Staff
Adrian Brody
abrody@larrabee.com
Adrian Brody attended the University of Illinois where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a double minor in Psychology and Spanish and certification to teach English grades 7-12. Prior to joining the LMAC team as the Accounting Manager, Adrian held positions as a high school English teacher and cheerleading coach; Vice President of Finance and Human Resources for a manufacturing firm; and as a Controller for a non profit organization. She enjoys the challenges of streamlining processes and of maintaining accuracy in all accounting functions.
Alex Shriver
ashriver@larrabee.com
Alex was born and raised in Northern California in Rohnert Park. He came to San Diego to get away from the cold and rain. He graduated from San Diego State University with a BS in Criminal Justice in 2007. After going back to Northern California and working in a civil litigation firm for three years, he knew it was time for a change of location and focus. Alex was drawn to immigration law due to his family’s involvement in housing exchange students at Sonoma State University during his childhood.
Anna Ho
annaho@larrabee.com
Anna was born in Hong Kong and came to the U.S. to pursue a higher education. She attended Northern Illinois University where she earned the degree of Bachelor of Science, Magna Cum Laude, in Business Administration. She has worked as a senior accountant for several successful companies prior to joining the Firm. She is the Sr. Accounting Assistant and also serves as a Notary for the Firm. She was attracted to immigration law because she has experienced first hand the positive benefits of becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen. She wants to contribute to the firm’s success of helping the clients and their employees to achieve the same goal.
Anna Riazanova
ariazanova@larrabee.com
Anna was born in Moscow, Russia and graduated from the State University in Moscow with honors Master's degree in Linguistics. She also completed a year of study on Urdu language and literature at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. After graduation, she worked as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Asia and Africa in Moscow and was editor of an Urdu-language magazine. She earned her paralegal certificate from West Los Angeles School of Law in California, graduating magna cum laude. She has personal experience with the immigration process, having immigrated to the U.S. as a winner of the visa lottery and prior to that, her H-1B visa petition was used as a part of the National Paralegal Association's efforts to classify a paralegal position as a specialty occupation. Anna worked in the field of immigration law for various law firms in Los Angeles before joining LMAC in 1996. She is a Sr. Paralegal and part of the labor certification team. Anna did not originally plan to work in the area of immigration, but she believes this was one of the best things that could have happened to her. She believes the field is very challenging, because the immigration laws change constantly, but it is also very rewarding, because she helps people to achieve their dreams.
Carol Haskell
chaskell@larrabee.com
Carol is a Sr. Paralegal for Larrabee | Mehlman | Albi | Coker LLP. Although she specializes in labor certification applications for LMAC, Carol has also worked various aspects of immigration. Carol's interest in the field of immigration began over 30 years ago when she began her career with the U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Over the years, Carol has come to value her experiences and she feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to be be a part of a team that strives to help people from around the world to accomplish their goals of living and working in the United States.
Caroline Kobayashi
ckobayashi@larrabee.com
Caroline has been a Sr. Paralegal with LMAC since August 1997, where she works on nonimmigrant and immigrant cases, as well as PERM labor certification applications. Prior to joining the firm, Caroline was a Legal Assistant with Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP where she gained experience in immigration, litigation and trademark law. She graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a minor in Studies in Progressive American Social Movements. Throughout her career, she has seen significant changes in U.S. immigration law and policies and has kept current on the ever-changing immigration practice through her work at LMAC. Working directly with clients has been a positive experience for Caroline. Interacting with foreign nationals from around the globe has enabled her to learn more about other cultures and customs, which has always been an interest to her. In her free time she enjoys scuba diving, paddling with her outrigger canoe team, and just about anything ocean related..
Cassheila Mullen
cmullen@larrabee.com
Cassheila was born and raised in San Diego, CA. She is currently in her Bachelors program at Ashford University where she is studying Journalism/Communications. On top of having over 6 years experience in Receptionist and Administrative positions, she has also had the privilege of being an EMT and a 911 dispatcher. “I love to help people in any way humanly possible; from saving lives as an EMT and over the phone as a 911 Dispatcher, to assisting people in an office setting with administrative support, to now being a part of a team that helps immigrants in the U.S. Help is appreciated no matter how big or small. I’m more than excited to be apart of the team!”. Cassheila joined LMAC in April 2011 as the firm's Receptionist.
Celine Wheaton
cwheaton@larrabee.com
Celine is a Sr. Paralegal at Larrabee | Mehlman | Albi | Coker LLP and has worked for the firm since 2007, having worked in the immigration law field since 2000. A native of New Hampshire, she moved to San Diego in 1997. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Education and received her paralegal certificate through the UCSD Extension program in 2000. Working in the field of immigration law allows Celine numerous opportunities to work with diverse people from all parts of the world. She feels privileged to be able to help people and their families realize their personal, educational, and professional dreams – whatever those dreams may be. Not to sit on her laurels, the challenges of the ever-changing immigration laws and regulations make for fast-paced, yet focused, work days. (It has been said that besides tax law, immigration law is one of the most complex areas of the US legal system.) She feels very fortunate to be able to work with such a fine cadre of brilliant attorneys and paralegals, awe-inspiring accounting and support staff, as well as knowledgeable and competent HR personnel, and of course all of the scientists, engineers, professors, financial analysts, researchers, etc., who are at the top of their field, and work for some of the most successful international companies and small businesses around. On a personal note, Celine and her family reside in North County San Diego where they try to take advantage of all the outdoor wonders beautiful Southern California’s has to offer. Her personal goal is to attempt to climb Mt. Whitney before turning 50.
