music degree from Southwestern University and her paralegal certificate from Southwestern Professional Institute in Houston.

She is a past president of the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas.  She previously served on the Board of Directors of the Paralegal Division from 1995 to 1997 and 2001 to 2006.  She served as Treasurer of the Division from 1996 to 1997 and again from 2002 to 2004.  She is also a past president of the Alamo Area Paralegal Association.

Ellen is Chair of the Professional Ethics Committee of the Division, a position she also held from 1997 to 2004, and from 2007 to present.  She is the lead author of the Paralegal Ethics Handbook published by Thomson Reuters..

In 2008, Ellen was honored to receive the Paralegal Division’s Award of Excellence and San Antonio Paralegal of the Year award.

Ellen has more than twenty years of paralegal experience in intellectual property and civil litigation.  She is a frequent speaker and writer on paralegal ethics and is currently employed as a a Trademark Paralegal for Schwegam Lundberg Woessner.

You may follow Ellen on Twitter @paralegalethics.

Joncilee H. Miller, ACP is an Intellectual Property Litigation Paralegal with Polsinelli, and has  over 25 years of experience as a paralegal. She has worked in many fields including Insurance Defense, Wrongful Death, Patent/Trademark, Products, and Appeals. Joncilee attended Texas A&M University and obtained her BA in Political Science, with a double minor in History and Sociology.  She received her Master of Science degree Magna Cum Laude from Amberton University in Human Relations and Business. She is an Advanced Certified Paralegal in Trial Practice (“ACP”) through NALA. Joncilee is a charter member of the North Texas Paralegal Association. Having been a member since 2001, she has served in the following capacities: President (2003-2005, 2018 – 2020), First Vice President – Membership (2001-2002), Second Vice President – Education and Elections (2009 – present), NALA Liaison (2012-2013), Publications Committee Chair (2008-2009), and Parliamentarian (2006).  She is also a charter member of the Texas Bar College, Paralegal Division.  In 2005, she was honored with being elected to the Kaplan Education Alumni Hall of Fame. Joncilee was voted as one of Paralegal Gateway’s 2012 Paralegal Superstars. Joncilee has served the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas in many capacities for the past 24 years. including District Two Membership Committee Subchair, Membership Committee Chair, District Two (2) Director, Public Relations Committee Chair, Ambassador, and President-Elect. She volunteers her time with various organizations, including the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, co-chairing the Corporate Venue Admissions committee.  

Stephanie has been a voting member of the Paralegal Division since 2003.  She has served the Division as President 2018-2019, President-Elect 2017-2018, Parliamentarian 2015-2017, and District 4 Director 2014-2017.  Stephanie is currently serving as the Chair of the TAPS 2019 Planning Committee and has previously served as Chair on the Governing Documents Ad Hoc Committee, Scholarship Chair on the TAPS 2018 Planning Committee, Marketing Chair on the TAPS 2014 Planning Committee as well as several other committees in various roles with the Division.  Additionally, Stephanie was appointed to the State Bar of Texas Pro Bono Workgroup and has served as a the only paralegal member of the State Bar of Texas Technology Program.

Stephanie is a paralegal with the law firm of DuBois, Bryant & Campbell, LLP in Austin and has been with the firm since 2014.  She has 20 years of experience in various areas of law, such as toxic torts, personal injury, business torts, construction, appellate, commercial, tax, employment, environmental, and intellectual property.  Her experience has afforded her the opportunity to prepare for and attend various hearings, trials, and arbitration with her attorney.  Stephanie became a Board Certified Paralegal in Civil Trial Law through the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 2015.  She earned her Associate of Applied Science Degree in Paralegal Studies with honors from Lamar University, an ABA accredited program, and went on to graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in History with honors from West Texas A&M University.       

Stephanie has been a voting member of Capital Area Paralegal Association (CAPA) since 2009 and has served CAPA in many board positions and committee roles over the years, including President.  Most recently, she is serving CAPA as Public Relations Chair and Rules & Bylaws Chair.  Stephanie is also a member of the Texas Bar College, Austin Bar Association, and NALA – The Paralegal Association. 

Stephanie was honored to have received the Paralegal Division’s highest Award of Excellence in 2017 for her outstanding contribution to the professional enhancement of paralegals in Texas.   She was also honored to have been CAPA’s Paralegal of the Year in 2013.  Additionally, CAPA awarded Stephanie with the President’s Award in 2018 for her integrity, professionalism, dedication, and her many contributions to CAPA over the years.  CAPA has also awarded Stephanie with its Volunteer of the Year in 2011 for her outstanding volunteerism, and then again in 2014 for her extraordinary commitment and dedication to CAPA.  Stephanie was also awarded with the NALA Affiliates Award in 2013 for her contribution and dedication to the advancement of the paralegal profession.   Stephanie has been a contributor to the Texas Paralegal Journal, the Paralegal Pulse, and CAPA’s The Brief.  She continues to be and has been a frequent speaker at various legal events, paralegal forums, and paralegal classes.     

