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Donna Aker
Senior Community Manager at CMCA, AMS, PCAM, Sequoia ManagementDonna Aker, PCAM, has been a manager for sixteen years. She is active with WMCCAI currently serving as Co-chair of the Education Committee and previously served as Co-chair of the Conference & Expo Committee. She is a Past Governor of the Capital Virginia District of Optimist International (2017-18) and most recently served as Mid-Atlantic Vice President (2022-23) for the organization. As part of this organization, she has been a presenter at the district, regional and international level.
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Michelle Baldry
PE at Reserve AdvisorsMichelle Baldry is Reserve Advisors’ Northeast Regional Executive Director. Michelle is responsible for the overall management and administration of the firm’s Northeast region. Michelle is a professional engineer and holds CAI’s Reserve Specialist and Educated Business Partner designations, and APRA’s Professional Reserve Analyst designation. She serves on various CAI committees, including chairing the Chesapeake Chapter’s magazine committee. She is President of CAI’s Foundation for Community Association Research Board. She served on Virginia’s CIC Structural Integrity and Reserves Work Group and CAI’s national reserve study task force; both were created to consider revising reserve studies due to the tragedy in Surfside, Florida. She has thirteen years of experience in serving community associations and has personally prepared hundreds of reserves studies.
Gregory Beeker
Realtor at PenFed RealtyGregory Beeker is a retired military officer who served as an Aerospace Engineer and Staff Officer for 28 years in the United States Air Force. After his retirement in 2011, Greg obtained his real estate license and began working as a Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty with licenses in Virginia, Maryland, DC and Pennsylvania. In 2005, Greg moved into a new high-rise condominium community in Alexandria, VA. Two years later in 2007, he volunteered to serve on the board of directors, taking over as treasurer. Over the next several years he served in both treasurer and president positions. In 2010, with the community facing budget shortfalls, he oversaw a deep dive of the financials and developed a budget for the BOD which put the association on a path to financial health. Greg later wrote an article about the experience which was published in the Dec 2012 Quorum magazine titled: “Financial Crisis: Once New Association’s Growing Pains”. Greg also developed a database for managing reserve expenditures and performing annual reserve studies. Greg continued to serve on the BOD of directors until Nov 2019 and rejoined the BOD again in 2022.
Julian Belilty
CEO of Honeydew Energy AdvisorsJulian Belilty is the CEO at Honeydew Energy Advisors, a DC-based energy consultancy that focuses on helping condominiums and cooperatives reduce energy expenses, collect competing solar proposals, and comply with local ordinances, including benchmarking and the new Building Energy Performance Standards. With over 10 years of experience in the energy sector, Julian has helped hundreds of condominiums and cooperatives in the District comply with local ordinances and reduce their energy usage and expenses. As a recognized subject matter expert on BEPS in Washington, DC, Julian has been designated as the co-chair of the CAI BEPS Subcommittee.
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Beth Bencivenni
Vice President, Sales and Marketing at RestoreCoreBeth Bencivenni is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at RestoreCore, with nearly 15 years of experience serving community managers and community associations in disaster restoration and emergency services throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region. She specializes in large-loss coordination, disaster planning, and industry education, streamlining complex processes for her clients. An active member in several chapters of CAI, Beth serves as the Chair of Membership & Engagement for the Chesapeake Region of CAI. She became a CAI Educated Business Partner in 2015 and is committed to industry advocacy, engagement, and education.
Tiago Bezerra
Attorney at Chadwick, Washington, Moriarty, Elmore & Bunn, P.C.Tiago D. Bezerra is a Senior Associate in the firm’s Fairfax office having worked as a community association attorney since 2014. In 2024, Tiago was selected for fellowship in the College of Community Association Lawyers (CCAL), a prestigious group of attorneys from across the world who have been recognized for their excellence in the practice of community association law. In addition, Tiago is actively involved with the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of Community Associations Institute (WMCCAI), having served on the Virginia and D.C. Legislative Committees and the WMCCAI Board of Directors. Tiago has contributed numerous articles to the WMCCAI monthly publication Quorum and is a frequent speaker on community association law, including providing programs with WMCCAI, the Community Associations Institute, Fairfax County Consumer Affairs, and the Alexandria Office of Housing.
