Our organization could not serve the legal needs of our Monterey County seniors without the attorneys, legal assistance staff and volunteers who belong to our organization. Take some time to meet them:

...OUR ATTORNEYS...

MICHAEL BENOIT is our Executive Director. Michael is a graduate of Palma High School in Salinas, University of San Francisco and Monterey College of Law.

KELLIE D.MORGANTINI ~ is our elder abuse litigation attorney and the managing attorney for the Salinas office. office. Kellie is a native of Southern Monterey County. Kellie attended Monterey College of Law and has been on the Legal Services staff since 1998.

...OUR ADVOCATES...

VICTORIA FLORES
~ is the senior paralegal for the Salinas office. Victoria, bilingual in English and Spanish, provides oversight to our two paralegals, Yvette Vazquez and Sandra Santana, who staff our outreach in Southern Monterey County.

SANDRA SANTANA ~ bilingual in Spanish and English, began with Legal Services for Seniors in 1999 as a legal secretary and is now a paralegal in the Salinas office. Sandra hosts outreach hours in King City at the Leo Meyer Nutrition Center Please give our office a call (1.800.499.1247) to make an appointment if you would like to see Sandra in King City.

YVETTE VAZQUEZ ~ is a paralegal in our Salinas office. Yvette hosts outreach hours in Greenfield at the Los Ositos Nutrition Center every first and third Tuesday of the month. Please give our office a call (1.800.499.1247) to make an appointment if you would like to see Yvette in Greenfield.

ROBERT GREATHOUSE - Robert is a graduate of Monterey College of Law and holds outreach duties on the Monterey Peninsula.

ERIC FONFEREK - Eric is one of our LSS advocates. Eric most recently worked as a legal secretary at the law office of Stoner, Welsh & Schmidt in Pacific Grove, California. Eric holds a B.A. in Government from Angelo State University, Texas and a J.D. from Monterey College of Law in Monterey, Ca. Eric passed the California Bar Exam in February 2007. Eric also holds outreach hours on the Peninsula.

SAM ARQUILLA - Returning to Legal Services for Seniors after a few years' stint working for the Social Security Administration, Sam adds his extensive knowledge of the Social Security Administration to LSS. Sam also serves as our South County and North County Outreach Advocate - visiting King City, Greenfield, Soledad and Castroville in North County.

DANIELLE VANDENBOS, a recent graduate of California State University Monterey Bay (Go Otters!), is a legal advocate in our Salinas office. Danielle plans to go on to law school in the fall and will be a great asset to our legal community.

STEPHANIE EARHART, a lifelong resident of Salinas, is a third year Mass Communications & Political Science student at University of California at Berkeley. Stephanie is an advocate in our Salinas office and also assists Congressman Sam Farr here in Salinas.

PETER BYRNE is also a UC Berkeley student majoring in Mass Communication. Peter is assisting us in our Seaside office. Peter is planning to enter law school in the fall of 2009. He's an avid sports fan and has aspirations to someday be a judge.

OUR SUPPORT STAFF...

PAUL GALLENDER ~ has been Development Director of Legal Services for Seniors since 1995. In addition to his fundraising responsibilities, he edits the agency's newsletter, designs and produces agency brochures and works with Friends of Legal Services on their fund-raising activities.

Evamarie Crescini, LSS' Business Manager has over 20 years experience in management and business development in the high tech industry. In addition to her work in the corporate sector, Evamarie has worked for as many years as a volunteer developing youth programs to help inner city kids (SDSU Foundation and adapted by Saul Price/City Heights Project, San Diego) and resolving business issues for the elderly in her community. Evamarie's combined business sense and heart for others makes her an ideal fit for LSS.  

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