Our Legal Team
Helping Northern Nevada Business Owners.
The Legal Guidance Your Business Needs.

Norman Anariba
I am a virtual assistant Intake Specialist for Sierra Crest Business Law Group.
I was born and raised in Honduras. In my family, education has always been a priority. I was fortunate enough to receive an outstanding education. I learned English as my second language with American missionaries and remained in bilingual studies up until high school. I attended Central American Technological University. Here I received my B.S.B.A in 2019.
I started my professional journey in the customer service field and, for the most part, have been in customer service-related positions for the last seven years since I started my higher education.
Most notably, I managed all customer-related operations as a sub-manager for a privately owned public utility company (water distribution), leading three separate teams (customer service, claims handling, and a private cadaster section to monitor city development). I have also had other professional experience as an internal quality auditor for a supermarket chain and as a junior consultant for a risk consulting internship at PWC.
I am passionate about helping clients meet their needs, create a beneficial win-win relationship, and provide solutions that take advantage of the tools at their disposal.
When I am not working, I like to spend quality time with my family and friends, garden, and exercise.

Jerry C. Carter, Esq.
I am the founder of the Sierra Crest Business Law Group. I have known I would be a lawyer from the moment I joined my high school debate team. Also, when I was in high school, my father and two partners started a successful software business. That business enabled my parents to put all seven of us children through college, led to several memorable family fishing trips, and enabled my father to buy his dream salmon fishing boat. The whole family was excited for my father’s success and proud of his accomplishment. In addition, that business employed about 15 people. I am paying those blessings forward when my law firm helps business owners like you build and protect their companies. I take my job seriously because you inspire me and because I know how much is riding on keeping your business in legal compliance, keeping your business out of costly and distracting legal disputes, and helping you strategically grow your business. I graduated in 1992 from the University of Chicago Law School, where I served as a Comment Editor for the University of Chicago Law Review. I received a B.A. in philosophy from Brigham Young University in 1988. Prior to entering private practice, I served as a clerk to federal Court of Appeals Judge W. Eugene Davis. I then began my business litigation career at Mayer, Brown & Platt, in Chicago, Illinois. In 1996, I located my practice in Nevada, where I have represented individuals and businesses as a Reno Business Attorney ever since.

Vanessa Collier
I am a virtual assistant Billing Clerk for Sierra Crest Business Law Group. I am born and raised in South Africa in East London. My passion is my family and therefore my roots are deep. I have always dreamed about traveling and exploring the world but with my roots buried so far down in the ground and my fear of flying, I grabbed this opportunity with both hands to work online. I’m passionate about life and always willing to help. During my spare time, I love to spend time with my daughter and explore life all over again through her eyes.

Bianka Dodov, Esq.
I am a Senior Attorney at Sierra Crest Business Law Group. My practice focuses on corporate and business transactional matters, but I also think of myself as a legal counselor and advisor. From startups to established corporations, I help companies and investors identify, focus, and maximize the technologies, processes, products, and brands that will create the most value for them. I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs navigate the legal challenges that come with establishing, growing, operating, and eventually transitioning their businesses. I am a native Nevadan. I was born and raised in Reno and received my undergraduate degree from UNLV. Prior to joining Sierra Crest, I lived in New York City where I earned my law degree and spent more than 8 years at multi-national banks, where I investigated financial crime. I worked on cases involving investment fraud, broker-dealer fraud, market manipulation, money laundering, and insider trading. Later, I worked in Prime Brokerage where I negotiated complex financial agreements including ISDAs for derivative trading, repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, and other securities financing transactions. (Licensed in CA only)

