Meet our Bankruptcy Team

D.J. Rausa Bio

D.J. Rausa has specialized in consumer bankruptcy since 1994. He has twice served on the Board of Directors for the San Diego Bankruptcy Forum, D.J. has helped thousands of San Diego residents seek debt relief with Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies.

After new bankruptcy rules went into effect in 2005, D.J. was one of the first lawyers in San Diego County to shape the interpretations of the new code. His cases continue to influence interpretations of recent federal changes. A lecturer on bankruptcy and foreclosure law, D.J. has been asked to speak on bankruptcy law topics for media outlets such as San Diego business radio talk shows and groups such as consumer credit counselors and real estate professionals.

D.J. maintains memberships in the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and the California and San Diego Bankruptcy Forums. He also serves as a panel mediator for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of California and was recently appointed to serve on the Local Bankruptcy Rules Committee.

An avid cyclist, D.J. spends much of his free time as a coach for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program, which raises funds for blood cancer research, education and patient services. He and his wife enjoy life on the bay as well as rock hounding trips to the desert , scuba diving, and vacations for cycling and running events.

Giovanni Correa

Giovanni Correa is a legal assistant with Steigerwalt Law Firm. He works closely with the bankruptcy attorneys and staff in the preparation and filing of bankruptcy petitions. Giovanni also works directly with clients and plays a significant part in supporting the firm’s commitment to customer service.

Giovanni was born in Cali, Colombia but raised in San Diego. He attended Patrick Henry High School and graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. In the Fall, Giovanni will attend Thomas Jefferson School of Law where he hopes to receive his Juris Doctor and pursue a career in the legal field.

Giovanni lives with his fiancée Janet. In his free time he enjoys going to the movies, spending time with family, boating and fishing with his dad and playing soccer. Giovanni loves watching various sports, but mostly enjoys the Chargers and the European soccer leagues. He hopes to one day attend a match between Spanish rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Kelly Ann Masnica

Kelly Ann Masnica is a certified paralegal in the bankruptcy department at Steigerwalt Law Firm. Over the last 2 ½ years, Kelly has prepared hundreds of bankruptcy petitions, managing client files from start to finish under the supervision of an attorney. With her knowledge of the bankruptcy code under both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13, Kelly serves a significant role in obtaining protection from creditors for SLF’S diverse client base.

Kelly came to San Diego from the small beach town of El Segundo, California. Although Kelly’s husband, a native San Diegan, vowed to never let her return, Kelly still calls Los Angeles home (it is worth noting that despite her L.A. roots, Kelly has joined the Chargers faithful). Kelly dabbled in college softball and intramural sports at Sonoma State University before graduating from California State University San Marcos with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. She now resides in Pacific Beach where she enjoys spending time with family and friends, everything outdoors, good competition and delicious cooking.

Perla Ruiz

Perla Ruiz joined Steigerwalt Law Firm as a Paralegal in September 2010. As a member of the Bankruptcy department, she works directly with all attorneys’ in preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions. Perla is committed in exceeding Steigerwalt Law Firm’s standard of excellent customer service.

Perla was born and raised in beautiful Santa Barbara. She moved to San Diego to pursue her education at San Diego State University, where she received her degree in Criminal Justice Administration with a minor in Political Science. Perla completed her undergraduate degree at Oxford University, England where she studied International Law. After receiving her undergraduate degree, Perla attended the University of San Diego’s Paralegal Program. Perla Graduated from USD Program in winter of 2009.

Perla lives in Mission Valley with her dog Patches and her two cats. During her free time she enjoys shopping, practicing yoga, taking Patches to dog beach, visiting her family in Santa Barbara and traveling the world. Perla enjoys cheering on her favorite sport teams, including the New York Yankees, 49ERS, and the Chicago Bulls and most importantly cheering on SDSU athletics.

Colleen Doyle

Colleen Doyle is the Business Development Manager as well as a legal assistant at Steigerwalt Law Firm. She helps to facilitate community outreach and works to expand the name and image of the firm. She also helps to maintain relations with the firm’s venders. Her responsibilities include the intake of new clients and helping to exceed client expectation.

Colleen grew up in Fresno, California. After High school she went to the University of California, Riverside where she graduated with a degree in American History. During her time at UCR Colleen worked as a middle school English tutor and was President of the Zeta Lambda chapter of Delta Gamma Fraternity. She was also a member of the scholastic honor society Order of Omega.

Colleen is a recent resident of San Diego and couldn’t love it more. She enjoys going to the beach and spending time with her friends and family. As a baseball fan she takes every opportunity to watch the padres. She also loves to take advantage of all the wonderful museums and history that San Diego has to offer.

Pamela Mitchell

Pamela is Steigerwalt Law Firm’s marketing manager and criminal defense paralegal to Kerry Steigerwalt. In these dual roles, Pamela is in the unique position to positively reach the public and generate clientele, while simultaneously handling the clients’ cases once they sign up. Pamela works on both sides of the business process, ensuring that clients are receiving consistent, quality legal services for their respective needs.

Pamela graduated from San Diego State University in 2004 receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in Political Science. After graduating, she worked as a Manager at an Educational Center. During this time she was called for jury duty and placed to serve as a juror for a criminal trial. After this experience, she applied and attended the University of San Diego’s Paralegal Program, graduating with honors. Her exceptional education has translated well in the legal field, as she competently handles a variety of criminal defense matters. Regardless of your potential case, Pamela has the experience to assist the attorney’s in reaching a positive resolution. Additionally, Pamela is extremely personable, providing an element of comfort for clients through the difficult legal process.

Pamela was born and raised in Southern California. She loves to travel and see new places. She has lived in Thailand and traveled the Pacific Rim by ship. When Pamela is not at work you will find her on the beach, surfing, playing softball, attending Padres games, and spending time with her family and friends.

Jeffrey Curtis

Jeffrey Curtis is the Senior Case Manager at Steigerwalt Law Firm. He has nearly twenty years of experience in the legal field which he is able to apply to his daily responsibilities. Jeff comes to the office with not only experience, but a positive outlook on situations in order to provide the best client service to every person that walks through our doors. He ensures that every client can walk away from our firm with their questions answers, worries eliminated and with a sense of hope moving forward.

Jeff came out to San Diego in 1986 from the bay area for vacation and never went back. He started out as a chef at the Kona Grill and Bar in Solana Beach and worked as a life guard for the City of Solana Beach. Shortly after, he got his start at working for a law firm in 1992 and has been in the field ever since. He has helped thousands of clients deal with bankruptcy and criminal matters. Throughout the years many changes have taken place when it comes to different financial situations that clients have found themselves in. Jeff has always been there to assist in any way that is beneficial to the client’s needs. Jeff helps to implement debt negotiation as an alternative to bankruptcy.

In his spare time he enjoys to relive his career of the past, cooking. He is known around the office for his delicious home cooked meals and is always generously sharing with the staff. He also enjoys playing golf and spending time with family and friends. Jeff is married with two daughters and lives in Encinitas.

Holly Blevins

Holly Blevins is the Firm Manager at Steigerwalt Law Firm. She works directly with staff, customers, and vendors. She oversees daily operations, bookkeeping, human resources, and management.

Holly graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University with a degree in Business Administration, and a concentration in Management.

Holly is thrilled to work with such a great team at SLF. When she is out of the office she enjoys consulting, volunteering with high school youth, and exploring San Diego. Her favorite hobbies include hiking, cooking, art projects, vintage shopping, fishing, and of course, watching football.