Stephanie joined Carmel & Naccasha’s Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning team in 2023. Stephanie graduated cum laude from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1996 and practiced civil litigation at several large bay area law firms, eventually becoming a Deputy Attorney General at the California Attorney General’s Office in the False Claims Section before returning to her hometown of San Luis Obispo in 2003.
Upon returning to the Central Coast where she grew up, Stephanie worked at a local law firm practicing business and real estate law when she was invited to join the San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation’s (SLOLAF’s) Board of Directors in 2011. In 2013 Stephanie left the firm to become the Project Director for Senior Legal Services Project, at that time, she was the organization’s only employee running its only program. A year later, the Board of Directors elevated Stephanie to Executive Director, the organization’s first in its 25-year history. Stephanie has been credited with exponentially increasing the organization’s ability to assist the most underserved in the county and fostering strategic partnerships with other service providers. When she resigned from SLOLAF in 2023, she left the organization with 12 full-time employees and stable grant funding for years to come. Stephanie understands the importance of succession planning.
Stephanie currently serves on the SLO County Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral & Information Services Committee. Stephanie is the past President of the SLO County Bar Association, past President of the San Luis Obispo Women Lawyer’s Association, and volunteers for the County Mock Trial Program. Stephanie is a member of the SLO Leadership Class XXVI and was the 2018 recipient of the John L. Seitz Community Service Award.
Stephanie lives in Arroyo Grande with her blended family including three teenagers at Arroyo Grande High School, their two dogs, one cat and seven chickens. When she’s not watching the kids play soccer, basketball or band, Stephanie enjoys hiking, paddleboarding, and trying to learn golf.
