Pat Burgess, Realtor (DRE# 01827636)
I am a full time Real Estate Agent specializing in the communities along the 680 Corridor, specifically Blackhawk, Danville, Alamo, San Ramon, Dublin, Walnut Creek, and Pleasanton California. I am a member of the National Association of Realtors, the California Association of Realtors, the Contra Costa Association of Realtors. As a top performer for J. Rockcliff, I am also a member of their President’s Club. As the youngest of four, raised by a widowed mother, I put myself through college, graduating with honors from Boston College. I have worked for 20+ years within the IT Industry as a top Marketing/Sales Executive for IBM, ATandT, and Rolm Corporation. In the early 1990’s I moved to California with my family and co-founded EXL Consulting, an IT consulting firm with a utility–based focus. After eight successful years, I went on to found Beacon International, a high-end business consulting and human asset management firm, with primary focus on Property Investment Consortiums. During all of this, I was involved in Real Estate as an investor with rental properties both throughout the Bay Area as well as other areas of the country, with vast experience in 1031 Exchanges. In addition, I also orchestrated the construction of two homes, and did two major remodels going down to the studs. I love construction, so much so that I have gone back to school to get my Interior Design degree so I can be that much more supportive of my client’s needs. I am also one of a select few in the Bay Area who has been certified as an RCS-D: Real Estate Collaborative Specialist – Divorce. This designation provides me with the additional training and expertise necessary to neutralize divorce real estate as a business transaction for the best interest of the house, and each divorcing spouse. After going through a very difficult divorce myself, I understand how crucial it is for divorcing parties to be able to work with an unbiased, professional Realtor who is trained in addressing the legal and financial issues involved in both real estate, law, and divorce. I am happily remarried and have lived in Blackhawk since 1993. My husband and I are avid golfers and skiers. I am a proud member of the Danville/Sycamore Rotary Club in charge of Community Service, the Danville Chamber of Commerce, the Blackhawk Women’s Club, an active member of Cornerstone Church, and a volunteer director for Children’s Water Foundation. I have also coached soccer for Mustang Soccer, been a Room Mother for many years, as well as a Den Leader for Cub Scouts, all while raising five children. “Clients Come First” is not a cliché for me, but a way of life. I don’t just list and/or show property, I do whatever it takes to get the job done! My success has been generated through tenacity where others would give up, skilled negotiations, open communications, attention to detail, and uncompromising integrity. I drive for results that exceed clients’ expectations. (email – pburgess@empireRA.com, phone – 925 683-3509)
Keisha Gallegos, Life Coach
My name is Keisha Gallegos. I am a certified Life Coach, and the owner of Starlit Path Life Coaching. I have been personally trained by Oprah’s life coach contributor, Dr. Martha Beck. I specialize in helping people overcome roadblocks, stop negative patterns, and inspiring people to navigate life’s challenges in a positive and productive way. Through this blog I will be helping you gain insight and give practical tips on how to lead a happier and more meaningful life. I went to California State University at Northridge and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. I also met my college sweetheart Alex there, and we have been married for 18 years. I was an army wife for 5 years while my husband was in the army working as a helicopter pilot. We moved all over the country, and I had our two boys Tyler and Cristian during that time. I have lived in San Ramon for 13 years and absolutely love our community. Our sons have been educated exclusively in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, and I worked for the district for 7 years as a substitute elementary school teacher at Coyote Creek. I have extensively studied psychology, spirituality, and personal growth. You can learn more about me on my website www.starlitpathlifecoaching.com. (email – fam.gallegos@sbcglobal.net, phone – 925 648-8364)
Carefree Moves
It is said that “divorce” is one of the top five stresses in life. How can we as women face the seemingly overwhelming task of packing up years of memories and moving by ourselves? Where do we start? Many times we feel like a deer in headlights looking at the monumental job that lies ahead. This is where Carefree Moves comes to the rescue to help you pack-up and go. As a local all-women business these “DAMES” (“Designing And Moving Experts”) have a staff of a dozen or so professional packers who come to your home as a team of two or three and initially get you organized prior to move-out. Their expertise comes into play when they wisely advise you about what to keep, toss, give away or consign. Then they meticulously pack and label your possessions for the moving van. They leave the existing house empty or stage it for sale at your option. They meet the moving van at your new residence and completely unpack all the boxes. They organize and set up your new kitchen, closets, and garages as well as place the furniture, hang the artwork, make the beds and remove and recycle the boxes and paper. This is all to assure that what could have been an extremely stressful event becomes a piece of cake! Carefree Moves has been in business since the early 1990’s and is bonded and insured. For a free estimate, call: (510) 336-2455 (office) or (925) 330-1988 (cell) and/or visit their website: http://www.carefreemoves.net
Dee Vance
I have spent over 25 years as a motivational speaker and consultant on home organization and time management. I have given lectures to thousands of men and women through workshops, professional groups, and corporations motivating audiences to get organized at home. Included in this career, I was also an interior designer and stager. My experience with organizing moves began while moving seventeen times in the first two and a half years of my marriage to my husband, a former Los Angeles Dodger pitcher. Since that time, I have moved our family of five another ten times, two of those moves coast to coast. I am no stranger to clearing out, organizing and moving!
