May 2010
Kim Card
A graduate of Stanford University Law School, Kim Card heads up her own law practice in Berkeley, California. She recently wrote UP’s brief pro bono for Davis v. Ford Motor Credit Company and Fairbanks v. Superior Court of California (2008).
February 2010
Debbie Jefferson
Debbie Jefferson is a 2003 Cedar Fire Survivor from San Diego who has been a tireless volunteer for United Policyholders. As a trained volunteer with UP’s Disaster Survivor Support Network (DSSN), she has assisted many people who lost homes in a San Diego-area wildfire. Debbie has been an integral part of UP’s San Diego “Roadmap to Recovery” program, serving as a discussion leader for over two years. Her empathy and insights have proven invaluable to those she has worked with.
December 2009
Dickstein Shapiro LLP
Dickstein Shapiro LLP is a national law firm that has stepped up their pro bono work for UP in recent years, drafting amicus briefs in three recent cases involving important principles including the scope of the “genuine issue” defense and the deterrent function of punitive damages. We thank attorneys Kirk Pasich, Cassandra Franklin, Stephen Goldberg, and Idan Ivri for applying their expertise in insurance matters to advance the interests of United Policyholders’ constituency.
October 2009
Julie Robinson
After surviving the loss of her home in the 2003 Cedar fire with her husband and two young children, Julie Robinson decided to help others who suffer similar losses. She generously donated her home inventory and helped create the generic UP home inventory that we offer free of charge at our website and on our flash drives.
She is also an active volunteer in UP’s Disaster Recovery Mentor Program and has appeared as a guest speaker at UP’s Roadmap to Recovery™ programs. When she is not volunteering, she works full time as the manager of Advertising and Media at Invitrogen, a biotechnology company. In this position she strategically communicates to scientists and customers worldwide, utilizing various advertising and media channels. She holds a BA in Microbiology from Colorado State University and an MBA from the University of Colorado.
June 2009
Frank Gilbert, Esq.
In addition to helping pro bono on numerous matters relating to our business operations and intellectual property matters, Frank Gilbert assisted UP in reaching an informal resolution when a for-profit company was appropriating United Policyholders’ materials and misleading the public. Frank helps protect our corporate identity and helps UP preserve the non-commercial integrity of the information we disseminate.
March 2009
Jan Rasmussen and David Shalinsky
Prominent members of the Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church, Jan Rasmussen and David Shalinsky serve as a bridge between the Church’s resources, UP’s Roadmap to Recovery program, and hundreds of fire families in need of support. Both Jan and David lost their own homes during the 2003 “Cedar” Fire. Their empathy and first-hand knowledge of the recovery process has been invaluable. They work tirelessly and side by side with Karen Reimus and Amy Bach, as well as Jan’s employer; RB United, helping plan and coordinate meetings, speakers, and providing boundless compassion and recovery expertise. UP gave both Jan and David awards at our Volunteer Appreciation event in July 2008, and we feel so fortunate to have them in our family.