Jan2006Complianceand Ethics Resume Details

Ethicsand Compliance professional with over 20 years experience in ethics, legal, training, compliance, and risk management. Seeking a position with an international corporation or global consulting firm passionate about ethics to leverage my MBA in Global Management and multicultural background.

Professional Experience
Vice President, Corporate Compliance
USE Credit Union,San Diego, California
Oct. 2003 - Oct. 2005
•  Reported to the CEO/President, Board of Directors and Audit Supervisory Committee on ethics, compliance and risk management issues for a California credit union operating in 5 counties with 11 branches, 75,000 members and $747 million in assets 
•  Supervised newly created compliance department and risk management program pursuant to national and state regulations resulting in a reduction of legal fee reductions by 75% in less than two years
•  Created enterprise wide compliance training programs for deposit and loan products delivered through in-house training sessions and on-line formats
•  Managed professional engagements with legal counsel and external auditors
•  Revised company’s bylaws, internal controls and corporate governance policies to comply with new regulatory requirements and state statutes including member privacy laws, Bank Secrecy Act and USA Patriot Act
•  Drafted product and form disclosures for marketing materials, loan applications and deposit products in paper and electronic formats compliant with regulatory and legal requirements

Director of Legal Education
University of California, San Diego Extension, La Jolla, California
Dec. 2000 - Oct. 2003
•  Administered, recruited, advised and educated post baccalaureate students in flagship American Bar Association Approved Paralegal Certificate
•  Generated program growth from 25 students per term to 134 students per term in three years 
•  Increased department revenue by 250% by efficiently restructuring existing Paralegal program and new professional certificates in Intellectual Property, Professional Practice Management, Legal Secretarial Studies and Fraud Investigation
•  Developed and instructed courses in paralegal professional ethics, legal research, litigation technology, legal practice and procedures, court systems and effective paralegal supervision

Corporate Law Paralegal
Zevnik Horton Guibord McGovern Palmer & Fognani, San Diego, California
Sept. 1999 - Dec. 2000
•  Managed due diligence and closing documents for client credit facilities with global investment bank syndicates for merger and acquisition activities valued over $1 billion
•  Prepared documentation for a successful merger of 99 companies into one corporation before initial public offering including board consents, shareholder agreements, and real estate sales
•  Drafted articles of incorporation, bylaws, organizational minutes for over 325 private domestic and international corporations including minute books and stock ledgers
•  Coordinated annual and quarterly electronic filings with state and federal agencies and the Securities and Exchange Commission

Litigation and Insurance Coverage Paralegal 
Lewis, D’Amato, Brisbois & Bisgaard, San Diego, California
Feb. 1994 - Feb. 1999
•  Coordinated and managed over 1,000 case files in national tobacco litigation using state-of-the-art imaged enabled database programs resulting in client and co-counsel savings of over $500,000 in storage and shipping fees on discovery and court exhibits
•  Examined and maintained client evidence files for embezzlement cases for financial services clients including real estate title companies, global insurance carriers and international banks
•  Trained associates and paralegals in electronic legal research, case management and court procedures

Bankruptcy Paralegal
John Smaha & Associates, San Diego, California
Jan. 1991 - Feb. 1994
•  Prepared Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy petitions, attended creditor hearings, and monitored challenges to debt discharge including relief from stay motions and non-dischargeability claims
•  Assisted with professional fee recovery in Chapter 11 reorganization cases for attorneys, accountants, and real estate professionals for fees in excess of $1.3 million per month

Research Assistant
AZ Lien Services, Inc., San Diego, California & Tucson, Arizona
May 1986 - Dec. 1990
•  Preserved lien rights for suppliers and contractors for real estate improvements throughout the Southwest including federal, state and private development projects within statutory guidelines
•  Streamlined research and property legal description, owner, general contractor and financing verification through title records and public documents computerized database creating economies of scale and increasing production by 25%

Assistant Manager, Research Division
FBR Pty., Ltd., Taipei, Taiwan
Jul. 1984 - Mar. 1986
•  Acted as liaison with American and Australian businesses sourcing products in Taiwan and recommended manufacturing options, facilitate production and export documentation of orders placed

Education
Thunderbird, School of Global Management, Glendale, Arizona
Master of Business Administration in Global Management (May 2007)
Specialization:  Global Ethics and International Risk Management	

Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (Latin America) (May 1983)
Bachelor of Arts (Spanish)	(May 1983)
Emphasis:  International Business, International Marketing, International Monetary Policy, American Foreign Policy, Latin American Studies	

Pima Community College, Tucson, Arizona
Associate of Applied Science (Legal Assistant) (May 1990)
American Bar Association Approved Paralegal Certificate (Business Specialty)	

Honors
*  Leadership EDGE, Select member of exclusive campus leadership training program and workshops for student leaders concentrating on global management skill building and activities (Fall 2006)
*  Top 5 "Global Citizenship Teams in the World", Global Citizenship Challenge, team finalist out of field of 56 international teams completing in the largest global case competition focusing on corporate citizenship, sustainability and international development (2006)
*  M. Lyn Hall-Fore, CLA Award for Paralegal Excellence, Namesake and initial recipient of the San Diego Paralegal Association’s annual peer recognition award for professional excellence and dedication to legal services (2001)
*  Sigma Delta Pi, Spanish Language Honorary Society (1980-1983)

Professional Affiliations & Accomplishments
*  Thunderbird Honor Council, Chairperson (Fall 2006 and Spring 2007) Chief Investigations Officer for Judiciary Board (Summer 2006)
*  San Diego Paralegal Association (SDPA), Served in several leadership and board positions including two terms as president (1991 to 2000)
*  California Alliance of Paralegal Associations, (CAPA), Secretary (1993) and Board Member (1993-1995)
*  National Federation of Paralegal Associations, (NFPA), Representative (1996-1998)
*  Expert Witness on Paralegal Profession retained by the Attorney General for Southern District of California for declaration regarding professional standards with favorable result (1997)

Multicultural Living Experiences and Languages
Native English	
Conversant Portuguese (4 years residence in Brazil)
Fluent Spanish (6 years residence in Guatemala)	
Basic Mandarin Chinese (3 years residence in Taiwan)