CAALA’S All-Star Lineup

If you are a CAALA Member, this is a must-read

2016 September

There is a good chance you are reading this at CAALA’s Vegas Convention. If so, do me a favor.  When you see any of the individuals below at the convention, introduce yourself and tell them “Thank you.”  “Thank you for what?” you ask? 

Well, for starters, here are a few things:  CAALA is the largest local trial association in the U.S., with over 3000 members; CAALA will put on close to 100 events/seminars for its members this year; CAALA has over 2000 lawyers participating on its list serve; and the Vegas convention is indisputably the biggest and best trial lawyer convention in the U.S. The bottom line is this: CAALA is the platinum-standard for trial lawyer associations. 

Do all these things just happen? Uh, no. Not even close. CAALA’s staff consists of seven incredibly dedicated folks who work extremely hard to make this organization what it is. I want to acknowledge them and tell you something about each of them:

Here is your All-Star CAALA lineup (hey, it’s baseball season):

The Key Leadoff Hitters:

Margie Ruiz

Position: Membership Administrator

Started with CAALA: 1984

Did you know?  Margie started working at CAALA at age 18! She loves disco music and her favorite singer is Sade. She is such a loyal person that her best friend now was her close friend in elementary school. She loves horses.  She loves sports. She comes from a big, very tight-knit family. Heck, she works with her sister!

 

Martha Ruiz

Position: Office Administrator

Started with CAALA:  1982

Did you know? Martha and Margie are sisters. Martha loves horses and dogs. She travels to as many national parks and lakes as possible. She is a true nature lover. She spent time living on a rural ranch with relatives. She can milk a cow, no problem. But ... she also is addicted to shopping.

The Crucial Heart of the Lineup:

Kwedi Moore

Position: Affiliate and Sponsorship Director

Started with CAALA:  2009

Did you know? Kwedi is a big music fan and loves attending music festivals. She attended President Obama’s first inauguration .... and intends to be at Hillary’s. Kwedi is a fabulous baker. Her peach cobbler is the best ever. Her pound cake is second only to David Hoffman’s! (by her own admission).

 

Liz Hagan

Position: Membership Manager

Started with CAALA:  2006

Did you know? Liz loves everything about the beach and summertime. She has a passion for writing. Combine those two things and it makes sense that she has an amazing blog called “Urban Beach Baby − raising a surf & sand baby” (UrbanBeachBaby.com).  Liz is a wannabe yoga guru and tennis pro. But mostly she is a proud mama of a sassy beach girl!

 

Bill Smith

Position:  Finance Director

Started with CAALA: 1997

Did you know? Bill was a big-time baseball player and was on the verge of signing with the Expos or Padres when he blew out his arm pitching. Major League Baseball’s loss was CAALA’s gain. Bill is into punk rock and hard rock music. He’s attended over 200 concerts. He’s a whiz with numbers. And, he’s the most humble guy you will ever meet.

The Sluggers:

Cindy Cantu

Position: Deputy Director

Started with CAALA: 1997

Did you know? Cindy is Texas born and raised. She attended Boston University and studied in Spain during her junior year, then spent a year backpacking through Central America after college (from Honduras, into Mexico, up to Texas). She loves country music, which is why you will find her at Stagecoach (the Coachella for country music) every year. She came to LA in 1991 and worked for the LA County Bar Association for 6 years, until CAALA stole her away. Greatest steal ever.

 

Stuart Zanville

Position: Executive Director

Started with CAALA: 2004

Did you know? In 1968 Stuart was a reporter for a Chicago radio station and covered the Democratic National Convention. When the riots broke out, he was tear gassed with the protesters. He went on to become the Public Relations Director for your L.A. Lakers in 1972 − yup, the year they won it all. He has the championship ring to prove it. He even drove Wilt to practices sometimes. He went on to do PR and marketing for the Harlem Globetrotters, Santa Anita Racetrack, Knott’s Berry Farm, and Universal Studios. He’s a huge USC fan, loves the NBA and MLB, and has recently become completely addicted to fantasy football.

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CAALA’s motto is “Empowering Plaintiff Attorneys to Achieve Justice.” And that is exactly what these seven people do. They empower us, and in turn, our clients. Most of us could not obtain justice for our clients without being involved in CAALA. We are lucky to have these seven superstars working for CAALA.