About Merrilee
Personal Credo:
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” —Gandhi
I grew up in the Detroit, Michigan area. I graduated with High Honors from Brigham Young University with a degree in Business Management / Finance and was a summa cum laude graduate from University of Santa Clara Law School. I passed the California State Bar exam in 1985.
I’ve been married for 27 fantastic years to my husband, Steve. He is my best friend and my greatest supporter and I feel blessed to have him by my side. We are raising four sons ages 15 to 25 which means we have a very loud house with two teen-age sons at home! Our family is active in the community and, well–just plain active!
One of the things I’m passionate about is community service. I believe that we are not truly happy until we are giving back to others, especially the young and the needy.
Those who know me best know that my faith guides my life. I am deeply religious and high moral values are incredibly important to me and give guidance and value to my life every day. I’m also an absolute ferocious momma-bear mom to my kids who are so cool. I have to admit I am a bit weird. I have a wicked sense of humor. I consider it great fun to blaze a new path and try new things. Love and warm relationships with my family and my friends blanket my life. And I’m absolutely driven when it comes to standing up for what’s right and working as hard as I can to help those who need help.
Awards:
- Woman of the Year for State Assembly District
- BYU Alumni Association Community Service Award
- Wallace Community Service Award from the J. Reuben Clark Law Society
- Palomar Council PTA Honorary Service Award, Pomerado PTA Honorary Service Award
Memberships: Coachville, J. Reuben Clark Law Society
Background: 24 years in law, 15 years in motivational speaking and practice
Specialty: I work personally with individuals, executives and entrepreneurs helping them discover their true goals and then creating the plan to get them there. I specialize in helping others get unstuck and get movement and direction back in their life-planning.
Top Values: Family, faith, making a difference, integrity, and excellence
Favorite Place: In a tent with my whole family
Favorite Activity: Talking to people and getting to know them and their rich and interesting stories
Favorite Book: Difficult – Charlotte’s Web changed my life, Exodus taught me that a person could change the world, the Scriptures have made me who I am and have taught me the why I am here…
Favorite Meal: Ice cream – all kinds and large quantities (doesn’t that count?)
June 17th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
You are the coolest attorney I know. It has been nice knowing you, even if I called you Melanie half the time. (:>)
BLM
December 11th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Hi Merrilee, My wife (Gloria) and I were interested in the furniture if there is any still available (dressers, shelves and ?). Thank you for all the good work you do, Kevin, Gloria, Emily Quinn
K-858-922-9999
G-760-822-6696
And remember to give Terry Legros (customer service, Poway) a kind word if you see him as he lost everything too.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Hi Merrilee. Your efforts are amazing. I was hoping to gather information about sharing my organization with your site. I am the Team Leader for the Wildfire Recovery Project in Rancho Bernardo. We provide outreach grief and counseling services to the community free of charge. We are hoping to begin support groups as well as provide individual counseling. We can assist folks in finding appropriate resources as well as just being an available ear for those affected to share their story. I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Amy Hofreiter, IMF
Wildfire Recovery Project Team Leader
858-213-5036
December 24th, 2007 at 10:43 am
My mom lost her home in 2003 (she’s also a member of the church). She moved into her beautiful new house earlier this year (http://momshouse.homestead.com) I started working for CARe (www.carehelp.org) who came to So Cal after the fire and saved our families hide (along with hundreds of others) and am currently doing some work with east county survivors.
I wanted to recommend a book called “Emotional Recovery After Natural Disasters” by Singer. It is a FABULOUS book!
Thank you for being so active! Getting information to those in need is one of the most important things that you can do to help the community and it will be needed for years to come!
March 4th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
GROUNDBREAKING –Uninsured Family to Receive Gift of New Home. GROUNDBREAKING –Uninsured Family to Receive Gift of New Home.
The John Oleson family of Ramona lost their home and belongings in the wildfires of 2007 with no insurance to rebuild. Imagine their surprise when Envision Homes, in conjunction with The Rock Church, agreed to build them a custom home. Their response to receiving such a gift is a mixture of surprise, unbelief and thankfulness.
“We want to help” said Greg Bradford, founder of Envision Homes. “Fire survivors must work through a challenging process. Envision purposes to help them every step of the way.”
You are invited to join us for the groundbreaking celebration on Monday, March 10, 2008 at noon. The location is 16572 Highland Trails Drive, Ramona — located off of Highland Valley Road. Greg Bradford and Miles McPherson, Pastor of The Rock Church, will make a short presentation. Light refreshments will be served.
We look forward to seeing you at this momentous occasion.
Please feel free to bring friends or colleague’s along.
Sincerely,
Bob Bourdette
Envision Homes
16835 West Bernardo Dr # 209
Rancho Bernardo, CA 92127
(866) 452-2128 Fax
(760) 310-9086 Cell
(858) 332-2081 Office
bbourdette@envisionsd.com
May 5th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Merrillee, I have read many of your books and saw you speak at the recent OKC TOFW conference and wanted to tell you how much you have helped me in my life.
The first book I read of yours was Strangling your Husband is not an Option. After reading it I bought about a dozen copies and gave them out to the young women in my ward. I was very impressed.
But alas, I really didn’t take your advice too well. I have recently started learning the hard way. I have severe rheumatoid arthritis but to look at me you wouldn’t think anything is wrong. I just don’t have any energy.
I used to be able to do it all - work 60 hours a week, keep the house spotless and take my then young son on all the class outings that we could go on.
Now, he is gone out into the world and it is just his Dad and I. I have over the years made my husband very lazy and now when I need him he doesn’t understand but finally I am letting go and allowing him to have his agency. I just tell him what needs to be done and
wait for him to do it.
I keep my small livingroom and craft room as clean as my energy levels will allow and let him help with the rest.
It has started to work. He is picking up slowly - not all the time - after himself and doing up his dishes so they don’t pile up in the kitchen.
It is amazing to me. He isn’t a member of the church yet but someday I hope to be there at his baptism.
I just wanted to thank you for opening my eyes to the fact that I was taking away his agency and needed to give it back.
God bless,
Althea