“When I was younger, my mom, who is a nurse, advised me to pick a career where I could be home with my kids on nights and weekends. After graduating high school, I earned my paralegal studies degree from Olean Business Institute — perfect for me because I’m very close to my family and it was only a 40-minute drive from Smethport, where I grew up.
I worked for an attorney in Bradford for seven years. In that time, I married my husband who I met when I was in high school, and we started our family. My son was just a month old when I accepted the paralegal position with Voce. I’m so grateful to my husband, Brian, for all his support. When I started with Voce in 2009, the legal program was expanding into new counties. I traveled a lot for trainings and meetings, and he held down the fort at home.
My husband was also my sounding board and shared all my ups and downs. I was the first of Voce’s paralegals to be placed in McKean County’s child welfare agency, so I had to build relationships and trust with the county staff. It helped that I’m a ‘rough and tumble’ girl who is not easily offended. It also helped that I worked well with the county solicitor who is highly respected. We can look back now and laugh about where we started and how far we’ve come. No more metal desk and folding chair!
I love my job, and I’m a valued part of the county team. My favorite task is early in a child’s case when I’m working with the caseworker to make sure we locate family members, especially dads who are sometimes overlooked.
Family is everything to me. My parents and my mother-in-law live nearby. My husband’s grandma helped care for my two kids while I was working, and to this day, she’s my son’s number one person. With my son going into his senior year of high school and my daughter halfway through her education degree at St. Bonaventure University, we have a lot to look forward to. At work and at home, it takes a village!”
