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Please review the statements submitted by the candidates, listed below in alphabetical order. Elected directors serve a term of 2 years. Voting opens September 21, 2026. Eligible Voting Members may cast their votes: HERE
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JENNY BAREI
Why I Joined CALDA I joined CALDA because I believe strongly in the Legal Document Assistant profession and in the importance of having a professional organization that supports, educates, and advocates for LDAs throughout California. CALDA provides an opportunity for LDAs to learn from one another, strengthen our profession, and work together to increase public awareness of the valuable role LDAs play in providing meaningful access to California's legal system. Over the years, CALDA has become much more than a professional association to me. I have developed a deep appreciation for the members who built this organization and for those who continue to volunteer their time, knowledge, and expertise to keep it moving forward. Why I Am Seeking a Position on the CALDA Board of Directors It has been an honor to serve CALDA and its members in several leadership roles over the years, and I am seeking another term on the Board because I believe there is still important work to do. My history with CALDA spans many years. I served as Secretary from 2008 through 2012, returned to that position from 2020 through 2024, subsequently served as Vice President, and for the past year have had the privilege of serving as President. Those different roles have given me a unique perspective on our organization—where we have been, the challenges our profession continues to face, and where CALDA can go next. Special Credentials and Skills My years of service in multiple CALDA leadership positions have given me extensive experience with the organization, its members, its history, and the issues affecting California Legal Document Assistants. I bring institutional knowledge, organizational and leadership experience, strong communication skills, and, most importantly, a willingness to do the work necessary to move an organization forward. Serving as Secretary, Vice President, and President has also allowed me to work with members throughout California and understand the different perspectives, challenges, and opportunities within our profession. Other Organizations and Community Involvement For more than five years, I have served as an Ambassador for my local Chamber of Commerce, which has provided me with many opportunities to participate in and support my local business community. Combined with my years of service on the CALDA Board, these experiences have strengthened my ability to build relationships, represent an organization, and engage with both professionals and the broader community. I am also a member of my local bar association and participate in other legal professional organizations, including Legal Professionals, Incorporated (LPI). These connections help me stay engaged with the broader legal community and bring additional perspectives and ideas back to CALDA. What I Would Like to Accomplish as a Director My priorities include increasing public awareness and understanding of what LDAs do; providing meaningful education, resources, and support for our members; improving communication and participation within the organization; and protecting the integrity and future of the LDA profession. I also want to create more opportunities for members to become actively involved in CALDA. A strong association requires more than its officers and directors. It requires members who are willing to participate, share ideas, serve on committees, mentor others, and ultimately become the next generation of CALDA leaders. Where I Would Like to See CALDA in Five Years In five years, I would like CALDA to be stronger, more visible, and more widely recognized throughout California as the leading professional organization for Legal Document Assistants. I would like to see increased membership and member participation, greater recognition and acceptance of the LDA profession by governmental bodies, and greater public awareness of LDAs and the valuable services we provide. I also want CALDA to continue evolving. Successful organizations do not stand still. They preserve what works, improve what can be improved, and prepare for what comes next. It would be an honor to continue serving our membership and helping strengthen CALDA and the LDA profession throughout California. Thank you for your consideration and your vote.