Daniel Blom
Attorney at Chadwick, Washington, Moriarty, Elmore & Bunn, P.C.Dan Blom is a senior associate attorney at Chadwick, Washington, Moriarty, Elmore & Bunn P.C. His practice is devoted to the representation of community associations throughout Virginia and the District of Columbia. He is co-host of HOA Law Nerds, the Podcast, and he regularly speaks and writes on issues important to community associations. Dan is an active member of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of the Community Associations Institute serving on the Quorum Editorial Committee. Outside of work, Dan likes spending time with his family, cooking, and getting fresh air.
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Tammy Brende
CMCA, AMS, General Manager at FirstService Residential, Altavista Condominiums at Ballston Metro CenterTammy Brende has ten years of on-site community management experience and has earned the CMCA and AMS professional designations from CAI. She currently manages the Altavista Condominiums at Ballston Metro Center. She has been a member of CAI since 2015 and serves on the Golf and Events Committees. Tammy is always available to colleagues and is a valued leader on the FirstService High-Rise team focusing on accountability, building great relationships, and doing what’s right. She continues to assist colleagues with their education and career goals, and serves on the FirstService Residential, DC Metro Social Committee.
Mira Brown
Director of Internal Operations at Ejf Real Estate ManagementMira Brown serves as the Director of Internal Operations at EJF Real Estate and has worked in Community Association Management for over 20 years. She manages a team of Community Association Managers for EJF as well as handling compliance and IT matters. She is the proud holder of CAI’s PCAM® designation and is an active participant in the Washington Metro Chapter of Community Associations Institute serving on committees and teaching programs.
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Nick Casey
CMCA, AMS Community Manager at EJF Real EstateNick Casey, a community manager and pod leader at EJF Real Estate, is passionate about building science and helping clients achieve greater efficiency and reliability from their mechanical systems. He primarily manages large condo associations in the District of Columbia. Originally from Ohio, Nick graduated from Denison University. After working on the Clinton and Obama presidential campaigns, Nick moved to DC in 2009. He managed commercial office space for the Center for American Progress before managing community associations at Tilton Bernstein and The New Washington Land Company. He joined EJF in 2022.
Crystal Coats, MBA, CMCA, AMS, PCAM
Business Development/Sales at Paul Davis Restoration of Suburban Maryland & D.CCrystal chairs the Public Outreach Committee supporting the Community Association of Year contest annually. As an active member of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of Community Associations Institute (WMCCAI), she helps connect charitable initiatives and programs of the chapter directly to communities and community association professionals. She has worked in the working community association industry since 2011Crystal currently works in Business Development with Paul Davis Restoration of Suburban Maryland. She stepped into a business partner role after spending several years leading teams of Community Managers and community associations as a management company executive. Her diverse industry experience helps cultivate connection amongst the members. She has a passion for providing valuable education and charitable opportunities to members.
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Eric Collins
CEO of Becht Engineering, Inc.Eric C. Collins, P.E. is the President of Becht Engineering BT, Inc. He is a Professional Engineer licensed in 10 states and the District of Columbia. Mr. Collins has over twenty-seven years of mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection (MEP&FP) system engineering and design experience including multi-family residential, mixed-use complexes, government buildings, institutional and educational facilities, commercial developments and healthcare facilities. Prior to becoming President of the firm he lead Becht's MEP Divisions for the past 10 years, overseeing the bulk of the firm's MEP&FP design work. That work included new construction, renovation of existing buildings, and in the specific case of Community Associations, upgrades to existing MEP&FP infrastructure. Mr. Collins has taught at both the Chapter and National levels of CAI and is a member of the Foundation for Community Association Research's Think Tank.
