About Hello Divorce
Welcome to Hello Divorce. We’re an online divorce platform made to help you get through your divorce on your terms — quickly and affordably, with less confusion and stress. And you don’t need a lawyer (but we have them on hand just in case.)
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How Hello Divorce Works
Wherever you are in your divorce proceedings, we can help with our services offered in New York, California, Colorado, Texas, and Utah.
Step 1: Think about how much help you need with your divorce
Do you already know how you want to divide your property and parenting schedules or do you still need time? Are you both on the same page about getting a divorce or is one spouse leading the charge? Hello Divorce can help in all of these situations and more. Watch this video to see how it works.
Step 2 (Optional): Book a free 15-minute call with the Hello Divorce team
The Hello Divorce team is ready to help you figure out the best divorce option for you. Let us know your questions and concerns, and we'll help you choose the best option for your situation. Bonus: We're all really nice.
Step 3: Find the right plan
We have plans for every price point, with as little or as much help as you need. Not sure what your divorce journey will bring? It's easy to add on mediation help, legal advice, or divorce finance planning at any time.
Step 4: Feel good about your next chapter
Divorce is filled with emotional ups and downs for everyone. With Hello Divorce, we take everything down a notch – from the fear to the anxiety to the price tag. We believe the way you get divorced can set you up for the next great part of your life... so let's make it calmer and in control.Testimonials for Hello Divorce
Meet the Leadership Team
Erin Levine
Founder & CEO
After 16 years as a divorce attorney; Erin knows just how broken, toxic, wildly inefficient and unreasonably expensive the family law system is. Erin set out to revolutionize how consumers interact with the law and provide a kinder, easier and cheaper pathway to divorce. Erin’s access to justice work has been recognized by the legal industry and beyond, with awards and recognition from the likes of Women Founders Network, TechCrunch, Vice, Forbes and the American Bar Association.
Heather MacKenzie
President & Chief Content Officer
Heather is a startup native and digital transformation expert whose executive leadership in e-commerce, strategic content, product development, and brand building led her last startup BestReviews to grow 50x in four years, resulting in a majority acquisition by Tribune Publishing (NYSE: TPCO) in 2018 for $110 million, and full acquisition by Nexstar (NASDAQ: NXST) in 2020 for $160 million.
Mari Tanaka
VP, Customer Service
After managing the recording studio and major transactions for multi-Grammy-winning band Green Day for 13 years, she earned her JD in Family Law and joined Erin at Hello Divorce, where she now makes sure every aspect of our customers' journey with Hello Divorce is transparent, less stressful, and successful.
Duncan Swezey
VP, Growth
After meeting Erin at a female founders event, Duncan says he immediately recognized the potential of Hello Divorce and knew he could contribute. A serial entrepreneur and Techstars alum, Duncan joined the Hello Divorce team after his successful exit at Rally. Duncan brings his deep knowledge of growth and partnerships to build the products and services Hello Divorce’s clients are asking for.
Katie Sadler
VP, Operations
Katie has built her career across a broad range of roles in the e-commerce and media industry, with areas of expertise including operations, strategy, project management, and client management. Through her career, she's worked world-recognized brands including, Discovery, Princess Cruises, Disney, Amazon, Food Network and more.
Our Extended Team
Charlene Daniel
Account Manager
Linda Carrera
Sr. Account Coordinator
Pep Dekker
Head of Marketing
Hannah Drake
Sr. Customer Service Manager
Jenn Fei
Account Manager
Raquel Hill
Sr. Account Manager
Desiree Howard-Ruiz
Legal Coach
Rasha Kased
Account Coordinator
Molly Molinaro
Director of Finance
Melissa Nott
Sr. Editor
Katie Reseburg
Head of Content
Meike Rossman
Experience Designer
Hannah St. Clair
Sr. Account Coordinator
Omta Toma
Client Services Coordinator
David Umstot
Web Developer
Shelley VanRenselaar
Director of Account Management
Meet Some of Our Experts
- Mediators
- Lawyers
- CDFAs & Divorce Coaches
Lori Barkus
Mediator
Lori Barkus is an experienced family law attorney and mediator in Colorado and Florida. She is collaboratively trained and completed the Guardian Ad Litem pilot program in Florida. Lori has been a mediator for over a decade and worked with an extensive number of couples seeking to resolve their divorce and create a successful co parenting relationship. Lori is the owner of Sustainable Family Solutions where she helps clients navigate the divorce process in the most effective way possible by seeking realistic solutions and implementing strategy to help clients achieve them.