Stephanie has been married to Clint for 27 years and they have 1 child, Caleb, who is a senior in high school.  She has served the local PTA organizations as Legislative Action Chair, Website Coordinator, and Homeroom Mom for numerous years as well as a teacher in AWANAs for several years.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling, reading, dancing, hiking, and participating in various obstacle runs and 5Ks.

Stephanie is excited to serve the Paralegal Division as an Ambassador and would love to speak at your future event.  Her areas of expertise include intellectual property, litigation, arbitration and trial preparation, appeals, professional development, certification, leadership, effective/ethical utilization of paralegals, and indispensable paralegal techniques.

Special Announcement

Stephanie Sterling, TBLS-BCP was appointed by the Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht to the Judicial Committee on Information Technology (JCIT) as a Liaison Member in August of 2019.  JCIT was created to develop standards and guidelines for implementation of technology in the courts of Texas.  JCIT provides an open forum for collaboration with all partners of the judicial system and is able to provide direction to courts with regard to technology. JCIT has established standards for the state-wide eFiling system and re:SearchTX and will continue to work on many facets of court technology which includes, access to criminal court records, juvenile eFiling, JP eFiling (prep for mandatory eFiling), and Cybersecurity in the Courts. The composition of the committee consists of appellate court judges, appellate court clerks, district court judges, county court judges, statutory probate judges, justices of the peace, municipal court judges, district attorneys, court reporters, court administrators, district or county clerks, members of the legislature, and attorneys. 
 
Stephanie is the first paralegal (Paralegal Division member) to be appointed to the JCIT.  To learn more about the JCIT, visit their website:  https://www.txcourts.gov/jcit/ 

Mona Hart Tucker, ACP, has been a member of the Paralegal Division since 2001. She previously served as Secretary, Treasurer, President-Elect, and President (2017-2018)  of the Division, as well as Paralegal Division Director for District 14 for the term years 2004-2006, 2006-2008, 2012-2014, and 2014-2016.

Mona works as a contract paralegal in the civil litigation field. She has previously worked in the oil & gas, real estate, estate planning, probate areas of law. During her years as PD Director, she was instrumental in organizing pro bono estate-planning clinics for veterans and their spouses in District 14.

Mona graduated cum laude from East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, and while there, also obtained her formal paralegal education in ETBU’s ABA-accredited program. She earned her Certified Paralegal credentials from NALA in 2001, earned the Advanced Certification in Trial Practice in 2009, and Advanced Certification in Discovery in 2012. She was selected as a member of NALA’s inaugural LEAP class. She currently serves on the advisory committee for the ABA-approved paralegal program at Texas A&M-Commerce.

An avid amateur genealogist, Mona enjoys research and “dead ancestor hunts”. She previously served as President of the Trevat Cemetery Association in Trinity County. She and her little dog Jamie live at Carthage.

Susan Wilen is a Nurse Paralegal in San Antonio, Texas and has been involved in healthcare litigation since 1992.  She graduated in 1970 from Kings County Hospital School of Nursing in Brooklyn, New York and received a B.A. degree in Philosophy from Trinity University in 1983.

Susan has been a member of the Paralegal Division since 2004.  She was appointed as Director of District 5 for the 2007-2009 term and elected for a second term in 2009.  The Board of Directors of the Paralegal Division elected her to serve as President Elect of the Paralegal Division for 2010-2011 and President for 2011-2012.  She has also served on the Paralegal Division Ad Hoc Committee for Misdemeanors and the Pro Bono Service Definition Ad Hoc Committee.  She has served on the Texas Advanced Paralegal Serminar Planning Committee since 2009 and as Chair of the Texas Advanced Paralegal Seminar in 2012, and co-chair in 2013.

She currently serves as a public member of the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Committee of the State Bar of Texas and as an Ambassador for the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas; she has also served as a public member of the Paralegal Committee of the State Bar of Texas.  She is a member of the State Bar College and the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas, a member of the San Antonio Paralegal Association and Bexar County Women’s Bar Association in San Antonio.  She has served on the planning committee of the annual San Antonio Paralegal Day celebration from 2006 to 2017.  She participates on a monthly basis as a volunteer for the Community Justice Program and serves as volunteer chair for the Veteran’s Legal Aid Clinic at the Audie Murphy Veteran’s Hospital.

Volunteer and pro bono activities have been a major source of personal growth and a vehicle for community involvement with children at risk and adults with special needs.  She has provided testimony to the Public Health Committee of the Texas House of Representatives, supporting legislation for harm reduction and needle exchange programs in the State, and received the Exceptional Pro Bono Service Award from the Paralegal Division in 2014.

She has two sons and a daughter.  Her major interests are cooking, art, and travel. She has climbed the Great Wall of China with her son in 2002 and Mount Kilimanjaro on her own in 2007.  The Great Wall of China was easier.

As a PD Ambassador, her areas of expertise include medical record review, utilization of paralegals in law practices, Paralegal Ethics, and the ethical responsibilities of paralegals in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).