Karen “Gracie” Gonzales

**** ****** *****, *. **** Myers, FL 33917

Mobile: 239-***-**** Home:239-***-****

Email: ac8tx5@r.postjobfree.com

Objective:

Seeking a position in which my 35 plus years as an administrator working in various types of environments will add spice to your organization and where my “team player” attitude will afford me the opportunity to become a much-desired asset to your company.

Skills

Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Word, Outlook, Excel, and Power Point. Phenomenal attention to detail. Proficient in Divorce Power Analyzer (DPA), Amicus, Word Perfect, Quicken, TABS, and Timeslips. Excellent active listening, written, and verbal communication skills; legal research to support legal proceedings using various case law search programs; judgment and decision making; social perceptiveness; investigate facts and background information on opposing parties as well as clients; complex problem solving; prioritize and multitask; deadline and detail-oriented; education and training; communications and social media.

Experience

Paralegal February 2018 – May 2018

Bergermann Law Firm

Responsible for scheduling hearings, trials, mediations, and case management conferences when needed for temporary relief hearings. Responsible for drafting mandatory disclosure and long form family law financial affidavits. Draft discovery requests. Reason for leaving: will discuss at interview.

Office Manager October 2017 – January 2018 Conscious Choices, Naples

Various office management duties including answering phone and organizing client scheduling, client billing, filing insurance claims, and maintaining office inventory. Maintain excel databases, merchant accounts, and Therapy Notes. Compete telephone interviews and brief assessments for potential clients. Schedule counseling sessions. Comply with HIPPA and confidentiality requirements. Maintain Constant Contact database. Prepare for weekly staff meetings with Director and therapists. Reason for leaving: distance and salary; director felt I was not a good fit for their type of counseling.

Mental Health Test Administrator May 2017 – Present Mary Ellen Frazier, Psy.D. Currently Employed PRN Administer and score various mental health tests for personnel seeking employment in law enforcement, including but not limited to Law Enforcement Officer, Corrections Officer, Homeland Security Officer, and Dispatcher for Lee

County Port Authority, Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Coral Police Department, and Fort Myers City Police Department. Compete telephone interviews and brief assessments for potential clients. Schedule counseling sessions. Comply with HIPPA and confidentiality requirements. Note: This position is on an as needed basis and would have no effect on any full-time employment I may gain during the job search.

Senior Florida Registered Paralegal Dec 2010-Mar 2017 Men's Rights Law Firm - Cape Coral, FL

Drafted pleadings, motions, financial disclosure, discovery, and correspondence for attorney review and signature. Finalized documents for filing through the Florida Courts E -filing Portal. Maintained client confidentiality and files. Prepared for and updated client information for bi-weekly case status meetings with team member, senior partner, and office manager. Extensive client contacts to include interviews, assistance with completing financial affidavit worksheets, mandatory disclosure documents, and client questionnaires. Trained newly hired paralegals on the use of Amicus, Timeslips, Outlook, Excel, Microsoft Office, HotDocs, Divorce Power Analyzer (DPA), West Law and Florida E-file Portal. Maintain scheduling and event calendars. Maintained Social Media Websites to include LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Prepared monthly Newsletters to former and current clients and post weekly blogs to firm's website. Prepare attorneys and clients for hearings and trials by organizing applicable pleadings, evidence, and, case law. Maintained current legal education (CLE) courses for Florida Registered Paralegal. Attended monthly Family Law Section Brown Bag Lunches hosted by the Lee County Bar Family Law Section and debriefed other paralegals afterward.

Paralegal Jun 2009-Jul 2010

Patricia A. Black, P.A. - Fort Myers, FL

Prepared legal documents for attorney. Prepared Family Law Financial Affidavits and Mandatory Disclosure. Maintained billing records and prepared monthly bills for clients. Received and processed client payments. Maintained attorney client IOLTA escrow account. Gather and analyze research data, such as statutes, decisions, and legal articles, codes, and documents. Investigate facts and case law and search pertinent sources, such as public records. Reason for leaving: will discuss at interview.

Paralegal - Office Manager Dec 1994-Sep 2006 Lessans, Praley & McCormick, P.A. - Glen Burnie, MD

Prepared Reports and Recommendations of the Magistrate and proposed Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage and/or Custody for Anne Arundel County Circuit Court. Maintained client escrow account. Drafted pleadings, motions, settlement agreements and correspondence. Prepared bi-weekly payroll, new employee forms, preserved employee personnel files, and administered employee health insurance and profit sharing programs.

Prepared client billing for over 300 firm clients. Prepared reconciliation reports for client escrow account. Reason for leaving: relocated to Florida to be closer to parents and family and to recover from lengthy illness for which I am happy to report complete recovery.

Staff Sergeant, Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC), Special Security Office - US Air Force April 1983 – December 1992

Special Security Officer responsible for obtaining security clearances for military personnel. Project manager for building sensitive compartmented information facilities. Administrator of the Year for the United States Air Forces in Europe. Received Air Force Accommodation Medal, Air Force Achievement Award Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and Outstanding Unit Award Medal. Gulf War Veteran. Reason for leaving: Graham Rudman Act

Non-Work-Related Experience

Focus Group Facilitator exploring the training experiences of bi-lingual Clinical Mental Health Counselors.

Grief Counseling Workshop held in Naples presented by Dr. David Kessler.

Volunteer for Lee County Sheriff’s Office Department of Corrections Programs Division for Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Program for female inmates.

Area 15 General Assembly SW Florida Corrections Committee Secretary/Treasurer

Former Vice President, Board of Directors, After the Rain of SW Florida for women recovering from alcohol/ drug addiction, homelessness, mental health issues, and domestic violence.

Education

Master of Science: Clinical Mental Health Counseling Jan 2017 to present.

Hodges University - Fort Myers, FL

Part-time student seeking Master's Degree as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Bachelor of Science Degree: Legal Studies Dec 2016

GPA: 3.85 Magna Cum Laude

Associates Arts: Paralegal Studies Dec 1994

Anne Arundel Community College - Arnold, MD

GPA: 3.50

University of Maryland (European Campus) 1985 - 1993

Studied Criminal Justice

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