Claudia Brown Coulter
Mediator
Claudia Brown is certified to mediate in all 50 states. She specializes in asset division, support calculations, education, and faith-based disputes. She was a public school teacher for 21 years, and when colleagues and administrators kept coming to her for help settling disputes, she decided to attend Pepperdine Law to study the art and science of mediation. Her experience led her to develop different types of mediation and also taught her that things don’t need to be complicated in order to be effective. Sometimes, simple really is better. She is an active member of the Western Justice Center's Program Advisory Council, co-chairs the Family Mediation Institute in Southern California, conducts training with Pepperdine Law School, and is on the Board of Directors for the Southern California Mediation Association.
Neil Forester
Mediator
Neil is a recovering litigator with family law experience spanning boutiques and big firms. He brings a real-world perspective about the realities of family court, having spent the first 16 years of his practice negotiating and litigating courtroom divorce. Neil is recognized as a Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Between and beyond his work, Neil serves as NorCal Boxer Rescue’s volunteer board chair and pro bono legal counsel, which makes him uniquely qualified to mediate dinnertime disputes between his two Boxers, Marlee and Jasmine.
Jennifer Hargrave
Mediator
Jennifer Hargrave is committed to helping families find creative solutions to complex family law problems. While divorce can be a time of escalating conflict, it doesn’t have to be when both parties are focused on finding solutions making decisions for the future, instead of hanging on to old wounds. Divorce is hard enough – having a compassionate mediator focused on problem solving can help you avoid the unnecessary heart ache of escalating legal fees, protracted litigation, and years of mounting resentment. Jennifer is Board Certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, is a certified family law mediator, and is the owner of Hargrave Family Law, a boutique family law firm located in Dallas, Texas. She lives in Dallas with her husband and three children.
Anne Mania
Mediator
Anne Mania has been a family law mediator and attorney in California for over a decade. Anne firmly believes that parties and their children are best served reaching agreements that work for their individual situations. Her experience as a litigator has consistently reinforced her commitment to helping parties resolve their issues without going to court. She takes a practical and solution-oriented approach to all of her cases and her goal is always to help people reach a fair resolution of issues so that everyone can move forward with their lives as quickly and peacefully as possible.
Alice Shikina
Mediator
As a single mother, Alice knows first-hand the difficult road to and through divorce. Some years after her divorce, she founded Shikina Mediation and Arbitration. Alice is a mediator and a negotiation coach. She frequently coaches divorcing women on negotiation strategies during mediations (where she is NOT the mediator). Alice has a background in acting and directing, which she draws upon in her mediations. She is a board member for both the Academy of Professional Family Mediators and the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center. She volunteers her time teaching conflict transformation to the incarcerated. Alice lives in Oakland, CA with her two teenage boys.
Desiree Howard-Ruiz
Lawyer
Desiree Howard brings over two decades of experience to the family law field and has been part of the Hello Divorce team since 2018. Desiree listens, empathizes, and helps clients develop a plan that allows them to move forward with confidence as they begin a new chapter. She breaks down the “legalese” to ensure clients understand how the law impacts them, and she coaches and guides clients through every step of the divorce process. Desiree respects that every family situation is unique, and she values creative and cooperative solutions over conflict. Outside of work, Desiree is a busy mom of twins. She loves travel, good food, the beach, the mountains, and spending time with her family and three dogs.
