“Cameron County will always be home. Everyone is connected—people will know me through my grandparents, from my waitressing jobs or from school. There are only eight of us who work in the county children and youth office, and I know the supervisor from high school. We joke in the office that when I changed roles from being a county caseworker to being a paralegal with Voce, I just picked up and moved to another desk across the room.
My Pop Pop always told me, ‘Get an education. Nobody can take it from you.’ I thought I had a plan—I had always wanted to go to Penn State—but when I visited Slippery Rock University, it just felt right. I earned my degree in criminal justice in 2022 but, fun fact, I have a minor in Arabic. Our county agency solicitor also knows some Arabic, so we like to test each other’s vocabulary.
When our last paralegal left for law school, she encouraged me to apply for the paralegal position. I hesitated. I had only been a caseworker for two years, and I wasn’t feeling overly confident in myself. Turns out, this job was perfectly made for me, and it fell into my lap with a bow. I’m the only paralegal in this office so I handle cases from start to finish. Families often move between Cameron and Elk Counties—and we share a judge—so I’m in touch with their paralegals often.
Being a paralegal has given me the stability I need at home. My grandparents have both passed away, and my mom and I have taken over their farm. We have six horses—I call them my ‘expensive lawn ornaments’—and three dogs. My Pop Pop used to come home with animals on a whim—horses, a peacock, even a swan. We called them his ‘bright ideas.’ Now, it’s my turn to care for them all.”
- Tasha, Paralegal
We Are Voce is a series featuring the unique voices of Voce staff, highlighting the experiences, perspectives, and passions of the people who make a difference every day. This series celebrates the people and stories that bring our mission to life.