Alisha Shipp
I knew from the time I could remember that I would be a Public Relations person. I have never met a stranger. I wanted to change the world one relationship at a time. When I was in Junior High School, I was voted Best Personality by my peers. That sealed my future in helping others.
I was born a Midwestern girl in Galesburg, IL and after graduating from Western Illinois University where I earned my B.S. in Marketing/Business and B.A. in Spanish. I studied abroad for a semester and went to college in Alicante and Salamanca Spain. That started my passion for traveling and seeing how others live in other parts of the World. I headed to the Big City of Chicago to pursue my dreams. I lived all over the Northside of Chicago and worked for The Chicago Board of Options Exchange. I traded for “The House” and was promoted to Financial Auditor. I left the Financial Industry and pursued Sales, finding solutions for my clients.
I left Chicago in 1995 and headed to Reno, NV where my sister moved to. I knew after visiting a few times that The Sierra Mountains was where I belonged. My passions are music, reading, hiking, bicycling, and wandering and journeying to places I’ve never visited. I’m the person who went to Peru for 3 weeks with a backpack and “hung out” in the Amazon jungle. I’m a dog mom. Sully “The Beagle” is with me every step of the way.
Making a difference in the Communities I have lived and worked in are important to me. I am a Rotarian and have served as Secretary to Southern IL United Way, a Board Member to Child Advocacy Center for Southern IL and a Board Member to SHAC (Self Help & Advocacy Center) in Austin TX. I’m currently a volunteer in Reno, NV for Noah’s Animal House which houses all types of pets for the survivors of domestic violence.
I live my life with no such thing as a coincidence. The police don’t believe in coincidences so why should I! I believe everyone we meet in life is for a reason. Why I am grateful that Sierra Crest Business Law Group found me. I’m Director of Client Engagement. I belong with this outstanding team of peers to guide small business owners over rocky legal terrain so they can protect and grow their companies.

Maria Gutierrez
I was born in Modesto, California, but grew up in Winnemucca, Nevada with 6 siblings. Growing up in a small town allowed me to explore nature and become a social butterfly. I moved to Reno, Nevada when I was 13 years old. Here I participated in pageants, sports and everything in between. I went to Feather River Community College in Quincy, California. I played starting keeper for the women’s soccer program. After college, I moved back to Reno and to help my father grow his business managing over 200 teams and servicing thousands of players spectators, schedules, requests, tournaments and more. I am the firm administrator at Sierra Crest Business Law Group. I have been with the company since 2019, growing my role from receptionist. My passion in life is helping people and I find that by helping others protect and grow their business’ I can help them and the people they employ. On my days off I enjoy playing and coaching soccer, listening to heavy metal and cuddling with my kids.

Paola Gutierrez
I have been a resident of Winnemucca, Nevada for the past 30 years. In my previous job, I worked as a Victim Advocate and Housing Coordinator. I provided victims with resources, I conducted community outreach and coordinated community events as well as translated for victims during court hearings. I became a board member of Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence in 2020. I was a sales representative and as a reporter for the Hispanic Newspaper. I also worked at a Health Center in Winnemucca, On my free time I enjoy playing soccer, crafting, listening to audible and spending time with my children. I am the Intake and Referral Specialist at Sierra Crest Business Law Group. Helping Clients onboard with the law firm and serving as a resource of unlimited referrals for all of our clients needs.

Mayra Ibarra
I am Wolf Pack 100% meaning I was born and raised in Reno, Nevada and graduated from Earl Wooster High School. I have all sisters which leaves me being the oldest of three. Both of my parents came from Mexico looking for that `American dream` and were able to find it in Reno. I have helped my dad manage is business and doing small things to help him achieve his goal with his business. During my spare time, I enjoy hiking with friends, taking in Reno – Tahoe nature, watching my sister’s play soccer, of course spending time with my family and traveling is what I enjoy the most, from traveling across the United States to traveling to a different country.

Katlyn Mathy, Esq.
I am an Associate Attorney at Sierra Crest Business Law Group. My passion for advocacy and litigation began during my studies at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where I competed as a captain on Loyola’s Civil Mock Trial Team, served as Finance Director on Loyola’s Mock Trial Board, and tutored Legal Writing. During law school, I worked as a law clerk at a civil plaintiff’s firm, where I worked primarily on insurance subrogation and personal injury cases. Professionally, I began my practice working as a plaintiff’s class action attorney before switching to criminal and traffic defense. For over two years, I balanced daily court hearings, case preparations, discovery analyses, and negotiations with prosecutors to successfully defend the rights of hundreds of clients facing a variety of criminal and traffic-related offenses. I earned my bachelor's degrees in Mathematics and Risk Management from Illinois Wesleyan University. I recently moved to Nevada, and I spend most of my free time hiking, skiing, and acquainting myself with all the Reno Tahoe area has to offer. (Licensed in IL only)

