Kristel grew up in the small town of Seneca, Missouri. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas, and her law degree from the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville.

Kristel was a member of the National Network of Estate Planning Attorneys from 2008-2012, where she received extensive training and support in the the area of estate planning.  She joined WealthCounsel in 2012, an organization supporting estate planning, elder law, and business attorneys across the country.

Kristel and her husband, Carlos, have two children – a daughter and a son. They also share their home with their third Weimaraner, Azteca. Outside of the office, Kristel enjoys cheering on her kids, visiting family in Missouri, and baking bread and sweets!

Kristel is licensed to practice law in Arizona, Arkansas, and Missouri.

Deanna is the Founder and President of Organized Management Solutions, LLC and proud to call Empowered Legacy Planning one of her best clients! She currently serves as our Office Manager and a Paralegal here at ELP, where she manages probate, trust administration, guardianship/conservatorship and elder law matters. Detail-oriented and thorough, she works to ensure and promote our goals and to support our clients through her exceptional service. Deanna joined our team in April 2019 and as of July 2022 serves ELP part-time.

Deanna is a single mom to a twenty-year-old daughter who is a sophomore at Washington State University. In her free time, Deanna enjoys traveling the world, reading and any opportunity to spend time with family and friends.

Fun Fact: Deanna was selected as one of the 2009 Top 35 Under 35 Entrepreneurs by The Arizona Republic. 

Mary Ellen joined our team in 2025. After serving as the administrator for her mother’s estate, as well as going through the estate planning process herself, Mary Ellen recognizes the strong need for legacy planning. After long professional in the public sector and world of association management, Mary Ellen brings a wealth of knowledge and customer service experience to our team.

When not in the office, you can find Mary Ellen on the sidelines at various volleyball and soccer events for her amazing grandchildren, spending time with her family, and loving on her silly doodle, Finn.

We are excited to have Mary Ellen part of the team!

We are currently hiring for a motivated, superstar professional with a love of people and systems who can assist with superior client service, sales, and follow-up.  Our Funding & Maintenance Coordinator is the VIP and chief hand-holder for our trust maintenance program clients. The ideal candidate will have a positive attitude as a team-player, exhibit good people and decision-making skills, learn on the job, utilize excellent time management/multi-tasking skills, possess extreme attention to detail and follow through, and work well with minimal supervision. You need to be able to thrive in an ever-changing environment as we continue to serve our clients.

Requirements for this Full-Time / In-Person Role

• Warm and inviting phone presence
• Strong written communication skills
• Detail-oriented, resourceful, and committed to quality
• Excellent people skills
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Must be proficient in MS Office programs (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams)
• Experience with CLIO or similar client management and billing software is helpful
• Law firm experience is desirable
• Background check required prior to hiring

If you would make the PERFECT fit for our dynamic team, we would love to hear from you. Please send your current resume and a cover letter outlining why you want to join the Empowered Legacy Planning family through our “Careers” page https://legacylawaz.com/estate-planning-careers/