Neil Forester
Lawyer
Neil is a recovering litigator with family law experience spanning boutiques and big firms. He brings a real-world perspective about the realities of family court, having spent the first 16 years of his practice negotiating and litigating courtroom divorce. Neil is recognized as a Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Between and beyond his work, Neil serves as NorCal Boxer Rescue’s volunteer board chair and pro bono legal counsel, which makes him uniquely qualified to mediate dinnertime disputes between his two Boxers, Marlee and Jasmine.
Alex Meeks
Lawyer
Alex has spent more than fifteen years litigating New York and Maryland family law matters, with many of those years dedicated to representing children. From this experience, Alex brings a family-centered approach and a strong commitment to helping those families resolve their matters outside of the courtroom. Her favorite thing about her job is seeing clients move from being stuck in a state of overwhelm to a place where they can move forward with peace of mind.
Lori Barkus
Lawyer
Lori Barkus is an experienced family law attorney and mediator in Colorado and Florida. She is collaboratively trained and completed the Guardian Ad Litem pilot program in Florida. Lori has been a mediator for over a decade and worked with an extensive number of couples seeking to resolve their divorce and create a successful co parenting relationship. Lori is the owner of Sustainable Family Solutions where she helps clients navigate the divorce process in the most effective way possible by seeking realistic solutions and implementing strategy to help clients achieve them.
Anne Mania
Lawyer
Anne Mania has been a family law mediator and attorney in California for over a decade. Anne firmly believes that parties and their children are best served reaching agreements that work for their individual situations. Her experience as a litigator has consistently reinforced her commitment to helping parties resolve their issues without going to court. She takes a practical and solution-oriented approach to all of her cases and her goal is always to help people reach a fair resolution of issues so that everyone can move forward with their lives as quickly and peacefully as possible.
Denise French
Divorce Finance Expert (CDFA)
Denise French is the creator of and Managing Director for Divorce Strategies Group, LLC. Her firm works with divorce litigants helping them achieve financial peace of mind and make informed decisions during difficult circumstances. She also works with family law attorneys providing tracing, valuation, and other financial expert services. Denise holds the Master Analyst in Financial Forensics and Certified Valuation Analyst designations through the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA). She is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor® and an Investment Advisor Representative under the SEC Registered Investment Advisor Belpointe Financial Group. She is an alumnus of the University of North Texas where she received her BS degree in 1994. Denise lives in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband Tully, and their five children in blended family. She has a robust passion for helping individuals and business owners walk through difficult litigation situations in a dignified manner fully knowledgeable about areas that will affect them financially.
Laurie Itkin
Divorce Finance Expert (CDFA)
Laurie Itkin is a financial advisor, wealth manager, and certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA). She serves on the national board of directors for the Association of Divorce Financial Planners. Laurie has worked on over 300 California divorce cases either as a financial neutral to both spouses or financial advocate to one spouse. Laurie has appeared as a guest expert on investing and financial aspects of divorce on television, radio and podcasts and has been quoted in numerous publications including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Reports, and Forbes. She donates time as a pro-bono volunteer for Savvy Ladies. Her hobbies include playing pickleball and squash.
Jeff Landers
Divorce Finance Expert (CDFA)
Jeff Landers is a seasoned divorce and real estate/mortgage expert with over 40 years of combined experience. Jeff earned his BA degree in psychology from Columbia University and studied law at Pace University School of Law before becoming a divorce financial advisor. He is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA™), Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP™) and licensed real estate and mortgage broker. In 2010, Jeff founded Bedrock Divorce Advisors, LLC, working exclusively with women going through a financially complicated divorce. Since 2010, Jeff has helped hundreds of people throughout the USA with the financial aspects of their divorce. Since the marital home is often one of the largest assets in most divorces, Jeff also founded Next Act Properties, Inc., which provides real estate and mortgage solutions for divorcing and divorced people (NextActProperties.com). Jeff has written 7 published books with 15,000+ copies sold nationwide focusing on the financial aspects of divorce and the marital home, as well as contributing articles regularly to Forbes.com, The Huffington Post, DailyWorth, More.com, Lawyers.com, etc.
