Melinda Sue Eggert
Sue is a senior paralegal supervisor who has lived in the Tampa Bay area since 1980 and has worked in the legal field since 1980. Sue previously worked as a legal assistant and paralegal at Holland & Knight and Hill Ward Henderson, two large Tampa-based law firms. She has focused on adoption since 1993 and has been Jeanne’s “right hand” since the inception of the firm with an unsurpassable dedication to her career and the clients we serve.
Sue is primarily responsible for termination of parental rights proceedings, contested matters, and training law firm and agency personnel. Sue has been heavily involved in some of the most significant adoption cases in Florida and has participated in over a thousand adoptions. She is married, has an adult son and daughter, and is enjoying her five grandchildren.
Daneille Stewart
Daneille joined the firm in 2002 and is a paralegal who works in the Naples office, handling the needs of our clients in Southwest Florida. Daneille has been working in the legal system since 1983 and received her paralegal certificate of completion from Florida International University in 1986. She received her Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) status in 1987 from the National Association of Legal Assistants and in 1988 from the Florida Association of Legal Assistants. Daneille is also a Florida Registered Paralegal.
Daneille received an Associate in Arts Degree in Criminology from Edison Community College in 1996 and received a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Criminology from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2006. Daneille is an associate member of the Collier County Bar Association. Daneille was a founding member of the Adoption Task Force of Southwest Florida, Inc. (ATFSF) and held numerous officer positions of the organization over the years. She has been featured in Florida Legal Assistant Today and the Naples Daily News. Daneille is married with three children, all of whom are adopted, and is a licensed foster parent.
Meredith Moore
Meredith joined our firm in 2021 as a Paralegal at our Tampa headquarters and now leads our Orlando office as the primary Paralegal. She brings a wealth of experience and compassion to her role, which focuses primarily on cases involving children six months and older. Her areas of concentration with the firm include relative termination of parental rights and adoption proceedings, DCF interventions, appeals, and other contested matters.
Originally from the Midwest, Meredith relocated to Florida in 2020. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Sport Management and Legal Studies from Central Michigan University and a Master of Science in Administration, which she earned in 2020. During her academic journey, she worked in NCAA Division I Athletic Compliance, where she supported student-athletes, coaches, and administrators across the country.
Meredith’s long-term goal is to attend law school and earn her Juris Doctor. Her background in compliance and legal studies, combined with her genuine passion for helping families, makes her an invaluable part of our team. Known around the office for her warm demeanor and sharp legal mind, Meredith is committed to providing excellent support to our attorneys and the clients we serve.
Outside of work, she embraces her role as the “fun aunt” and cherishes time with her niece and nephews.
Briana Leonard
Briana joined the firm in January 2025 and serves as a paralegal in the Tampa office. A proud graduate of Florida State University, where she studied business and cheered on the Noles as a member of the FSU cheerleading team, Briana brings both dedication and energy to her work. She plays a key role in handling contested stepparent adoptions, foster care finalizations, search and reunion matters, and assisted reproductive technology (ART) and surrogacy cases, providing compassionate and detail-oriented support to clients throughout their family-building journeys.
April Abastillas
April Abastillas a dedicated legal professional with a strong background in litigation and administrative law. She is a passionate and purpose-driven legal professional with experience in legal research, public service and judicial decision-making. With a background in both law and marketing, she brings a unique blend of analytical thinking and people skills to every role. Whether it’s drafting pleadings, assisting in court processes, or engaging with clients, April is committed to using her voice and skills to advocate for justice and serve those in need.
Lisa M. Weiskopf
Lisa was with the Tampa office of Tate Healey Webster for over 18 years as a paralegal responsible for stepparent, relative, second parent, adult, older child adoptions, name changes, terminations of parental rights and adoption finalizations. In May 2019, she returned as a paralegal/administrative assistant and paralegal liaison. As a paralegal, she is responsible for working in the area of surrogacy and finalization of adoptions, and the liaison to the other paralegals in the Orlando and Naples offices.
Jessica Watkins
Jessica is a dedicated professional and Army Veteran with a diverse background in the legal field. She has been with the Tampa Office of Tate Healey Webster since 2024. She holds a Bachler’s Degree in Political Science from Columbus State University. Jessica’s main areas of responsibility is assisting with newborn adoptions, a liaison between Birth Mothers and the Law Firm and assisting with Paralegal duties.
Stephany Norman
Stephany Norman brings extensive experience in office administration and client relations to her role as Office Manager. With a strong background in business management and a passion for supporting families through the adoption and assisted reproductive journey, Stephany ensures the firm runs smoothly behind the scenes.
Fluent in Spanish, Stephany is dedicated to providing compassionate support and maintaining a warm, efficient environment for clients and staff alike.
Kristin Petersen
Kristin joined Jeanne T. Tate P.A. in February 2020 as the Accounting and Executive Assistant. Kristin graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. She brings over ten years of administrative experience to our team. As an adoptive parent of two wonderful sons, Kristin is passionate about adoption and loves her role with the Firm.
James Taylor
James Taylor joined the firm in June 2017 as the in-house IT support technician. James now acts as the Director of IT & Security. James’ primary duties include handling all aspects of being the Administrator for Office 365, our server, website, and systems.
In addition, he is the liaison between our adoption agency and our legal team for all this technology related. He is responsible for hardware and software-related issues.