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Marla Diaz
Esq at WhitefordMarla Diaz, Esq., divides her practice between general civil litigation and general counsel representation of community associations in Virginia. She has represented community associations for more than fifteen years and regularly advises community association boards on various issues, including governance, fair housing issues, contracts, construction defects, and litigation. She has taught programs at the CAI National Law Conference, the Washington Metro and Southeastern Virginia Chapters of CAI, and the Virginia Leadership Retreat.
Bruce Easmunt
Attorney at Chadwick, Washington, Moriarty, Elmore & Bunn, P.C.Bruce H. Easmunt is a shareholder in the firm’s Fairfax office. His practice is entirely devoted to community association representation. He has previously served as president of the Carr at New Providence Condominium Unit Owners’ Association and as a director of the Lakeford Community Association in Falls Church, VA. Bruce is an active volunteer with the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of CAI, and was elected to serve on the Board of Directors in 2012. He was president of the WMCCAI Board of Directors in 2017 and has authored multiple articles in Quorum, presented at numerous CAI education seminars and served as co-chair of the WMCCAI Outreach Committee. He was awarded the WMCCAI Rising Star Award in 2011, the Committee Chair of the Year award in 2012, the Educator of the Year award in 2015, and the Outgoing President’s award in 2017.
Todd El-Taher
Hann & Hann Construction ServicesTodd is the Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Hann & Hann Construction Services and has been working in the trades since 1987 and with the firm since 2005. He is the Education Council Chair for the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of CAI. Todd is also an inventor, having received multiple patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, holds a BA Cum laude, in International Relations from Canisius University in Buffalo, NY, and is a US Army Veteran.
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Yaida Ford
Ford Law Pros, P.CYAIDA FORD is the managing principal of FORD LAW PROS PC. Yaida practices civil rights law, real estate law, employment law, and estate planning. A highly skilled trial lawyer, Yaida is admitted in nine different courts and has appeared in 105 cases and four appeals. Yaida speaks regularly about qualified immunity, trial preparation strategies and more.
She also handles landlord/tenant, governance, transfer of title, and unit owner grievances. On January 3, 2022, Yaida began her term on the Judicial Nomination Commission for the District of Columbia. In 2024, she was elected to serve as the Vice President of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association. She is also a Board Member for the Washington Council of Lawyers and is an active member of the National Police Accountability Project. She is a policy writer and has drafted legislation that focuses on police reform in DC, Maryland and Virginia. In 2020, Yaida ran for a DC Council seat in Ward 8.
Catherine Fulkerson
Principal at Points North Strategies LLCCate Fulkerson, Principal of Points North Strategies, who has over 30 years’ experience as a leader and CEO in the nonprofit sector. Cate leverages her education in Public Administration, CMCA, EBP, and professional experience to expertly guide clients in matters related to board governance and policy development. In addition, she provides comprehensive strategic planning, community survey services, project management, meeting facilitation, board training, and leadership development with an emphasis on positive and strengths-based leadership. In addition to being a member of BoardSource, Cate is a member of CAI and serves as the Treasurer of her 52-unit HOA in Reston, Virginia.
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Cristine Gibney
Building Energy Analyst at DC Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE)Cristine Gibney is a Building Energy Analyst in the Building Performance & Enforcement Branch at the Energy Administration, District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment. She is responsible for compliance and enforcement of the District’s Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS). Previously, she was the Net Zero Building Operations Specialist at American Geophysical Union (AGU). Cristine is a US Army strategist turned building scientist, holding MS Sustainable Design and Master of City & Regional Planning degrees from the Catholic University America’s School of Architecture and Planning.