Sandra Giudici
Divorce Finance Expert (CDFA)
Sandra A. Giudici is Founder and CEO of Financial Insights & Strategies, LLC, and has over 15 years of corporate business experience. Upon transitioning her career, she worked as a financial planner and then founded Financial Insights & Strategies specializing in divorce financial analysis and financial planning. She is a trained mediator, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, Chartered Special Needs Consultant® and is certified as an Associate Financial Planner. Sandra holds a BS from Oakland University and an MBA from Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. She is a member of the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts, Association of Divorce Financial Planners, and Financial Planning Association. Sandra is a mother of two young adults and enjoys golf, pickleball, and attending musicals, symphonies and ballets in her spare time.
Kim Goodman
Divorce Coach
Kim has first-hand experience navigating divorce and co-parenthood. As a former attorney, she navigated her amicable low-cost divorce to experience a costly high-conflict co-parenting dispute years later. Determined to help others save money, time, and stress by minimizing avoidable mistakes (before, during, and after divorce), she became a family mediator and divorce coach (currently certified in divorce, co-parenting, and conflict coaching). In a safe, non-judgmental space, clients discover internal strength to create their divorce roadmap based on their values, needs, interests, and concerns. By gaining clarity, coping with difficult emotions, exploring options, and enhancing effective communication and conflict management skills, her clients find the confidence to make the best possible decisions for their desired future and those that matter most. Kim resides in the Rocky Mountain region with her 14-year-old puppy and is the proud single parent of a thriving son.
Kara Francis
Divorce Coach
Kara Francis is a former divorce lawyer who worked at one of the most prestigious family law firms in Chicago. Kara handled various types of cases, including complex estates, highly litigated parenting issues, complicated business entities, sophisticated estate planning, and non-traditional income streams. Kara had several contested trials and was responsible for examining witnesses, handling evidence, and writing briefs. Kara also has extensive experience with mediation and collaborative law. Kara is also a divorce survivor – she made the difficult decision to end her 10-year relationship in the midst of the pandemic. While it was challenging, Kara gained clarity and confidence in who she is and what she wants for her life and in a partner. In her divorce, Kara saw the power of coaching and decided to transition to divorce coaching. As a Certified Professional Coach, Kara helps clients build confidence, self-trust, and emotional resilience through 1:1 coaching for all stages of the divorce process. With her professional and personal experience, Kara offers clients an insightful and supportive space in the divorce world.
Tracey Coates
Divorce Coach
Tracey J. Coates is Co-Chair of the Metro DC Family Law practice at Cipriani & Werner and a member of its Litigation practice group. She is also host of the popular podcast, The Tracey Coates Show. Tracey represents high-net worth and high-profile clients from a wide range of family structures in a variety of domestic relations matters, including pre-marital agreements, divorce and separation, child custody, child support modification, enforcement of court orders and agreements, adoption, and guardianships. She also practices Collaborative Law. Prior to joining C&W, Tracey was a partner and co-chair of the Family Law practice group at a Bethesda-area law firm for over 10 years. Tracey has published numerous articles on a variety of Family Law issues and is a frequent presenter and commentator at events and appears regularly on radio and television. She’s been recognized in Best Lawyers in America 2021, 2022 and 2023 for Family Law, “Top Divorce Lawyers” by Washingtonian Magazine in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and “Top Attorneys” for Family/Divorce in Bethesda Magazine in 2019. Tracey is licensed to practice in Maryland and the District of Columbia. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for D.C. Volunteer Lawyers Project.
Can't decide? Talk to us and we'll figure it out
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