Cheryl Mealy
cmealy@larrabee.com
Cheryl has been a resident of San Diego for five years, having relocated from the Pacific Northwest to be near family. She graduated with a B.S. degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon and obtained a paralegal certificate from UCSD Extension in 2010. She is happy to be part of the Legal Assistant team at LMAC and looks forward to helping people fulfill their dreams and goals of working and living in the United States. Cheryl has a strong service spirit and is a frequent volunteer in the community. Ranking prominently on her “local” wish list is a flight in a hot air balloon and paragliding at the Torrey Pines Gliderport. Her “international” list includes strolling through Monet’s garden in Giverny as well as spending a good week or two at the Louvre and Musee d’Orsay Museums in Paris. Not long after moving to San Diego, she found she was able to golf as much as she wanted when she realized the sun shines here most every day, not like in the Northwest, where a golfer has to chase the little white ball in and around mud puddles from October to July.
Elizabeth Honerkamp
ehonerkamp@larrabee.com
Elizabeth A. Honerkamp is a Sr. Paralegal at LMAC and has worked for the firm since January 2006. Ms. Honerkamp earned a Bachelor's degree in Administration of Justice from Salve Regina University in Newport, RI in 2001. In 2002, Ms. Honerkamp began working with an immigration firm in New York City. Ms. Honerkamp moved to San Diego and continued to work in the immigration field because of the rewarding experiences she encountered. Ms. Honerkamp is currently working toward the completion of a law degree at Thomas Jefferson School of Law and hopes to further her career advocating for those with immigration issues. When Ms. Honerkamp is not at the office or in the library, she spends her free time outside mostly on the ocean in an outrigger canoe.
Jenifer Collins
jcollins@larrabee.com
A Southern California native, Jenifer earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego in June 1997. She went on to obtain her Master's of Business Administration from San Diego State University in August 2003, focusing in Entrepreneurship and Management. Since joining the firm in March 2001, Jenifer has specialized in Immigrant petitions, including first preference outstanding researcher and extraordinary ability petitions. As a Sr. Paralegal, she also contributes to the Non-Immigrant and Permanent Residency teams. One of the things Jenifer likes most about writing Immigrant petitions is learning about the different fields in which our clients work. Over the years, she has worked with clients who have specialized in fields ranging from biotechnology to Islamic calligraphy and from computer science to synchronized swimming.
Justin Walters
jwalters@larrabee.com
Justin was born and raised in Porterville, California. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Journalism at San Diego State University in December 2002 and received his Paralegal Certificate at the University of San Diego in the Spring of 2003. Justin has been employed with the firm since July 2003. He works mainly on applications for Permanent Residency, as well as Immigrant and Non-Immigrant visa petitions
Kristi Cavanaugh
kcavanaugh@larrabee.com
Kristi graduated from Western New Mexico University with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and a minor in Computer Science. She joined LMAC in April 2001 and is the internal IT Administrator & Records Specialist. Kristi is responsible for managing the file room, administrating internal computer programs and document management systems, and assisting our IT department. She is also responsible for assisting with the LMAC website. When Kristi is not troubleshooting computer related problems or tracking down files, you can find her on the basketball court shooting hoops and spending time with her family.
Matthew Sparks
msparks@larrabee.com
Raised in San Diego, Matthew and his cousins were the first generations from his family born in the U.S. Accordingly, he understands how important American citizenship is to today’s immigrants and enjoys working with clients on their permanent resident and naturalization applications. Mr. Sparks previously worked as an Account Executive for the public relations firm The Grove Agency before joining Larrabee & Associates in September of 2000. As a Sr. Paralegal, Mr. Sparks works directly with LMAC attorneys, primarily on permanent resident and associated applications.
Meagan Knepp
mknepp@larrabee.com
Meagan has worked as a Case Writer for LMAC since August 2006. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from Antioch University, Los Angeles. Meagan works on Non-Immigrant petitions, as well as Outstanding Researcher and Extraordinary Ability petitions. In working on these petitions, she enjoys learning about varying types of research and takes pleasure in using her writing skills to explain new scientific developments and discoveries.
Satoko Hasegawa Simonds
satoko@larrabee.com
Born and raised in Numazu, Japan, Ms. Simonds is bilingual in Japanese and English. She accomplished her childhood dream of studying at an American university, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from San Diego State University. After several successful years in Los Angeles as an Editor-in-Chief for the largest Japanese media in the United States, Ms. Simonds moved back to San Diego, and joined the firm in April 2006. She finds the immigration law field challenging yet rewarding, and enjoys sharpening her skills and expanding her knowledge as a valued member of the NIV team.
Thanhthuy Mathiasen
tmathiasen@larrabee.com
Thanhthuy was born and raised in Southern California. She graduated with degrees in Psychology and Political Science (with an emphasis on Public Law) from the University of California, San Diego. She is currently employed with Larrabee | Mehlman | Albi | Coker LLP as a Sr. Legal Assistant and Trainer. One great reward for working in this field is the gratitude individuals show us during (and after) the time that we help them through these immigration processes..
Yuki Murata
ymurata@larrabee.com
Yuki is a Sr. Paralegal with Larrabee | Mehlman | Albi | Coker LLP. She is bilingual in Japanese and English with an understanding of both Japanese and American business practices and customs. Yuki assisted the firm’s international clients with the preparation of non-immigrant and immigrant petitions for many years before rejoining the firm in July 2007. She finds her work intriguing and rewarding as she meets and assists so many interesting people from all around the globe. In the last decade, she has helped countless individuals and their families to make the U.S. their home away from home.
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