SUPPORT STAFF
BEHIND THE SCENES
Gina Smith - Office Manager
Gina Smith, originally from Northwest Arizona, is the eldest of three siblings. Her career encompasses positions such as Office Manager at a local charter school, Assistant Statewide Director at a non-profit organization, and Director of a pregnancy center. She currently holds the position of Office Manager at Zona Law.
In her personal time, Gina enjoys traveling and immersing herself in diverse cultures and countries. In Arizona, she engages in paddleboarding, snowboarding, and spending quality time with family and friends. She is guided by her favorite quote from Micah 6:8, “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly,” which reflects her core values.
Gina takes pleasure in working with an exceptional team and providing service to the esteemed clients of Zona Law each day.
Salla Pahl - Team Supervisor & Client Liaison
Currently, Salla serves as both a Client Liaison and Team Supervisor, working collaboratively with Zona staff and clients in the multi-family housing and single-family residential sectors. She is committed to expanding her industry knowledge and building meaningful professional relationships.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Salla dedicates her time to her husband and three children, as well as her passion for helping others through volunteering with different displaced populations in the greater Phoenix area. As an immigrant, she possesses a keen interest in travel and places great value on exploring diverse histories and cultures. Her enthusiasm for connecting with individuals and fostering relationships drives her both personally and professionally.
Robin Purcell - Receptionist & Legal Assistant
Robin Purcell was born in Virginia and raised in Missouri. She moved to Phoenix, her husband’s hometown, shortly after their marriage. She has one daughter and spends her free time gardening and hiking.
Robin worked as a personal property underwriter for a large insurance company for 39 years, insuring properties across all 50 states, before joining Zona Law Group as a legal assistant and receptionist. She stays busy each day keeping the office running smoothly!
Janet Woodruff - Client Liaison & Legal Assistant
Janet Woodruff became a Client Liaison and Legal Assistant with the Zona Team in 2024. Originating from Arizona, she is a wife and mother of two. She brings over a decade of experience in client relations and support, ensuring that clients receive exceptional service and timely assistance.
Outside work, Janet supports her children’s activities, demonstrating her commitment to family. She also enjoys reading, often accompanied by her loyal dog during the off-season. Additionally, she has a passion for hiking enjoying the natural beauty of Arizona’s landscapes on weekends.
Amber Williams - Client Liaison & Legal Assistant
Amber Williams was born in Phoenix, Arizona. She spent her childhood between two households, providing a varied upbringing. She comes from a large family, with two of her five siblings being approximately ten years younger than her, allowing her to enjoy their growth. During her adolescence, she focused on academic achievement and participated in choir, although she later determined that singing was not her strongest talent. A significant influence on her career path was a government class in high school, which was engaging and informative, prompting her interest in the legal system. Her hobbies include playing video games such as The Sims and zombie-themed games, watching movies, experimenting with recipes, painting, and making ceramics.
Her first job at the age of 16 was as a hostess at Village Inn. A notable career milestone for Amber was transitioning from a supervisory role in the food service industry to her current position at Zona Law Group. This transition provided her with valuable experience and marked a significant progression in her professional development. She now works as a Legal Assistant and Client Liaison, serving as the primary contact between the office and her assigned clients. Her responsibilities include preparing paperwork, filing motions, curating notices, and supporting the team as needed.
Amber values honesty, integrity, kindness, and hard work. Her future objectives include earning a bachelor’s degree and purchasing a home. She also aims to travel internationally to experience new cultures, with Italy, Japan, Switzerland, and Aruba being her initial destinations of interest.
Rachel Rodriguez - Legal Assistant
Rachel Rodriguez was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona. She is the youngest of six siblings, with one sister and four brothers. She graduated from Westwood High School.
Rachel’s career began at the Radisson Hotel in Mesa, where she worked as a Housekeeper for a couple of years. She subsequently joined Rogers Corporation, where she spent 10 years as an assembler, inspector, and machinist, working on parts for phones, radios, computers, and other products. Following the acquisition of Rogers by Adflex, she continued in her role for another three years until the company ceased operations.
Following this, Rachel transitioned to a new career path at Koglmeier Law Group, where she spent about 15 years. This position provided her with valuable experience in the legal field, especially regarding eviction processes. Her responsibilities included inputting evictions for court hearings, attaching files for court, scanning judgments received from the court, and filing writs of restitution. She also scheduled court appearances for attorneys. This role was markedly different from her previous work but enabled her to develop self-confidence and communicate more effectively with clients and colleagues. As a legal assistant, she enhanced her typing skills and acquired significant knowledge that expanded her professional capabilities. Rachel takes pride in her work and is committed to continuous learning and contributing to business success.
Rachel currently works for Zona Law Group, where she appreciates the encouraging atmosphere and looks forward to further growth and development within the company.
Joey Allen - Accountant & Mobile Home Client Liaison
Joey Allen grew up in Gilbert, Arizona, where his parents instilled in him the value of hard work and determination. After graduating from Seton Catholic Preparatory High School, he began his career at 19 by taking on several retail and food service positions, gaining essential customer service experience and a strong work ethic.
In July 2021, Joey transitioned into the legal field by securing a part-time accounting position at Zona Law. His dedication and performance quickly earned him a full-time role as a legal assistant. In this capacity, Joey has become the main Mobile Home liaison, managing evictions, assisting clients with their needs, and continuing to handle accounting duties.
Beyond his current responsibilities, Joey is deeply committed to self-improvement and has concrete plans to further his education in accounting. He believes that advancing his skills in both client relations and legal expertise will significantly enhance his professional capabilities, allowing him to make even greater contributions to his field.