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Chase Hudson
Senior Commercial Risk Advisor - Real Estate at Sahouri InsuranceChase Hudson is the Senior Commercial Risk Advisor for Sahouri Insurance’s Real Estate department with a focus on providing comprehensive and cost-effective insurance solutions for Community Associations throughout the Mid-Atlantic. He is a proud Alumni of Towson University with a major in Economics. In his 8 years at Sahouri Insurance he has assisted hundreds of community associations and expanded Sahouri’ s program throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Chase holds the Community Insurance and Risk Management Specialist (CIRMS) designation through Community Association Institute (CAI) and also the Educated Business Partner distinction. He is a heavily involved member of the DC, Chesapeake and Central VA chapters of CAI, sitting on 4 committees.
Ruth Katz
Community Association Attorney at Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd.Ruth Katz is a community association attorney and Managing Partner at Lerch, Early & Brewer in Bethesda, Maryland. Ruth joined the Chapter Board in 2017, serving on the Executive Committee from 2019-2024 and as President in 2023. She has been a solid and steady presence in the Chapter for over 10 years, winning a Rising Star award in 2012, Public Advocate of the Year award in 2014, Volunteer of the Year award and President’s Award in 2016. Those accolades are well deserved for her service as Co-Chair of the Maryland Legislative Committee and Communications and Member Services Council Chair. She also served on CAI’s National Maryland Legislative Action Committee.
Aimee Kessler
Segan, Mason & MansonAimee T.H. Kessler is a shareholder of Segan, Mason & Mason, PC, having received her law degree from the American University College of Law in 1999. She is an active member of WMCCAI having served on the Education, Outreach, and Conference & Expo committees. She is currently the co-chair of the Virginia Legislative Committee, and received the Public Advocate of the Year Award in 2021 and 2023. She has been a Chapter Delegate Member and Secretary of the Virginia Legislative Action Committee of CAI National since 2022.
Jessica Knutsen
Partner/SVP at USI Insurance ServicesJessica Knutsen has been practicing insurance for 18 years. She has built expertise negotiating insurance programs for Common Interest Communities. Jessica is a Partner and Senior Vice President from the Community Associations Division at USI Insurance. Jessica holds the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) professional designation, the Educated Business Partner Distinction (EBP) and the Community Insurance & Risk Management Specialist® (CIRMS) designation administered by Community Associations Institute (CAI). She was recognized as the 2020 and 2022 Educator of the Year by the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Chapter of CAI. She is a member of VALAC and the CIRMS Planning Committee for the Law Seminar. She is currently the Chair of the CAI national Business Partner Council and serves as a member of the CAI national Board of Trustees. She recently presented an insurance session at the 2024 Law Seminar, 2024 SEVA CA Day, 2024 Central Virginia Conference and 2023 CAI High Rise Workshop.
Rosemarie Linder
Community Manager at Brambleton Group, LLCRosemarie Linder is a Community Association management professional with over 15 years of experience working with developing, large-scale communities in Northern Virginia. Her expertise includes all aspects of association business administration, operations, human resources/staffing, community standards enforcement, working productively with committees and boards, financial management, and association communications. She has earned her PCAM and LSM CAI professional designations and serves as a CAI National Faculty Member. Additionally, Rosemarie has served as Treasurer of the Virginia Legislative Action Committee (VALAC) since 2022.
Crishana Loritsch
Relationship Manager at Sahouri InsuranceCrishana Loritsch is the Relationship Manager for Sahouri Insurance. An active member of the chapter since 2002, she’s a passionate advocate for the community association industry and believes in the power of volunteerism and paying it forward. Her commitment and enthusiasm have allowed her to be recognized as an industry leader amongst her peers, including her induction into the WMCCAI Hall of Fame in 2020. She truly believes that the chapter represents the best and brightest in the industry!
