Staff and Board

Sarah Dingivan

CEO/Executive Director

Sarah joined SALSA, then CJP, in 2017 as its first Managing Attorney before she was selected to serve as SALSA’s first CEO/Executive Director in December 2019.

Although she and her family now call San Antonio home, Sarah is originally from Mobile, Alabama. Sarah attended college and law school at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where she developed her desire to pursue public interest legal work. Sarah began her legal career on active duty with the United States Air Force as a member of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, where she represented the Air Force, active duty service members, and retirees on topics ranging from civil legal assistance to criminal law.

Sarah is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and a recipient of the Emory University 40 under 40 Award, San Antonio Business Journal 40 under 40 Award, the San Antonio Bar Association’s President’s Award, and the Association of Corporate Counsel San Antonio Chapter’s Lee Cusenbary Ethical Life & Leadership Award.

Robert Mihara

Managing Attorney

Bob joined SALSA as a staff attorney and legal fellow with SALSA’s Housing and Homelessness Program and has since progressed to the role of Managing Attorney. Bob began in the legal profession as a solo practitioner in elder law, specializing in special needs planning.  As a law student, he participated broadly in indigent legal work, representing clients in eviction cases at St. Mary’s Center for Legal and Social Justice and interning with both the Public Defender Service for D.C. and the Federal Public Defender office in San Antonio.

Before entering the legal profession, Bob served in the US Army for twenty years, before retiring in 2019 as a lieutenant colonel. He is a graduate of West Point, Texas A&M University, and St. Mary’s University School of Law. In 2020, he was selected as Tillman Scholar by the Pat Tillman Foundation for his commitment to giving a voice to the disenfranchised as well as his record of accomplishment. He is a member of the National Low Income Housing Coalition and National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.

Joe A. Pina

Staff Attorney – Veterans Program

Joe Pina is a Staff Attorney with SALSA’s Veterans Legal Services Program. Joe has more than 34 years of legal experience. His areas of practice range from Family, Civil and Criminal, to Military and Real Estate Law.

As a retired Army Major with experience in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps and as an active participant in the Veteran’s Treatment Court (VTC) of Bexar County, Joe has the insight and understanding necessary, to assists our Nation’s veterans in the legal affairs of civilian life.

A proud local boy, Joe attended Harlandale High School and St. Mary’s University, before receiving his law degree from University of Texas in 1985.

Todd Tagami

Staff Attorney – Veterans Program

Todd Tagami is a Staff Attorney with SALSA’s Veterans Legal Services program. Todd, an El Paso native, spent 20 years in the U.S. Army as an enlisted infantryman prior to attending law school. He completed his undergraduate degree while on active duty at American Military University and in 2018 retired from the Army. He earned his J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 2021, earning a Pro Bono and Public Service Certificate for his extra-curricular activities.

As a retired Sergeant First Class and former platoon sergeant, Todd believes in taking care of service members and works to ensure our nation’s veterans receive the benefits they earned. His role as a Staff Attorney for the SALSA Veterans’ Benefits program allows him to serve the veteran population and their families.

Tashawna Taylor-Hall

Pro Bono Coordinator

Tashawna Taylor-Hall is a pro bono coordinator with SALSA’s Veterans Legal Services program. Tashawna joined our team in 2018 and has been the backbone of the program during our transition to a full-service pro bono organization. Tashawna has over five years experience exclusively working with underserved residents in Texas, beginning her pro bono services career with Houston Volunteer Lawyers.

Tashawna takes pride in helping veterans, as she comes from a military family. She completed the University of the Incarnate Word Paralegal Certificate Course in 2020.

Miranda McCardle

Communications & Outreach Manager

Miranda McCardle is SALSA’s Communications & Outreach Manager. She earned her BA in Marketing at University of the Incarnate Word. Her upbringing in San Antonio impassioned her to give back to her community by empowering artists, small businesses, and non-profits through her marketing and digital design capability.

She has over seven years of legal experience from working as a legal assistant and business manager in a small law firm. Miranda aims to use her multifaceted skill set to help facilitate SALSA’s rapid growth and commitment to closing the justice gap though creating connections to vital legal resources for those in need.

Alison M. Guillemette

Pro Bono Coordinator

Alison is a pro bono coordinator with SALSA’s Estates & Disabilities program. Alison graduated from Texas A&M University – College Station in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Like many who call Military City home, her family history was shaped by the diversity and experience of growing up as a child of the military. She has 9 years of experience working with legal practices & non-profits in San Antonio; including over 2 years as a Pro Bono Coordinator for SALSA.

Alison is passionate about giving back to the community through her work with estate planning & disability assistance services. She looks forward to the services that SALSA is able to provide to people receiving assistance from The Multi-Assistance Center at Morgan’s Wonderland.

Olga Acosta

Staff Attorney – Estates & Disability

Olga Acosta is a retired Air Force officer and a dedicated legal professional with a strong background in estate planning and probate. She previously spent one year with SALSA as a Veteran’s Program Moody Fellow, where she developed a deep understanding of veterans’ legal issues and provided invaluable assistance to those who served. Following this fellowship, Olga worked for three and a half years with a solo practitioner, honing her expertise in estate planning and probate law. Olga has been a dependable volunteer attorney with SALSA consistently striving to ensure that all individuals have access to the legal support they need.

Casey Dunn

Staff Attorney – Pro Se Assistance

Casey is a Staff Attorney who focuses her work for SALSA on Pro Se Assistance efforts. Casey went to St. Mary’s University for her Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Jurisprudence from St. Mary’s University School of Law. Casey graduated with a Pro Bono and Public Service Award in recognition of her commitment to justice and outstanding pro bono service in the community.

Although Casey grew up in a small town in Michigan, San Antonio has become her home. Casey is excited to be a part of SALSA and serve the San Antonio community.

Mónica Palma

Legal Fellow / Staff Attorney – Estates & Disability

Mónica Palma, SALSA’s first Equal Justice Works Fellow, leads the legal home at the Multi-Assistance Center (MAC) at Morgan’s Wonderland. Mónica is a proud Colombian-American and grew up in Connecticut. Mónica attended the University of Hartford for undergrad majoring in special education, prior to teaching in public, private, and charter schools. Mónica later earned her Master of Education at Texas State University where she graduated with a concentration in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Mónica obtained her board certification in behavior analysis and as a BCBA served as the director of clinical operations for an ABA clinic in San Antonio, TX. Mónica then decided to pursue a law degree so that she could better serve the special needs community she loves. Mónica graduated in May of 2023 from St. Mary’s University School of Law earning the Dean’s Award, Adele Advocate for the Poor Award, and the Catherine Stone Rock of Justice Award. Mónica is on the Board of Directors of Mission Alpha Advocacy (MAA), a non-profit advocating for world class healthcare for military families.  

Mónica is thrilled through Equal Justice Works and the sponsorship of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation (TAJF) to be leveraging the collective-impact model to provide effective legal services and education to the special needs community at the MAC at Morgan’s Wonderland.