Ode to the Bleacher Seats

Sarah Farnsworth

Barney & Barney G.R.O.W. logo

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How did you make the leap from Washington, D.C., to the Padres in San Diego? Tom Garfinkel, CEO of the Padres, asked me if I would consider working for a baseball team. I thought it was a joke. I didn’t know anything about baseball. After 19 years in D.C. I wanted the opportunity to become a part of a community, and that is what I saw in San Diego. It’s an opportunity for me to give back.

You are engaged to marry a retired Marine, and you have a young daughter. What role did they play in your decision to join the Padres? It was a family decision. We decided together. I was working in a job that really wasn’t a career. With the Padres I have a career where I can be challenged, and I am part of a civic asset. Since my fiancé is retired, he plays a big role in my daughter’s care when I have work demands.

How did you get involved in politics? I was living in New York when the Democratic National Convention was held there; 22 years old and just out of college, I volunteered at the convention. From there I was assigned to do advance for Hillary Clinton during Bill’s first run for president. That was 1992. When Bill won the presidency, I was asked to work on the inauguration in 1993. From there I went to work on the First Lady’s staff in the East Wing. I was responsible for planning all events in the Rose Garden, the South Lawn, and basically anything in the White House. And the Clintons were very active, with many events going on!

Tell me about your time in the White House. I worked seven and a half years and left to marry, but returned for the last six months at the end of the Clinton term. I celebrated my 30th birthday at the second Clinton inauguration.

Where did you work when you left the White House? I was chief of staff at the USO and traveled frequently to Afghanistan and Iraq. I was working in the world headquarters for then-General Jim Jones, who later became President Obama’s national security advisor. President Obama asked me to become senior advisor to the national security advisor, so that put me working in the West Wing of the White House. When General Jones resigned in 2010, I was asked to work in the Pentagon.

You spent so much time working for presidents in both wings of the White House. How did you keep your feet on the ground? I never thought of it as politics, but as being part of an historical institution. There was a plaque on the wall in the White House that I passed by every day. The bottom line was “one day you will be on the other side of the iron gate.” That puts it in perspective.

What challenges have you faced? After being to Iraq and Afghanistan, challenges take on a different meaning. As long as my family is healthy, I don’t have any bad days.

What adjustments did you have to make when you joined the Padres? I have had to earn trust and credibility in a whole new profession, I had to learn baseball, and I have had to earn trust in the community.

What is in your future? I’m here with the San Diego Padres as long as they will keep me.

Daniel A. Kaplan

Daniel A. Kaplan is a founding partner of Panakos LLP with more than three decades of civil litigation experience in both state and federal courts. Mr. Kaplan pursues and defends legal claims on behalf of companies, entrepreneurs, and business owners in high-stakes disputes. He focuses on business disputes including breach of contract, unfair competition, trade secret theft, securities disputes, fraud/misrepresentations, and employment matters.

“The best advocacy combines preparation, perspective, and a client relationship built on trust and candor.” — Daniel A. Kaplan

His clients include real estate investors, private and public corporations, and individuals seeking sophisticated legal counsel. Known for practical judgment and strategic advocacy, he works closely with an experienced and diverse legal team to protect, enforce, and defend his clients’ interests.

555 W. Beech Street, Ste. 500, San Diego, California 92101
619-8000-LAW
Panakos.law

William Naumann, Esq.

At Naumann Law Firm, PC, William Naumann and his team have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in damages litigating construction defects, insurance, and government claims. Mr. Naumann has spent his career fighting for people in their hardest moments, from winning $7 million for homeowners after landslide damage to advocating for victims of 9/11.

“We always believe in working as hard as we can to maximize the recovery for the client.”
— William Naumann, Esq.

Combining a personalized approach with a results-driven strategy, he’s helped homeowners associations, property owners, and individuals win against the largest developers, builders, insurers, and municipalities. His commitment is to secure the best possible results efficiently, whether through settlement or at trial.

10890 Thornmint Road, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92127
858-792-7474
naumannlegal.com

Andrew Hall

For nearly two decades, Andrew Hall has helped clients find practical, cost-effective legal solutions to complex real estate and business matters. At Hall Legal, APC, Andrew offers the experience of a large law firm with the hands-on service of a boutique practice. Whether navigating a business or real estate dispute, he guides clients through every stage of the legal process, from pre-litigation resolution to trials and appeals.

“Combining big-firm experience with boutique attention for California business
and real estate legal services.”— Andrew Hall

He has represented a broad range of clients, including residential and commercial property owners and managers, landlords, tenants, homeowners, title and escrow companies, lenders, and real estate agents and brokers, while providing personalized, pragmatic service.

2244 Faraday Ave., #132, Carlsbad, California 92008
[email protected]
760-259-7959
hallapc.com

Charles B. Christensen

At Christensen & Spath LLP, Charles Christensen (right) and his partner, Walter Spath (left), provide personalized, comprehensive and cost-effective legal counsel. The firm specializes in real estate law, helping clients with everything from litigation to transactional matters.

“From boundary disputes to every aspect of acquisitions and sales, we provide full service to clients in the real estate arena.” — Charles Christensen

Mr. Christensen takes the time to understand his clients’ specific goals so he can develop solutions that are as efficient and effective as possible. This commitment, combined with his decades of experience and deep legal knowledge, has earned him and his firms the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating — the highest distinction an attorney can receive — for more than 35 years.

401 West A Street, Suite 2250, San Diego, California 92101
619-236-9343
candslaw.net