Cynthia Nolan
I have been organizing, decorating and designing Bay area homes for over a decade. My expertise is in finding creative solutions to challenging organizational dilemmas. My multi-tasking and organizational skills, which are so helpful in a move, were learned through my former post-USC elementary school teaching career as well as while raising three very active boys and participating in various volunteer activities. I also bring the insight and creative design experience obtained through my ownership and operation of Design IQ, a local staging company.
Caron Kavanagh – Health and Wellness Coach
After going through a divorce myself, I understand how easy it is to use improper eating habits as a way to fill what is missing on our lives. I began putting on weight (I actually thought the dryer was shrinking my clothes!) and not taking care of myself. This caused a downward spiral of self-esteem and sadness. Through proper nutrition, and personal and spiritual growth courses, I found my way back to being healthy and feeling empowered. I am happily remarried and have been living in San Ramon for 16 years.
Suffering from health issues, I spent a great deal of time searching for a better quality of health. I educated myself by reading and studying and enlisted the support of medical professionals. Using a nutritional cleansing program recommended to me by my doctor, I have released weight, increased my energy, improved my sleep, moods and mental clarity, lessened my stress and found my way back to optimum health. My improved health and vitality compelled me to share this gift of wellness with others and leave Corporate America to become a Wellness Coach. Since 2007 I have been mentored daily by highly-skilled holistic nutritionists and have successfully coached hundreds of others who are on their journey to better health as well.
As a Health and Wellness Coach, my goal is to teach my client (and their family) healthy ways to support the mind and body during the process. I share tips, tools and all-natural/organic nutritional products to improve energy, sleep and mental clarity, reduce stress and shed unhealthy pounds. When our bodies are healthy we have the strength and ability to handle and cope with difficult situations more effectively.
I provide educational seminars, and consult one to one to establish the right approach to achieving your best state of wellness. If you are struggling with your health, weight, energy loss or simply sick and tired of being sick and tired, I can help!
Dr. Shendl Tuchman, Psychologist (PSY19856)
Dr. Shendl Tuchman, Psychologist (PSY19856)
As a licensed psychologist, I work with individuals and divorcing couples. My goal is to help you understand and manage the process of moving from a pre-divorce to a post-divorce family. You are likely experiencing major shifts in areas of your life most often associated with comfort, stability and safety. How your family makes this transition is important and highly individualized. I help you become clearer about what is most important to you, your entire family, and especially the impact of divorce on your children. It is important to understand that divorce is an emotional event with legal and financial ramifications, not a legal decision with emotional consequences.
I offer services as a:
· Private custody mediator
· Co-parenting therapist
· Individual therapist
· Collaborative Divorce coach
· Reunification therapist
· Special Master
· Divorce Consultant
· Group therapist – A Healthy Divorce and Separation Group: A weekly group for men and women in San Ramon
I have offices in San Ramon and Berkeley. I am on the Board of the Contra Costa Psychological Association (CCPA), People Care 4 Day Care (PC4DC) and the Steering Committee of Collaborative Practice East Bay (CPEB). I am a membership of the California Psychological Association (CPA), International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), Collaborative Practice-California, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) and AFCC-California. You may read articles I have written on various aspects of divorce at Goodtherapy.org http://snipurl.com/u8a7r and 1therapypace.com http://snipurl.com/u8a7v.
Shendl Tuchman, Psy.D.
2 Crow Canyon Court, Suite 200, San Ramon, CA 94583
phone: 925.201.3435
3120 Telegraph Ave., Suite 9, Berkeley, CA 94705
phone: 510.595.5525
fax: 510.496.2712
dr.tuchman@earthlink.net
MARY C. WHIPPLE, Attorney at Law
I am an attorney practicing family law and estate planning in Contra Costa and Alameda counties. A graduate of Loyola University Chicago School of Law, my goal is to provide exceptional service to my clients through diligent and compassionate representation. I am a member of the Contra Costa County Bar Association, the Alameda County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Bar Association of San Francisco, Los Californianos, and the American Association of University Women. (email – mary@marywhipplelaw.com, phone – 925 344-5050)
LAURA O’BRIEN, Certified Financial Planner™
I provide comprehensive services to my clients and serve as a resource during difficult financial decisions around divorce and throughout life. As graduate of the University of Iowa and the Graduate Certificate program in Financial Planning at DePaul University, I hold an FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 Registrations, and a California Life and Health Insurance License. (email – laura@legacyplannersinc.com, phone – 925 344-4400)
RALPH W. HASKEW, Certified Public Accountant
I am a CPA with over 25 years of tax and consultative experience. My goal is to provide you and your attorney with options and recommendations – not just tax compliance, but tax strategy. Divorce and separation issues are emotional events with long term consequences. As a CPA, I am independent and objective, helping clients through the maelstrom of difficult and emotional times associated with divorce, with the goal of helping you and your attorney arrive at a just, equitable and tax strategic settlement. (email – ralph@haskewcpa.com, phone – 925 926-0103)
KATHLEEN and ERIN MEREDITH, Mortgage Specialists
We are a mother and daughter team with over 25 years of combined experience in mortgage banking and brokering, real estate sales, title insurance, and interior design. My name is Kathleen, and I am a divorced mother of two who has sold real estate and navigated a difficult divorce with two young children. My accomplished daughter Erin has an advanced degree in business management, achieved a Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist designation, as well as the Real Estate Collaborative Specialist – Divorce certification (email – meredithteam@rockcliff.com, phone – 925 918-0585)