Board of Directors

Dainen N. Penta, President

Dainen is a partner with Spencer Anderson & Buhr PLLC.  His practice focuses on bankruptcy, tax, and real estate law.  He is a 2007 WSBA Leadership Institute Fellow, and in his free time he enjoys travel and hiking.

Cynthia Buhr, President-Elect

Cynthia is a partner with Spencer Anderson & Buhr PLLC, where she has an active family law practice.  When she is not volunteering her time with non-profits such as QLaw and Lambert House, she can be seen riding her bike around Seattle.

Roger Leishman, Vice President

Roger is Of Counsel with Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, where his practice focuses on intellectual property litigation and appeals.  Roger previously directed the Lesbian & Gay Rights Project of the ACLU of Illinois and has worked on GLBT civil rights litigation since the initiative battles of the early 1990s.  He lives with his partner and their two-year-old daughter on Whidbey Island.

Barb Rhoads-Weaver, Secretary

Barb is an attorney in the Commercial Litigation group at Bullivant Houser Bailey PC.  She and her wife Heather and son Luca make their home on Vashon Island.

Andrew Kamins, Treasurer

Andrew is a litigator with Patterson Buchanan Fobes Leitch & Kalzer, Inc., P.S.  He and his partner make their home in Seattle.

Amanda Beane, Director

Amanda Beane is an attorney at Perkins Coie LLP where she focuses her practice on intellectual property litigation, antitrust & consumer protection matters, and general commercial litigation.  She and her partner, Anne, have three children.  They are also active in the foster care system, serving both as parents to several foster children and as mentors to other foster parents.  Amanda and Anne live in Seattle.

Beth Barrett Bloom, ex officio, Immediate Past President

Beth is a labor and employment attorney with Frank Freed Subit & Thomas, LLP .  A past WSBA Leadership Institute fellow, she co-founded QLaw with Mike Heath in order to build a vibrant and fun community of gay lawyers.  Beth and her partner Rebecca spend their free time chasing their four year-old son Eli.

Lisa Gilmore, Director

Lisa practices family law at Helsell Fetterman LLP.  When not at work or busy recruiting new QLAW members, she can be found volunteering with the King County Bar Association Domestic Violence Clinic.  She and her partner Larysa enjoy spending time outdoors, playing soccer, going to Storm games and playing with their Bull Terrier, Bodger.

Michael Heath, Director

Mike is a partner in the Jacobson Heath Wealth Management Group at UBS Financial Services.  Prior to joining UBS, he practiced law at Cairncross & Dorsey & Whitney.  Mike co-founded and served as QLaw's first President from '05  to '07.  He is a 2005 graduate of the WSBA Leadership Institute and former law clerk to Justice Mary Fairhurst.  When not working on QLAW matters, he enjoys soccer spending time with lab/chow mix, Tico.

Sherman Helenese, Director

Sherman is an attorney at Microsoft.  He is a graduate of the Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, and also holds an M.A. in Public Policy and Management from the University of Southern Maine, as well as an M.B.A. from Seattle Pacific University.  In true nerd fashion, he enjoys gaming and having Battlestar Galactica parties, as well as snowboarding, motorcycling, and playing soccer.

James McGuire, Director

James is an attorney with the Bellevue firm of Moschetto & Koplin, Inc. P.S. where his practice emphasizes family law, collaborative law, and mediation.  James is licensed to practice in Washington, California, and for the Tulalip Tribes.  He regularly lectures for NBI on various family law topics.  James enjoys spending time with his family, working on his house in Georgetown, traveling, working out, and racing with his dragon boat team for the Seattle Sake Dragon Boat Club.

Kelly Moser, Director

Kelly is an attorney in the Environment & Natural Resources group at Perkins Coie.  Prior to joining Perkins Coie, Kelly was an Honors Attorney for the United States Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources division, and clerked for the late Honorable William Benson Bryant at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.  Kelly is the chair of the Qlaw Banquet Committee.  She and her partner live in Ballard with their four dogs.

Misty Willits, Director

Misty is a family law attorney at Helsell Fetterman LLP.  Misty is the past chair of the QLaw Banquet Committee.  She and her husband make their home in Mountlake Terrace.