2015 – Present
I have been working as an independent contractor performing a variety of services including contract legal support for law firms (and legal departments), event hosting and production, and copy and content writing services. After years of building my client base and relocating to Illinois, I publicly launched NethWords in 2019. I use all of the skills that I have picked up over my career to provide my clients a product that they are proud to claim.
As of 2021, I founded the Mattoon Creative Group (with support from the Mattoon Arts Council) to help bring creatives together for our community.
As of 2025, I have been volunteering with the Coles County Veterans Coalition, assisting with grant writing.
Past Life – From Sailor to Business and Finance Paralegal
2000 – 2003
I enlisted in the US Navy beginning in the nuclear power program. During the lengthy (1.5 years) training process, studying to run the electric system of a nuclear-powered submarine, I received the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command’s Commanding Officer’s Personal Excellence Award.
In the final phase of the training, a medical condition resulted in being disqualified from sub service, and I was assigned to JAG (military law). Starting as a receptionist, I spent my last year working up to producing simple documents such as powers of attorney and managing insurance claims. This sparked my interest in working in law, but not necessarily as an attorney.
2003 – 2006
I moved to Nashville and enrolled in a junior college to receive an AS in Legal Assisting. During this time, I mainly worked as a temp office professional, picking up experience working in corporate marketing, accounts receivable/payable, human resources, quality assurance, child support, and insurance payment processing.
Due to working day jobs, it was not possible for me to land an internship at a law firm, for college. I opted to reach out to the Legal Aid Society and offer my services as a volunteer, independent of school. In doing so, my school reached out to me and I was selected as the student member of my college’s advisory board. I graduated Magna Cum Laude and made the National Dean’s List.
2007 – 2009
Making the rounds for my first law firm job, I learned that nobody was interested in accepting my JAG office as relevant to civilian practice. This led me to switch to second-shift work so that I could intern at a law firm and get my foot in the door.
This led to me being mentored and hired by a Harvard Law graduate with a MBA from Cornell. I hit a goldmine of knowledge that certainly set my legal career off on the right foot. I was exposed to business formations, patent applications, municipal bond drafting, product liability production, and so much more.
As I was the only support staff, I was involved with all aspects of the business side of the practice of law. In time, I was handling all of the business management side of the firm so that the attorneys focused on only client-related work.
I continued offering my services to Legal Aid, getting more useful as time passed. The Middle Tennessee Paralegal Association awarded me Volunteer of the Year, then made me the Chair of the Board of Community Services…which I held for two years. A highlight of this, for me, was getting to then give the Volunteer of the Year award to other deserving paralegals.
2009 – 2012
I was offered an opportunity to branch out from the traditional practice of law to another industry – business intelligence. During my time as a Legal Data Analyst, I categorized and summarized legal spend for Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies.
I taught myself SQL so that I could better customize prewritten queries, leading to me becoming a hybrid Data and Business Analyst. In addition to now pulling and analyzing information, I was writing queries that were included in the custom reporting software for other analysts to use.
2012 – 2015
I was hired as the premier Contract Administrator for the Convention Center Authority of Nashville, serving on the opening team. I templatized all of the new contracts (many of which are still used). During this time, I officially wrote the book for the position. My primary duties were to ensure that the city’s liabilities were minimized in negotiations (many of which had projected citywide economic impacts of over seven figures), which expanded to include insurance verification and all ownership of all forms of document management.
Awards
2001 United States Navy: Commanding Officer’s Personal Excellence Award
2001 National Service Defense Medal
2005 National Dean’s List
2007 Middle Tennessee Paralegal Association: Volunteer of the Year
Affiliations
1994-1996 American Tae Kwon Do Association: First-Degree Black Belt; Level 3 Judge; Trainee Instructor.
2005-2006 Daymar Institute: Legal Studies Advisory Board; Assistant Chairman.
2005-2017 Nashville Legal Aid Society: Senior Pro Bono Volunteer.
2007-2012 Middle Tennessee Paralegal Association: Community Services Chairman ‘09-’11.
2021 Mattoon Creative Group: Founder.
NethWords 