HELEN BELLAMY
Why I Joined CALDA Legal access has always been the goal. My history in this profession predates CALDA itself. Before CALDA, there was CAIP, and I began my career as an independent paralegal, later grandfathered into the LDA community as the profession took its current shape. I joined CAIP to help with legal access. I've watched this profession grow into a champion for LDAs' growth, credibility, and voice, putting affordable legal help within reach of everyday Californians. This organization gave me a network of colleagues committed to serving the public with integrity, and a platform to grow alongside a cause I care deeply about. Why I Am Seeking a Position on the CALDA Board of Directors Four years as Education Chair showed me exactly what strong leadership can do for our members. This final term is my chance to finish that work, sharpen our focus on LDA education, and push legal access even further into the communities that need it most. Special Credentials and Skills I have operated an LDA business for 35 years, giving me deep, firsthand knowledge of what this profession demands. My lifetime CALDA membership anchors that experience, starting with my service as CAIP President in 1996 and continuing through various positions, and the last four years on the board as Education Chair. That tenure sharpened my skills in program development and member engagement, building education that meets LDAs where they are. Special Credentials and Skills I am a licensed professional fiduciary and a member of PFAC (Professional Fiduciary Association of California), a role that further deepens my understanding of client advocacy and ethical practice. CALDA remains my passion and where I invest the deepest part of my professional energy. What I Would Like to Accomplish as a Director Education for LDAs has always been my primary focus. My vision: "Dream It. Work It. Achieve It." The Education Committee deserves credit here, their energy and dedication rekindled that dream for me and gave it fresh momentum. Together, the Committee and I dream about podcasts that put education at members' fingertips, covering legislation, insights from seasoned LDAs, and on-demand answers to common questions. Member surveys will shape our training formats, from self-paced to live Zoom sessions. Comprehensive offerings round it out: in-person training, webinars, self-guided manuals, a Subject Matter Expert program, and tracks for business development, networking, and technology. Every piece builds toward the same purpose: better-trained LDAs mean broader legal access for the public. Where I Would Like to See CALDA in Five Years I see CALDA as the clear leader in LDA education statewide, with a thriving podcast library, the very dream the Education Committee and I hold together, along with training formats built from member feedback and a strong Subject Matter Expert pipeline. I see members equipped with legal expertise plus the business and technology skills to build thriving practices, backed by 35 years of proven experience guiding that growth. Legal access has always been the goal, and five years from now, I see LDAs continue to stand as trusted, well-trained partners in every California community that needs affordable legal help, a vision the Education Committee helped me remember and revive. TAMMARA BROWN
I, Tammara Brown, am the founder of CA Legal Docs. CA Legal Docs specializes in Probate, Conservatorships, Guardianships, Estate Planning and Probate Court Accountings. I am a registered legal document assistant in Napa and Contra Costa County with offices in both Walnut Creek and Napa County. Proudly, I am a certified mediator, an Estate Planning Certified Specialist, a Notary as well as a CTEC registered tax preparer. As a volunteer instructor for Contra Costa Superior Court, I provide Probate Court Accounting Workshops for pro-pers and have done so for over 7 years. In addition to being a Legal Document Assistant, I am a paralegal for approximately 10 law firms. With memberships in CALDA, NALA (Paralegal Association), the National Notary Association and the American Bar Association, Napa County Bar Association and PFAC (Professional Fiduciary Association of California), it has allowed me to learn, keep up to date with new laws, forms and ethics. The organization that is most near and dear to me is CALDA. I joined CALDA at the beginning of my LDA career as an opportunity for growth and advancement of my current skills. I have enjoyed meeting new people, sharing my experiences, helping others and learning as much information about my profession, as I possibly can. The mission of CALDA, their values and all that they do to support Legal Document Assistants has always inspired me. I’ve always admired their hands-on approach, the education they provide and the platform for a community of Legal Document Assistants to collaborate, share ideas, etc. I have also had the pleasure of watching this Organization achieve notable success. I envision CALDA having tremendous growth as they continue to be a leader in the industry by mastering and developing the skills needed by all of their members, providing a platform for ongoing education, training, and support for all registered Legal Document Assistants in California. |
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JEANNIE BRUINS
Why you joined CALDA. I joined CALDA as soon as I became an LDA in 2011 because I believe in the strength of a professional association that elevates the standards of the profession.
I would like to see our membership grow to 600 or more members because there is strength in numbers.
