Our professional team

dfoster@kccllc.com
310.776.7334

Drake serves as KCC’s General Counsel and Executive Vice President for Restructuring and Mass Tort. While advising on all aspects of the company’s business operations and best practices, Drake leads an experienced management team and is responsible for the creation and execution of short and long-term strategies. Drake works to align internal resources and workflows to meet client needs and ensure successful outcomes.

As a member of KCC’s Executive Committee, Drake helps oversee the company’s strategic direction and initiatives; efficiency and effectiveness of business lines; and expansion into new markets. Over the last ten years, Drake has held several leadership positions at KCC and brings significant managerial and industry expertise to the company’s management team.

As the company’s EVP and GC, with over two decades of experience, Drake ensures a high standard of excellence in client service, technology development and financial performance. Drake serves as an important resource to current and prospective clients on the design and execution of case administrations and provides strategic guidance to KCC’s Operations team to implement client programs achieve efficient, streamlined and cost-effective results.

Prior to joining KCC, Drake was a senior associate in the Financial Restructuring practice at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. Focused on corporate restructurings, Drake represented creditors’ committees and bondholder committees, debtors in possession, post-petition lenders and acquirers of distressed assets. He also has significant experience with corporate financial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, public and private securities offerings, and commercial transactions.

Drake received his Juris Doctor cum laude from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. While serving as an articles editor of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review, he was a member of Order of the Coif and St. Thomas More Law Honor Society, as well as a Sayre MacNeil Scholar. Drake received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Tufts University.

fgatto@kccllc.com
415.798.5967

With over a decade of experience in the legal field, Frank plays an integral role in each engagement at KCC. From fostering client relationships and strategic initiatives, to overseeing settlement administration, case management, staffing, training, and technology, Frank plays both a strategic and tactical role in KCC’s Class Action and Mass Tort divisions.

In addition to supervising the operations of KCC’s pharmaceutical and product liability matters, Frank oversaw the administration of the Porter Ranch Gas Blowout matter, in which over 30,000 plaintiff discovery questionnaires were administered and served by KCC. Most recently, Frank has helped oversee the settlement administration of nearly 100,000 claimants in mass arbitration proceedings across the nation.

Prior to joining KCC, Frank was responsible for the litigation and management of over 100 labor and employment and consumer class action lawsuits. Notable cases Frank litigated and managed include: Garcia v. Vallarta Food Enterprises, Inc.; Williams v. Veolia Transportation Services, Inc.; Levy v. Keolis Transit America, Inc.; Steele v. Zumiez, Inc.; and Davis v. Brown Shoe Company, Inc.

Frank received his Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law, where he served as the Chairperson of the Palmer Center for Entrepreneurship and the Law, and his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Boston College.

bnelson@kccllc.com
310.751.1509

As Senior Director for KCC’s Mass Tort division, Bri leads an experienced management team and oversees all aspects of case management while ensuring a high standard of excellence in client services. She also contributes to the ongoing development and execution of operational and administrative practices.

She brings nearly a decade of combined Mass Tort experience with KCC and work within the mass tort industry, having worked on several pharmaceutical and medical device tort cases including Fosamax, Hernia Mesh, IVC Filter, Risperdal, Talcum Powder, TVM, Xarelto and more. Bri has also worked on several lien resolution matters for the Abarca, Byetta, Seroquel, Shell and TXI litigations. Most recently, Bri and her team have been servicing the Northern California Wildfires matter and settlement administration on various employment misclassification cases.

Bri received her Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, Law & Society with a minor in Political Science from University of California, Irvine.

jpina@kccllc.com
310.751.1811

As a Director, Jessica provides support for Mass Tort litigation by managing teams of Intake Specialists and coordinating the workflow of cases from intake to settlement for several clients. She oversees all aspects of case management and works closely with each client, ensuring that their expectations are being met by delivering detailed progress reports on assigned cases, providing claimant updates, and meeting critical court deadlines.

Jessica first joined KCC as an Intake Specialist and has since served in various leadership roles, allowing her to bring an in-depth understanding of Mass Tort cases and litigation. Within her time at KCC, Jessica has worked on numerous tort cases including Roundup, Talcum Powder, Hernia Mesh, Transvaginal Mesh, Essure, IVC Filter, Metal Hip and Knee Implants, Low-T, Granuflo, DePuy, Xarelto, Zofran, and Mirena. In addition to her experience with these cases, Jessica continues to be adept in her knowledge of present and future Mass Tort cases by attending legal conferences to stay informed of any litigation updates, defense strategies, and factors needed to build a strong case.

Prior to joining KCC, Jessica worked at a plaintiff’s litigation law firm as a Legal Assistant and Intake Coordinator. She was responsible for screening potential clients, assisting with the preparation of discovery, keeping track of numerous court deadlines, and court filings in Southern California. During her time at the firm, she assisted on cases with prominent settlements, such as a wage and hour class action case for hospital workers with a $12 million settlement and a wrongful death personal injury case with a $3 million settlement.

Jessica holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

akashkarian@kccllc.com
310.776.7320

Annette brings over a decade of team management and legal experience to her role as Director of Mass Tort and Mass Action Services. Annette has worked on various cases in the Mass Tort field such as Pharmaceuticals, Toxic Exposure, and Devices, managing many of these cases through the entire life cycle of the tort - from Intake to Settlement. She manages several thousand claimants, creates strategies and workflows specific to each tort, oversees projects and manages several teams while working closely with the clients to ensure optimal litigation support.