Cameron Jones - Legal Assistant
Cameron Jones was born in Tacoma, Washington, with a younger brother and an older sister, each six years apart. He loved water activities, hiking, and playing competitive club basketball. He attended Washington State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with minors in Psychology and Sociology. During college, he worked in a criminal justice research lab, managed the men’s basketball team, and engaged with the local community.
After graduating in 2023, Cameron moved to Phoenix and began working as a case manager at a clinic for mental illness and substance abuse, where he learned the importance of empathy. He then transitioned to the legal field, joining Zona Law, where he enjoys tackling various challenges and making a positive impact on communities.
In his free time, Cameron stays active, spends time with friends, and attends Phoenix sporting events. Fun facts: his favorite animal is a tortoise, he has a large shoe collection, played against future NBA players in his youth, and despite being a big college basketball fan, he has never won a March Madness bracket.
Faye Trejo - Client Liaison & Legal Assistant
Faye Trejo grew up in a small Michigan town with 105 students in her graduating class. Her family lived on ten wooded acres; her father worked for Buick, and her mother was a stay-at-home mom. Faye started cooking and baking at ten and has enjoyed it ever since. She and her three brothers rode motorcycles on nearby trails, making her childhood feel like a country music song.
After high school, Faye moved away from Michigan, living in Springfield, Missouri; Houma, Louisiana; Dallas, Texas; and finally settling in Arizona.
Her career began at Discover Card, where she worked for ten years in various roles including collections, training, supervision, and fraud investigations. She then became a supervisor and deputy court administrator in a municipal court for over 20 years until retirement. Seeking new challenges, she now works in evictions.
Faye is enthusiastic about legal studies, especially constitutional law, appreciating the diverse perspectives and the foresight of the founding fathers in creating a lasting constitution.
Faye is married with four adult children and two grandchildren. She enjoys long motorcycle rides, golfing, cooking, quilting, and crafting, with a dedicated space called her “she shed.”
Amanda Jaramillo - Legal Assistant
Amanda was born in the High Desert of California and raised in Denver, Colorado. Her family included her parents and a younger brother. Although she has since lost both of her parents, Amanda frequently reflects on their best qualities and shares these memories with her children. She is currently pursuing an education at Grand Canyon University in the social work program, a field well-suited to her natural ability to encourage and uplift others. Throughout her journey, Amanda has faced various challenges but has always approached them with resilience and determination.
In the early stages of her career, Amanda worked as a dental assistant and front office receptionist in a dental practice, where she developed skills in patient care and communication. Presently, she supports attorneys at Zona Law by processing documentation and ensuring smooth court proceedings for defending clients.
Amanda has been married for 15 years and has two children: Anthony, who is 15, and Grace, who is 19. In her free time, Amanda enjoys spending time in nature and cherishing moments with friends and family. Guided by her Christian worldview, she aims to instill strong values in her children and create lasting memories. Amanda believes in the power of support and kindness and strives to inspire others to make a positive impact in their own unique ways.
Kiara Bernard - Client Liaison & Legal Assistant
Kiara, born and raised in Southern California, comes from a vibrant family with four brothers and one sister. Naturally social, she easily made friends and brought joy to others. In high school, she spent four years in the color guard and became team captain in her senior year.
Starting her career at 15 in fast food, Kiara honed her customer service, rapport-building, and leadership skills. After graduating high school, she moved to Arizona to work in high-end retail, enhancing her expertise. In November 2022, she joined Zona Law, where she supports clients and developed a passion for law.
Outside of work, Kiara enjoys park walks with her dog, city explorations with friends, and reading. She values balancing her social and professional life and cherishes her relationships. Kiara aims to travel internationally and immerse herself in new cultures, believing it fosters personal growth.
Kelly Hussman - Client Liaison & Legal Assistant
Kelly was born in West Covina, California, and moved frequently throughout Southern California. In high school, she relocated to Phoenix and excelled in the Academic Decathlon, earning a #8 ranking statewide. After graduating from Cesar Chavez High School, she attended Coe College in Iowa. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she left school to support her family’s business as an office manager.
Her dedication helped the business recover, leading her to Zona Law Group, where she thrives as a legal assistant and client liaison. Kelly manages evictions and mobile home cases for property management companies.
In her free time, Kelly enjoys cooking, baking, and spending time with her fiancé. She loves reading classic literature and writing poems and short stories, inspired by Taylor Swift’s creativity.
Kelly plans to publish her literary work and expand her knowledge across various subjects, aiming to inspire others through her writing.
Allison Naylor - Client Liaison & Legal Assistant
Allison Naylor was born and raised in the beautiful town of Durango, Colorado. After moving to Arizona for college, she quickly fell in love with the state. It was during high school, when she first took a criminal justice class, that Allison discovered her passion for this field and knew it was the career path she wanted to pursue.
Outside of work, Allison enjoys exploring new destinations, scuba diving, skiing, hiking, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen. At home, she shares her life with a lively mix of pets, including a dog, tortoise, snake, and two fish tanks.
Taylor Kies - Team Supervisor & Client Liaison
Taylor Kies is a Team Supervisor and Client Liaison at Zona, where she has been employed since 2017. Starting as the front desk receptionist, Taylor has taken on various roles within the firm, enhancing her understanding of the industry in the process.
As a Phoenix native, Taylor values the range of activities available in Arizona and its scenic landscapes.
Outside of work, Taylor spends time with her husband and daughter. One of her preferred summer activities is paddleboarding at the lake. She aims to allocate more time for traveling with her family in the future.
Denise Simpson
Jessica Peterson
Andrew Palmer
Lena Pierce - Client Liaison & Legal Assistant
Sue Allen - Accountant
“At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst.”
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