History and Mission
For decades, Women Lawyers of Ventura County has served as one of Ventura County's premier professional organizations for lawyers and business partners interested in advancing the interests of women and girls at the local, state, and national level. WLVC focuses on education, community-building, advocacy, and policy change. From our monthly lunch meetings to gatherings with judges and elected officials, from our community service programs to our annual scholarship dinner, our activities are all developed with this goal in focus.
Membership
We invite you to join us in our mission. Membership is open to women and men at all levels of time and experience in their practice, and we welcome partnerships with members of the business community.
Click here for membership: https://www.wlvc.org/event-registration/2024-wlvc-membership
Our Board of Directors
President
Monique Fierro
Monique Fierro is a civil litigation attorney at Myers Widders Gibson Jones & Feingold. 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
Vice 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.
Immediate 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.
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
Nikki Hashemi
Nikki Hashemi earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. She is an associate at Acorn Law, P.C., where she guides her clients with their Estate Planning needs and oversees all Trust Administration and Probate matters. Ms. Hashemi is also passionate about children’s education and serves on the Board of Directors of a local non-profit Charter School. Her three most exciting and life-changing experiences include sky diving with her brother, meeting her husband, and the births of her two lovely daughters. Ms. Hashemi has been a WLVC Board member since 2023.
Board Member, past president
Katherine Becker
Katherine Becker is a partner in the law firm of Becker & Dehesa, where she practices estate planning, probate, and conservatorship law. She regularly works with clients in creating their estate plans, administering estates, and creating special needs trusts. She also devotes substantial time to estate administrations and conservatorships. She is passionate about helping people through these sometimes-daunting processes. Ms. Becker has enjoyed being a WLVC Board member for many years.
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, past President
Karen Oakman
Karen Oakman earned her J.D. from California Western School of Law. She is the co-owner of Clunen and Oakman Law, LLP and practices criminal defense and family law. Additionally, Ms. Oakman is a senior adjunct professor at California Lutheran University, on the Board of the Ventura County Family Bar, secretary for a local PTA, and Legal Director of the Conejo Free Clinic. In 2019, she was awarded WLVC’s Holly Spevak Award for her community service and in 2023 she was awarded the Ben Nordman Award from the Ventura County Bar Association. Ms. Oakman joined the WLVC Board in 2020 and is a Past President of the Board.
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, 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.
Board Member
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 MWGJW, 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. Ms. Valley also has experience 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.
Board Member
Junajoy V. Frianeza
Junajoy V. Frianeza earned her J.D. and Certificate of Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law with membership in The Order of the Coif. She practices transactional law (including business/corporate, nonprofit, community association, construction, and education law) as an associate attorney at Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones & Feingold, L.L.P. Ms. Frianeza joined the WLVC Board in 2024.
