Page 7 - Pierce County Lawyer - January February 2025

PRESIDENT'S PAGE B Y C AT H E R I N E C A S E
Humble Beginnings to Imposter Syndrome
to TPCBA President
I will focus on my goals;
to increase membership,
and to increase TPCBA
connection
with our community,
because the
Tacoma-Pierce County
community
is what matters most.
On the eve of becoming TPCBA's
Immediate Past President, I
am still in awe that I am in this
position. It is such an honor, and I hope
to continue my work in my new role,
helping our membership and community.
Sometimes I struggle with ‘imposter
syndrome’, as if I don’t belong in this
position. I worry about what people
would think if they knew how I grew up
or what my life was like before I became
an attorney. Then I must remember I
worked hard to get here in life, and it is
ok to come from humble beginnings. I
worked extremely hard to get where I
am now, and it should be something to
celebrate.
As the child of an enlisted serviceman,
I grew up knowing what it was like to
have nothing, or not much. My parents
had 6 kids to take care of on a very small
income. They did their best to make sure
all of our needs were met, especially after
my dad retired and had to work at a Pizza
Hut. The moments when we got ‘extras’
were few. It wasn’t a bad childhood, I
had my family, a lot of friends, and I
played outside a lot. Climbing high into
evergreen trees in Spanaway was a daily
event. Luckily our tree forts were very
safe by standards of a bunch of kids, so
falls didn’t occur much. To tell we come
from humble beginnings could very
well be an understatement. I think those
beginnings helped me with this past
year and the work I did for TPCBA. I
understand that our community includes
many underprivileged children who need
our support as professionals. It is our
duty as members to participate in events
that directly support our community. We
must give back.
My childhood made me aware of how
important money is in this world and
how far a dollar can go. I started working
the week I turned 16, and I’ve never
stopped. Budgets are not an unfamiliar
thing. Stretching money to make sure
necessities are paid while trying to make
sure life is enjoyed is a hard task. The
TPCBA budget covered many things,
but membership income is the key to
keeping our TPCBA afloat. I’ve focused
on limiting frivolous spending, but
still investing money into membership
events to help the goal of growing our
community. The 2025 TPCBA Board
will continue to work on growing our
membership and maintaining a healthy
budget.
Adding to my origin story, I also wouldn’t
say I took the most direct route to get
here. I didn’t go straight to college. In
fact, it took me a long time to obtain my
BA, not just my JD. Juggling relationships
and children along the way added
extra speedbumps. I have to remember
that although we set goals, the way to
achieve those goals may include many
different routes and most routes have
speedbumps. Nothing is wrong with
taking a longer route, as long as that
teaches you some important lessons in
life. This year went by so fast and the
route I took to here may not be the most
direct, but many lessons were learned
that will help me in my continued work
as Past President this year.
While you are reading this article,
Elizabeth Johnson will be charting her
path as the new TPCBA President. The
TPCBA Board will be working on our
continued efforts to maintain the budget
and ensure the spending is thoughtful
and deliberate. I know I will be working
as Past President to plan the 2025 Bar
Convention with the ultimate goal to
provide some meaningful connection
for our members and their families. I
will also focus on my goal to increase
membership and enhance TPCBA
outreach to our community, because
the Tacoma-Pierce County community
matters.
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