Shayla Love
FirstService ResidentialShayla is the Regional Director on the DC Metro High Rise Team of FirstService Residential. Shayla received her Certified Manager of Community Associations designation (CMCA) in 2016, her Association Management Specialist designation (AMS) in 2018, and her Professional Community Association Manager designation (PCAM) in 2021. Her strong work ethic and eagerness to learn are what drive her day to day. She is an active member of WMCCAI, having served on the Education and Quorum committees.
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Robin Manougian
EBP, CIRMS at The Baldwin GroupRobin Manougian has specialized in community association insurance since 1994 and is a 17-year member of the Maryland Legislative Action Committee (MD-LAC). She also serves as an insurance consultant to the DC-LAC. Robin has had numerous articles published in Quorum magazine, is a past speaker at CAI conferences and law seminars and is a past member of the CAI Law Seminar Planning Committee. She also participates as a CAI task force member to help effect policy change following the June 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South Condominium, in Surfside, FL, and was a panelist at the 2022 law seminar, which focused on the tragic collapse of Chaplain Towers South. Robin was recently a panelist at the CAI National Conference in Lase Vegas, where she discussed the challenges of the current hard insurance market.
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Jenny Osborn
CMCA, MBA, GC, CMI, AMRT, WRT, FRT, TSC at SC Companies
Molly Peacock
Esq. at Rees Broome, PCMolly Peacock has devoted her career to fulfilling the legal needs and solving problems for community associations since 2006, and has been doing so at the law firm of Rees Broome, PC, in Tysons, Virginia, since 2015. Her practice includes providing general counsel to community associations including topics such as enforcing covenants, re-writing and instituting amended covenants, bylaws, rules, and regulations, liability avoidance, and continuous improvement in operations and functioning, legal compliance, debt collection and the foreclosure of liens and judgments. Molly also volunteers for WMCCAI in various ways including serving on a DC HOA Act task force for the DC Legislative Action Committee. She has served as a speaker at various CAI events, including the WMCCAI Conference & Expo 2023, and Virginia Leadership Retreat 2022.
Don Plank
PCAM at Pinnacle Financial PartnersDon joined Pinnacle Financial Partners in early 2025 as a Financial Advisor specializing in community association loans. Since 2005, Don has worked in various capacities within the community association management industry, including portfolio and site management, business development, and banking. He is actively involved in multiple CAI chapters and proudly holds CAI’s PCAM® designation.
Nura Rafati
Community Association Attorney at Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd.Nura Rafati is a community associations attorney at Lerch, Early & Brewer who helps homeowners associations, condominiums, and cooperatives navigate legal and practical matters in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Nura frequently interprets and helps amend governing documents, prepares board communications, meeting notices and violation letters, drafts and revises rules, regulations, and policies, and helps navigate enforcement and governance issues, insurance matters, federal Fair Housing Act questions, meeting procedures and best practices. Nura aims to be thorough and systematic in her research, but flexible and innovative when it comes to problem-solving.
Chad Rinard
WhitefordChad Rinard, Esq. has represented common interest communities for more than 20 years. During that time, Chad has presented to Board Members and Community Managers for the Washington Metro, Central Virginia & Southeastern Virginia Chapters of CAI, and at the Virginia Leadership Retreat. Chad advises Presiding Officers and Boards Members frequently. An active member of WMCCAI, he is currently co-chair of the Education Committee.
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Nasim Saeidi
WhitefordMs. Saeidi represents condominium unit owner associations, homeowner associations, and housing cooperative entities. She also has experience with debt collections (pre and poste judgment), landlord-tenant litigation, business formation, breach of contract litigation, property settlements, and labor and employment law.
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Scott Silverman
Nagle & Zaller, PCScott Silverman, Esq. is with Nagle & Zaller, PC and represents condominiums, homeowners associations, and housing cooperatives in Maryland. He received his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law. An active member of WMCAI, he served as the co-chair of the Maryland Legislative Committee.