Annette is also leading teams on various Mass Action and Class Actions matters such as employment misclassification lawsuits against rideshare and food delivery companies, as well as wage and hour employment lawsuits. In addition to this, Annette is also managing the expansive Class Action lawsuit involving MoneyGram.

Annette earned her Bachelor of Arts in History from University of California, Los Angeles with Honors.

fcordova@kccllc.com
310.751.1799

As a Senior Managing Consultant, Frank oversees all aspects of Mass Tort case management by providing legal and administrative support to clients. He manages and analyzes client data, prepares reports, and handles all aspects of client communication to ensure client deliverables are executed efficiently and deadlines are met. He is responsible for leading teams through the intake process, including medical record retrieval and review and facilitating the preparation and completion of court ordered Discovery Questionnaires through the online portal and onsite transcription services. Frank has worked closely with the Data team to discover innovative mechanisms for the organization and transmission of client files. He directly manages a team of Intake Specialists, Senior Intake Specialists, and Consultants by assisting in their day-to-day operations and handling various HR/administrative items. He also facilitates in the discussion and implementation of various department initiatives.

In his seven years of experience in the Mass Tort industry, Frank has worked on cases including Aliso Canyon Gas Blowout (Porter Ranch), Delano Farms Class Action Settlement, IVC Filter, Risperdal, TVM, Xarelto, Actos, Zofran, SSRI, Cymbalta, NFL Concussion, Bair Hugger, Talcum Powder, Shell and TXI. Most recently, Frank has primarily been involved with the Northern California Wildfires matter and settlement administration on various employment misclassification cases.

Frank holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with emphasis in Public Relations from California State University, Fullerton.

mmanalang@kccllc.com
310.776.7371

As a Senior Managing Consultant, Marianne oversees all aspects of case management by providing legal and administrative support for multiple clients. She manages and analyzes client data, prepares and delivers scheduled and ad-hoc reporting, and handles client communication. She is responsible for leading teams through the intake process, including medical record retrieval and review, and the discovery process. Marianne directly manages a team of Intake Specialists and Senior Intake Specialists by assisting in their day-to-day operations. Additionally, she developed the Support Management Review & Training (“SMRT”) team to aid in the training of client teams.

As a member of Mass Tort’s leadership team, she helps facilitate the discussion and implementation of various department initiatives.

During her time with KCC, Marianne has worked on notable cases including Talcum Powder, IVC Filter, Bair Hugger, Hernia Mesh, Pradaxa, PTC, Risperdal, Stockert Heater-Cooler, Taxotere, and Xarelto matters. Most recently, she has been involved with the Northern California Wildfires matter and settlement administration on various employment misclassification cases.

Marianne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health Policy with a minor in Medical Anthropology from the University of California, Irvine.

vdiaz@kccllc.com
310.751.1491

As a Mass Tort Senior Consultant, Vanessa is responsible for guiding several hundreds of cases from intake to settlement, as well as providing legal and administrative support for the cases that she manages. She has overseen successful outcome of settlement awards and lien resolution for noteworthy cases including Actos, Cymbalta, GranuFlo, and Yaz.

She is the key contributor to the ongoing advancement and implementation of department-wide training materials that keep the team apprised of evolving procedures and protocols. Vanessa is integral to the department’s training and development.

During her time at KCC, Vanessa has helped develop internal reporting metrics and has assisted in the implementation of several department initiatives. Through these various special projects, she continues to identify additional opportunities for process improvements.

Serving on KCC’s Social Committee and Women4Women Network El Segundo Chapter, Vanessa supports the company culture by helping host team activities and events for continued growth of the KCC Team.

Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, with a Minor in Applied Psychology, from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

dralph@kccllc.com
310.776.7325

Diana brings more than 10 years of legal marketing experience to the KCC Class Action Services and Mass Tort teams. As the Senior Director of Marketing and Business Development, she is responsible for the strategy and implementation of initiatives and events that foster KCC’s Class Action relationships.

Prior to joining KCC, Diana held several positions in Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP’s marketing department. Previously, she worked for JVA Consulting, LLC and assisted with several projects dealing with the “Colorado Compassion Initiative” (granted by the U.S. Department of Human Services).

Diana earned her Master in Communication Management from the University of Southern California. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Regis University.

ppassarella@kccllc.com
415.798.5961

As Senior Vice President, Patrick oversees the Class Action Client Services team in Louisville, KY and our Mass Tort division in El Segundo, CA. He brings 30 years of experience in complex claims administration and executive level operations management to his role. Patrick oversaw the administration of the precedent-setting Volkswagen TDI Emissions settlements in Canada and built the infrastructure necessary to support these large-scale administrations, successfully managing over 700 employees in five offices across three countries. Previously Patrick was selected to oversee the acquisition and integration of our Canadian entity, RicePoint Administration, Inc. He implemented plans to merge strategies of U.S. and Canadian offices into one functioning team while leveraging economies of scale to utilize resources across North America efficiently. Patrick also oversaw the migration of class action operations from our San Rafael office while opening our Louisville, KY office. He successfully recruited and trained a full-service operations team in less than one year.

Prior to joining KCC, Patrick served as a Senior Manager in Computershare's Business Solutions Group where he studied the principles of Lean Six Sigma. Previously he served as Vice President of Operations for another class action settlement administration firm, overseeing the company’s consumer division while leading his team to successfully administer over 200 settlements. Later he managed the company’s Midwest regional office focused on improving the company's operating processes and procedures to increase operating productivity and reduce costs. Over the course of his career, he has managed approximately 2,000 class action settlements and is an expert in operations management.

Patrick studied Business Administration at State University of New York in Farmingdale.