Q: Tell us about your background. Where did you go to school/what did you study/where did you work previously?

A: I grew up in Los Angeles, California and initially enrolled as a Business major at Santa Monica College before moving on to work in the legal field. I spent many years as a Legal Assistant and Paralegal at large Los Angeles litigation firms such as Buchalter, Nemer, Fields & Younger as well as Legal Assistant to the Managing Partner of Heller Ehrman. I switched gears after moving to Richmond, VA and focused on raising my four children as well as turning my hobby of competing in triathlons into owning a triathlon training company. I re-entered the legal field in 2004 and have been balancing my business as a triathlon coach as well as working at Sumner Immigration since 2018.

Q: What drew you to immigration law?

A: Immigration is an important part of my family history. I am a first generation American on my mother’s side and second generation American on my father’s side. My mother was born and raised in Thailand and my grandparents on my father’s side immigrated from Belgium and Ireland. I am honored to serve on a team of people who value the contribution immigrants continue to bring to our country.

Q: What is your favorite thing about Richmond?

A: I love that Richmond offers people a taste of absolutely everything! For the outdoor enthusiasts we have a river right in the center of the city for kayaking, paddle boarding and swimming, plus miles of mountain biking trails, the Cap to Cap 52 mile paved multi-use trail for cycling and running and so much more; for the foodie we have amazing restaurants on every corner serving eclectic food and drinks; for the beer lover we are the East Coast capital of microbreweries; we are within an hour of the Blue Ridge mountains if you go west and a little more than an hour from the beach if you go east. Richmond also boasts Broadway shows, festivals, nightlife, tons of family events and, best of all, we are the friendliest dog city I have ever been to! I thought moving from Los Angeles to Richmond would be a huge culture shock – and I was right – but I have grown to love Richmond and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Q: Have you ever met anyone famous?

A: Growing up in Los Angeles and having a father who worked with celebrities, I’ve seen quite a few movie stars growing up including Donald Sutherland, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Christopher Walken. I once went to a bridal shower at Victoria Principal’s house and used to live next door to Tina Turner in a house up the street from Michael Jackson’s family house and the first house Sean Penn and Madonna shared when they were married.

We are immigration lawyers in Richmond, VA but we serve clients throughout the U.S. and around the world. You can call us at 804-396-3412 or send us an email to info@sumnerimmigration.com.