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Todd Sinkins
WhitefordTodd Sinkins is a partner at Whiteford, Taylor & Preston and serves as a member of the Firm’s Community Association Practice Group. Todd is a 1993 law school graduate of George Washington University and has his undergraduate degree from the American University. His practice focuses exclusively on the representation of community associations in Virginia and the District of Columbia of all shapes and sizes, with his practice including condominiums and property owners’ associations containing as many as 6,000 homes. Mr. Sinkins is an active member of the Community Association Institute, having served on the Washington Metropolitan Chapter’s Board of Directors from 2013 to 2019, chaired the DC Legislative Action Committee from 2007 to 2014, and again from 2021 to 2023. He has served on the National Government and Public Affairs Committee since 2016, is currently a member of the CAI National Amicus Committee and is a member of the Chapter’s Hall of Fame.
In addition, Todd is a fellow in the College of Community Association Lawyers. As a fellow of the College of Community Association Lawyers (CCAL), he has been recognized by Community Associations Institute for his work and experience in the field of community association law and joined a select group of 165 lawyers nationwide recognized for their expertise in the representation of community association.
Wendy Smith
CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®, Vice President at CFM ManagementCelebrating 25 years in the community association industry, Wendy continues to promote education and self-investment amongst industry colleagues. Over the course of her diverse career, Wendy has had insightful experiences from an on-site manager perspective to international management consultant as well as a portfolio regional manager to both newly transitioned communities and more mature communities undergoing major capital projects. With professionalism and dedication to serving her clients, Associations have benefited from the unique experience and specialized knowledge in the partnership of community association management.
Wendy continues to contribute to the industry as an instrumental member of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of CAI as a 2025 Board Member, former Co-Chair of the WMCCAI Education Committee as well as a contributing Quorum author and participant in major Chapter events throughout the years to benefit the industry and regional communities.
Sarah Steel
Ejf Real Estate ManagementSarah joined EJF Real Estate Services in March 2024 to start the project management division, overseeing capital expenditure projects and insurance claims. With over 25 years of construction project management experience in CapEx projects, retail and specialty use buildouts and new construction, Sarah’s depth of experience is shared with every project she oversees. She holds a master’s degree in construction management and real estate development from Georgetown University.
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Lucia Anna "Pia" Trigiani
Owner at MercerTrigianiPia is a partner with MercerTrigiani, a charter member of the College of Community Association Lawyers, and past president of Washington Metropolitan Chapter CAI. She remains active on legislative matters, coordinating the lobbying effort on behalf of the Virginia Legislative Action Committee. She has chaired the Virginia Common Interest Community Board since the Board was established in 2008.
Mark Walker
Executive Director of FirstService ResidentialMark Walker is an accomplished community association manager with more than 24 years of experience in the field. He currently serves as the Executive Director for a large-scale community managed by FirstService Residential, where he demonstrates exceptional leadership in managing active adult and large-scale communities. Mark holds several esteemed industry designations, including Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA), Association Management Specialist (AMS), and Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM). Throughout his career, Mark has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of life for residents in the communities he manages. His strategic vision and hands-on approach have earned numerous accolades, including recognition of Potomac Green as the Large-Scale Community of the Year by the Washington Metropolitan Chapter Community Associations Institute (WMCCAI).
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LaTonya Young-Lyons
Legum & Norman, Inc.LaTonya Young-Lyons has been a Community Association Manager for over thirty years. While her impressive portfolio includes managing Homeowner Associations, Condominium Associations and Residential Cooperatives, much of her career has been specifically in managing high rise communities. LaTonya earned her PCAM designation in 2012 and has served on the WMCCAI Quorum Editorial Committee, the National Manager's Council and the CAI Board of Trustee. She has also volunteered for WMCCAI outreach and special events; and has even served as President of her Condominium Board. LaTonya is a dedicated professional committed to excellence for the communities she manages and the volunteers who lead them. In her spare time LaTonya is an avid tennis player and spends most of her free time on the courts, serving at her church and singing Karaoke with her husband.