Maureen McCue
After graduating with honors from Rider College (now University) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Education, I taught at the high school level. Coming up on my tenure year, I realized that teaching did not hold enough diversity or challenge for me and I could not condemn myself to the unending boredom of “a-a-a-space,” not to mention dictating in time with a metronome. I became a legal secretary to find out if becoming a lawyer was something I could devote my working life to. It was not, but I nonetheless found my calling. At that time, “paralegal” did not exist as a career option. Fortunately, while working in Washington, DC for the head of Steptoe & Johnson’s Transportation Division I had the opportunity to meet various top-notch attorneys who provided training so that I could assist them in non-secretarial areas (such as cite checking, shepardizing, researching policies and procedures for various courts and administrative agencies, etc.). Those abilities coupled with my secretarial skills, computer knowledge, and natural organizational tendencies put me in demand by other senior partners at the law firm. A short time later, Steptoe & Johnson created an “Assistant” position for the work I was then doing and I assumed that position. A couple of years later, I relocated to Reno, Nevada to join attorneys from Steptoe & Johnson who had returned to Nevada, their home state, and started a law firm. For the past almost forty years, I have continued working in law firms in Reno, Nevada, honing my knowledge of personal injury, domestic relations, civil litigation, business formations, contract, and probate matters, among others. In addition, I received Paralegal Certification from the University of Nevada. I love working as a paralegal! Diversity and challenge are no longer something I seek. They just fall into my lap. Almost daily. In my free time, whenever I can find any, I enjoy sleeping.

Kirk Montez, Esq.
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, graduated from California State University East Bay with a degree, Accounting. I received both my law degree and MBA from Santa Clara University in 2000. In 2002, I moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, and in 2004, started my own law practice providing legal services in the areas of business transactions, tax, asset protection, and estate planning. In 2020, I, like many others, found myself reevaluating life and decided to leave my practice with my (now former) partner and move back to California. We each have only so much time in this world and I didn’t want my mom to just be a voice on the phone to me. I am licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in California with an expertise in tax and I am licensed as an attorney in both California and Nevada. And thanks to the miracle of remote technologies, I’ve been able to join Sierra Crest Business Law Group, and provide legal representation to clients in the Reno area.

Karen Nelson
I grew up in Reno and graduated from Reno High School and the University of Nevada. I obtained my B.A. from the University of Nevada, Reno and later earned a graduate degree in Spanish from Yale University. I have worked as a legal assistant / paralegal at personal injury, business, and litigation firms for over 20 years. In my free time, you’ll probably find me reading, watching a movie, attending an art exhibition or concert, taking photographs, or practicing yoga.

Rosalind Pousette
I was raised in rural Washington State with my parents and two brothers.
After graduating high school in 2003, I attended a community college in Oregon, getting my AA in Paralegal Studies.
I worked mainly in the financial industry in collections for various banks throughout the years. In 2010 I moved to South Lake Tahoe and worked for Heavenly for a few years. After my son was born in 2014, I returned to school and obtained my bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies from Kaplan University. While working for El Dorado County Probation as a legal secretary in 2016, I received my master’s degree in Public Administration. I moved to Reno in 2019 to further my legal career.
I enjoy hanging out with my son and watching him play sports in my spare time.

Hazel Rodriguez
I was born in Reno, Nevada, but raised in Carson City. I graduated from Carson High School and went to Western Nevada College for about a year. I ended up helping my mom grow her housekeeping business and left college.
I moved to Reno after meeting my husband, and we have built our lives here for the past nine years.
I am the Executive Assistant at Sierra Crest Business Law Group. My passion in life is to help people, work together with my team, and keep things organized to make people’s lives easier.
In my spare time, I love playing soccer, taking my daughter to her soccer events, watching movies with my family, and going on trips, whether with my kids or just me and my husband.

Cassandra Salmonson
I was born in Corvallis, Oregon and lived there till I six years old when the family moved to Auburn, California where we grew up. Transplant to Nevada and have been living here for six years. Graduated from Sierra College with an Associates in Art and Business Degree. After living in Maui, HI for years, I decided to move home and attended Paralegal School at Oak Brook College of Law. In my spare time I choose to advocate for animals, especially dogs, by helping them get adopted through rescues and volunteering at the local SPCA walking them.