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JUDY REYES
Why you joined CALDA I joined CALDA in 2012, right after I completed my paralegal program. I always intended to become an LDA, rather than work for an attorney. I had experienced a disastrous family rupture, due to my mother's intestate probate and a contested change in my father's trust. Thus I was acutely aware of the difficulty people had in making estate plans and affording them. When I found out that LDAs could legally assist people with estate planning, it fit my interest to help others avoid messy intestate situations like mine. I looked to CALDA to provide me with LDA resources and support. Why you are seeking a position on the CALDA Board of Directors I've volunteered for two years now on the annual conference committee and found it rewarding. Through this I have learned much and been able to contribute meaningfully. I'm willing to up my commitment by serving on the Board of Directors. It feels like a professional responsibility to support CALDA and our mission: Access to legal services for those who cannot afford attorneys. I am a regular participant in our Capital City Chapter. What special credentials or skills you have Besides my Paralegal certificate, I have formal education in Organization Development and Non-profit Management. I have recently gained skills in self-publishing books, including email marketing, social media, and Wordpress website creation and hosting. In my past, I worked in community organizing as a volunteer and staff. I conducted fundraising, event coordination and grant writing. My tech skills are strong as are my writing and editing. What other organizations you are or have been involved with Early in my LDA career I volunteered for the Council of Aging in Sonoma County for legal services - estate planning and for the Family Law Facilitator at Sonoma County Superior Court. I was an active member of the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association (BAIPA). I have also participated in local community choruses. What you would like to accomplish as a Director I'd like to keep growing and improving our practical "how to" resources such as questionnaires, brochures, and certification programs. I also want to help promote our ethical standards and compliance with our legal and administrative regulations, such as use of our DCA contract form and avoidance of UPL. Where you would like to see CALDA in five years Continue as a premier organization for LDAs. Financially sound. Membership increased by at least 100 more ongoing members. Provider of highest quality continuing education focused on LDA skills and knowledge. Known for its high standards and ethics. Permanent charter without sunset clauses. Less opposition by State Bar to our authority and necessity. Strong advocate for legal access.
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CHESTER RUIZ
I am honored to be considered for the position of Director on the 2027 CALDA Board. I have been committed to CALDA’s mission for many years, and I believe strongly in the organization’s role in expanding public access to the legal system and upholding the highest ethical and professional standards across the LDA profession.
For the past six years, I have served as Chair of the CALDA Legislative Committee. In that role, I have collaborated with dedicated CALDA leaders to analyze legislation, provide policy recommendations, and advocate for the interests of LDAs and the communities we serve. My work has always centered on integrity, compliance, and strengthening the profession’s credibility.
Beyond CALDA, I have spent several decades supporting national nonprofit organizations in building their capacity to deliver services for the greater good. My background includes strategic planning, organizational development, and multicultural consulting. These experiences have prepared me to help CALDA navigate a changing demographic and political landscape while remaining grounded in its mission.
California’s population continues to evolve, and the communities that rely on LDAs are becoming increasingly diverse. My multicultural expertise positions me to help CALDA respond thoughtfully and proactively to these shifts. I am committed to ensuring that CALDA remains a trusted, ethical, and forward‑looking organization that supports both its members and the public.
If elected, I will continue to bring steady leadership, collaborative problem‑solving, and a deep commitment to CALDA’s mission.
ADELANTE!
ERIC SELTEN
I joined CALDA in 2024 after learning about its Legislative Committee and have become increasingly interested in the changing conditions and opportunities for qualified, regulated non-lawyer legal service providers in California. I’ve been a California LDA since 2012 and am also a Certified Legal Document Preparer in Arizona. Through EZ Name Change, my wife (also an LDA) and I have helped more than 20,000 people with name change petition forms and the process. Before that, I spent more than 30 years working in and around complex civil litigation and have served as a lay arbitrator for the BBB and the Los Angeles County Bar Association. I believe these experiences give me a useful perspective on both the opportunities and responsibilities of our profession. I’d like to see CALDA grow to 10,000 members and LDAs ultimately help millions of Californians as our profession assumes a larger and more legislatively supported role in California’s efforts to bridge the justice gap. I believe that will require good ideas, relationship building, and legislative initiatives toward a broader and more permanent role for LDAs, with appropriate regulation consistent with CALDA’s strong professional, ethical and consumer-protection standards and mission. I would like to work collaboratively with the Board toward removing the LDA sunset provision, strengthening the laws supporting the lawful services LDAs can provide, and eliminating outdated or unhelpful provisions of Business & Professions Code § 6400 et seq. I also believe parts of Arizona’s licensing structure are worth considering in future legislative efforts. I’d also like to see CALDA more directly involved with courts, court form and procedure administration, and government oversight of LDAs. Our practical experience can contribute to decisions affecting LDAs and the self-represented people we serve. Where appropriate, I’d like to help CALDA earn a seat at those tables. I haven’t served on the board of an organization like CALDA before. I would approach the responsibility humbly, learn from more experienced Board members, and lend my voice and experience where useful. I would appreciate the opportunity to serve.
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Need to mail us something? Please send to:
CALDA Business Office
P.O. Box 2582
Granite Bay, CA 95746
Phone: (916) 791-9100 | Fax: (877) 208-5917 | Email: office@calda.org