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.
Erin Shea
Erin Shea joined our Tampa office as a Paralegal after earning her Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law, where she also completed a certificate in Estate Planning. Erin brings a strong research background and a steady, compassionate presence to her role supporting adoptive families through every step of their journey. Originally from Massachusetts and the youngest of four siblings, Erin was raised in a close-knit family with three older brothers.
She moved to Florida in 2017 to attend the University of Tampa, where she earned her degree in Applied Sociology. After completing law school in New York, she returned to serve the community she now calls home. Her public service work included advocating for Floridians seeking government aid during an internship with the Office of Senator Marco Rubio. Throughout her undergraduate and law school years, Erin volunteered to support students with disabilities, including working as a peer note taker to ensure equitable access to education. During law school, she also served as a research assistant to two nationally respected professors, focusing on disability rights, land use, and zoning law.
Before joining the firm, Erin gained valuable litigation experience working in insurance defense. She now applies that same attention to detail and client-first approach to her work in adoption law. She has a special interest in the intersection of estate planning with family-building and is honored to support clients through some of life’s most meaningful moments. At home, Erin is an animal lover and proud cat mom to two black cats, Lumos and Tarot. Warm, thoughtful, and deeply committed to helping others, she is a valued member of the Tate Healey Webster team.
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.
Heather Nelson
Born and raised in South Tampa, Heather is a proud graduate of Plant High School. Her journey has taken her across various states, including Georgia, Texas, California, Washington, Arizona, and Alaska, from 2001 to 2017. In 2018, she returned to Tampa with a strong desire to plant roots for her children.
She holds an Associate’s Degree from St. Petersburg College and has earned her preschool director credentials, reflecting her deep commitment to early childhood education. Her passion for working with children informs her dedication to the authentic and meaningful work accomplished at Tate Healey and Webster.
Her love for traveling and meeting individuals from diverse backgrounds has enriched her ability to communicate effectively with the public, enhancing her role in the firm.
In her free time, Heather enjoys taking her kids to the beach to watch sunsets, devouring as many books as possible, and exploring her creativity through painting and other artistic endeavors. Fun fact: her favorite food? Anything she doesn’t have to cook!
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.