President
Sheri L. Valley
Sheri L. Valley is an associate at Myers Widders Gibson Jones & Feingold where her practice focuses on Insurance Bad Faith Litigation and Construction Defect Litigation. She has extensive experience in all aspects of civil litigation, and she has managed complex, multi-state product liability litigation involving hundreds of applicants and inquiries. Prior to joining MWGJF, Ms. Valley worked as a certified law clerk at the Ventura County Public Defender’s Office. She has made over 100 appearances in Mental Health Court and Veterans Court. She was appointed a member of the Ventura County Behavioral Health Advisory Board (“BHAB”) by Ventura County Supervisor Peter Foy, 4th District, from January 2018 to 2021. She also served on the BHAB Mental Health Legislation work group and BHAB’s Adult Services Committee. Ms. Valley also served on the board of directors for United Parents, a nonprofit organization that provides resources and support to parents who have children with mental health, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Valley worked as a court reporter in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties, and she is a previous recipient of the prestigious Mary Sullivan Scholarship Award. Ms. Valley joined the WLVC Board in 2023.
vice-president
Melissa Emerson
Melissa Emerson is a Senior Associate and Trial Team Lead at Westlake Injury Law, where she is known for her strong advocacy, leadership, and commitment to justice. She focuses her practice on personal injury cases, frequently handling complex matters, including federal trial experience. Before becoming an attorney, she served as a 911 Dispatcher for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, an experience that continues to shape her compassionate, service-oriented approach to client advocacy, and her ability to perform in high-pressure circumstances. Through zealous advocacy for her clients, she has obtained via trial judgments, mediations, and settlements, numerous multi-million dollar recoveries in many hard-fought cases. Melissa is an active member of the California Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), the Ventura County Bar Association, and the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association.
TREASURER
Mahvesh “Marissa” Garcia
Mahvesh “Marissa” Garcia is the managing attorney at Gold Law. She is a Certified Specialist by the State Bar of California is estate planning, trust and probate law. Her practice includes all areas of trust and estate planning, including administration, litigation and conservatorships. She received her J.D. from Southwestern Law School, where she was the recipient of the Harvey L. and Lillian Silbert Public Interest Fellowship. Ms. Garcia has been a WLVC Board member since 2020.
secretary
Melanie Ely
Melanie Ely has spent her entire career in defense litigation. She has represented skilled nursing facilities, residential care facilities for the elderly, schools, doctors, dentists, nurses, and non-profit organizations against claims of medical malpractice, dependent/elder abuse, wrongful death, personal injury, and premises liability. She has also assisted companies of all sizes with litigation avoidance practices and counseling to avoid future litigation. Ms. Ely joined the WLVC Board in 2025.
board member, immediate past President
Kathryn Clunen
Kathryn Clunen earned her J.D. from Southwestern School of Law. She is the co-owner of Clunen and Oakman Law, LLP and practices family law. In 2018, she was awarded Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 40 Under Forty award. Previously Ms. Clunen has served as a liaison between the state and local bar associations and the American Bar Association (ABA) Young Lawyer District (YLD), as well as provided disaster legal services under the ABA YLD’s contract with FEMA. She has an established reputation in Southern California for her service on numerous boards and legal organizations including: President of the Ventura County Bar Association (past), President of the Jerome H. Berenson American Inn of Court (past), Board member of the Ventura County Legal Aid (past), Member of The Coalition for Collaborative Divorce, and Chairwoman of the California State Bar’s Young Lawyer Association (CYLA) (past) American Bar Association (ABA) Young Lawyer District Representative of Southern California (past). Ms. Clunen has been a WLVC Board member since 2022.
board member, Past President
Monique Fierro
Monique Fierro is a Managing Partner of the Ventura office at Berger Kahn. She is passionate about her work in civil & business litigation, education, employment, and personal injury. She earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School with pro bono distinction and was awarded the Judge Thelton E. Henderson Prize for outstanding performance in the Community Law Clinic. Ms. Fierro volunteers her time with numerous organizations in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties supporting access to justice and equity. Ms. Fierro joined the WLVC Board in 2020 and is a past president of the Board.
Board Member, past president
Jodi Prior
Jodi Prior is the Managing Attorney - Professional Services for the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura, overseeing the Family and Civil Self-Help Centers, Family Court Services, and the Children's Waiting Room. In 2006, she started her career with the Ventura Superior Court as an attorney in the Family Law Facilitator’s Office and then in 2009 she was promoted to the Supervising Attorney position for the Civil Self-Help Center and coordinator for the Homeless Court Program. Additionally, Jodi was recently appointed as a Commissioner to the California State Bar's Legal Services Trust Fund Commission, highlighting her commitment to legal services. Her experience is complemented by previous positions as a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles' Family Law Unit, AmeriCorps Attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, and Director of the legal services program at the Coalition for Family Harmony in Oxnard. In 2015, Jodi was awarded WLVC’s Holly Spevak Award for her work with the Self-Help Centers and Homeless Court. After a brief time off the board, Jodi rejoined the board in 2024 an is a past president of the Board.
Board Member, Past President
Lauren Nicholson
Lauren Nicholson received her J.D. with highest honors from the Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law. She has volunteered with the Ventura County Superior Court’s Family Law Self-Help Center; been a foster parent; worked with CASAs, Child Protective Services and many local organizations. Ms. Nicholson practices family law, including adoption, annulment, child custody, divorce and mediation. Ms. Nicholson joined the WLVC Board in 2020 and is a past president of the Board.
Board Member
Tanya Pellegrini
Tanya Pellegrini is a Senior Counsel at the Lawyering Project where she litigates reproductive rights, civil rights, and constitutional law impact litigation cases throughout the country. She came to the Lawyering Project from MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), where she litigated impact litigation cases in several practice areas, including voting rights, immigrant rights, and employment. Ms. Pellegrini is a graduate of the University of California Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings College of the Law), and University of California, Santa Barbara. Ms. Pellegrini joined the WLVC Board in 2024.
Board Member
Brier Setlur
Brier Setlur received her J.D. from Southwestern Law School, where she was an editor of Law Review and graduated in the top 10% of her class. She is an attorney at LightGabler where she practices employment litigation on behalf of the employer. In 2017, Ms. Setlur was the chair of the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce and she has participated in the Ventura County Bar Association Barrister Board. Currently, she sits on the Board of the Friends of Camarillo Library and is active in the Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Setlur joined the WLVC Board in 2022.
Board Member
Emily White
Emily White earned her J.D. from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law where she was a member of the Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society. She is an associate attorney at Arnold LaRochelle Mathews VanConas & Zirbel where her practice focuses on estate planning, trusts, and probate law. Ms. White joined the WLVC Board in 2025.
Board Member
Eleni Cotsis
Eleni Cotsis is an associate attorney at Myers Widders Gibson Jones & Feingold, LLP. She has previously been recognized as a Women Lawyers of Ventura County Scholar and a Loyola Law School Business Law Fellow. Her background is working with entrepreneurs, having built and led HR operations at high-growth startups like ALICE and Kameo Health, as well as founding the Women Entrepreneurs of Medellin community and growing it to over 1,200 members. Eleni joined the WLVC Board in 2025.
Board Member
Chandra Beaton
Chandra Beaton is a partner and civil litigation attorney at LightGabler LLP. Her practice focuses on the defense of employment law claims against employers in state and federal court and before administrative agencies. Ms. Beaton is also the firm’s Litigation Department Chair. She earned her law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law and a Certificate in Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. Ms. Beaton is a member of the Ventura County Bar Association, Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association and Association of Southern California Defense Counsel. She is a long-time Ventura County resident. Ms. Beaton joined the WLVC Board in 2025.