Our Team
Jolee E. Vacchi, Founding Attorney
jolee@foundationsfamilylaw.com
Known as "The Compassionate Divorce Attorney," Founding Attorney Jolee E. Vacchi is licensed in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She is a certified Coercive Control Trauma-Informed Attorney by the Coercive Control Consulting Institute.
While being an empowering and calming presence for her clients, Jolee also has the uncanny ability to transform into a zealous and compelling legal advocate when the occasion calls for it. Once dubbed “The Weapon” by an opposing party in a divorce case, one of her favorite sayings is: “Underestimate Me– That Will Be Fun.”
Jolee emphatically believes that the best outcomes for families in legal conflict most often result from negotiated settlements. She is a Collaboratively-trained attorney and Certified Divorce and Family Law Mediator and leverages her expertise and experience in alternative dispute resolution to obtain optimal results for her clients.
In addition to her interests in alternative dispute resolution and settlement negotiations, Jolee also enjoys working on high-conflict cases involving the potential removal/relocation of children out-of-state, representing survivors of domestic abuse and coercive control, and contested guardianships of a minor.
Jolee also prioritizes providing free divorce education and resources to empower clients to make informed decisions. She co-hosts the Divorce Detox podcast and also volunteers her time as a panelist at monthly divorce education webinars with the Vesta divorce organization.
Jolee is originally from Dartmouth, Massachusetts. After graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in U.S. History & Criminology from Stonehill College, she became a first-generation law school graduate earning her Juris Doctorate magna cum laude from Roger Williams University School of Law in 2012. In law school, Jolee focused her studies, internships, and clinical experiences on family law and mediation, which have always been her legal passions. She earned a position on the Editorial Staff for The Roger Williams University Law Review and interned at the Providence County Family Court Mediation Unit.
Outside of the negotiation room and the courthouse, Jolee can be found on her homestead caring for her mixed flock of chickens in the company of her husband and two children.
FUN FACTS
- Studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain
- Self-described “crazy chicken lady”
- Girl Scout Troop Leader
- Yoga practitioner
- Audible and podcast binger
- Met husband in a “History of Horror Films” college class
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Rhode Island Bar Association
- Coercive Control Consulting Institute
- Vesta Divorce
- Divorce Squad Member
- Fresh Starts Registry Expert
- Boston Business Women
- The Dames
- The Sparrow Collective - Professional Partner
Sasha Khan-Mokrane, Senior Family Law Attorney
sasha@foundationsfamilylaw.com
With tenacity and kindness, Sasha is an experienced attorney who always tries to resolve family law conflicts before they get to the litigation stage, but isn't afraid to go to bat for her clients. From obtaining sole custody and relocation to Mexico for a mother who suffered from domestic abuse, to getting a father more parenting time despite his ex obtaining a restraining order based on false allegations, Sasha has seen (and steered!) her clients through it all with compassionate and zealous advocacy. After attending Quincy College at the tender age of 17, she obtained her law degree from Suffolk University Law School, becoming a lawyer at 22.
With expertise in child custody arrangements and divorce litigation, Sasha takes family law to the next level with her top notch negotiation abilities and attention to detail, settling even the toughest cases that were on their way to trial. Always taking a personal approach to her cases, Sasha keeps communication open, while she's constantly re-assessing from every angle and adapting strategy to prioritize desired outcomes. For her, it's not just about winning cases, but restoring hope for her clients.
FUN FACTS
- Enjoys traveling
- Loves a good game night!
- Practices and remains close to her Islamic roots
- Her love language is quality time, and she loves spending it with her family
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Massachusetts Bar Association
Ashley Zink, Family Law Attorney
ashley@foundationsfamilylaw.com
With a brain that graduated Summa Cum Laude in Sociology and a heart shaped by years of compassionate advocacy at Community Legal Aid in Worcester, Ashley brings both brilliance and deep empathy to everything she does. From obtaining a permanent restraining order for a husband who was abused (and was being re-traumatized every time he had to go back to court to extend the order), to helping a single mom get $24k in back pay from a deadbeat dad and negotiating extra child support from his $200k salary, she is truly a force of nature.
Ashley's former experience at Community Legal Aid gained her extensive family law experience advocating for client-survivors of sexual assault and/or domestic violence, including financial abuse and coercive control. Her impressive research and drafting skills also proved valuable when she successfully invalidated a coerced postnuptial agreement.
After growing up in Massachusetts, Ashley attended Worcester State University and credits Sociology for helping to open her eyes to the world's inequities—realizing she wanted to do work that made a difference. She went on to study law at Boston University, gaining her first experience in family law through internships and clinics. Upon graduating, she knew she wanted to stay in this area of legal work. She finds this work tough but extremely rewarding, and loves helping her clients take the first steps towards healing and moving forward in their lives.
FUN FACTS
- Has a 5 year old Pitbull/Lab mix that rules her world
- Enjoys hiking and travelling to places she can explore the outdoors -her most recent trip was the Scotland highlands!
- Loves live music, and hits up a concert every month (or more!)
- Has gone skydiving 15 times!!
- When she's home, you'll find her rewatching the same comfort show constantly
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Worcester County Bar Association Member
- Worcester Community Connections Steering Committee Member
- Massachusetts Bar Association Tiered Mentorship Program Member
- Seven Hills and Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Presenter for Pro Se Domestic Abuse Survivors
Michelle Nicholls, Family Law Attorney
michelle@foundationsfamilylaw.com
Don’t let her angelic features fool you (like it does for opposing counsel); Family Law Attorney Michelle Nicholls is a dark horse when it comes to litigation. Her penchant for attention to detail proved useful when she discovered $90k in marital funds that an opposing party tried to bury in financial disclosures. As a cherry on top, she negotiated an extra $600 per month in alimony for her client in that case. Michelle also succeeded when she not only got her client an emergency motion granted after decades of domestic abuse, but also negotiated an agreement for sole use and occupancy of the marital home.
Michelle's legal career has been defined by her guiding principle, which is above all to help others. She has extensive experience in divorce, child custody cases, orders for separate support, and high net-worth property division. Michelle joined us after working in the public sector as the Assistant Solicitor for the City of Framingham because she missed the human connection of interacting with clients and because she truly believes in our mission: helping people move on to the next chapter of their lives and empowering them to do so. Michelle believes that knowledge is the most powerful thing a person can have, and the one thing that can never be taken from you, and tries to live these words through her work.
After starting out in community college, Michelle paved her way through law school on a full scholarship, also working as a nanny full-time to support herself. It was her love of nannying that led her to family law after she graduated from Suffolk University Law School, as she knew she wanted to have a positive impact on the lives on children and families.
At the end of the day, she wants all of her clients to feel empowered and knowledgeable about their case, and never feel like somebody is just speaking for them or just trying to get the job done.
FUN FACTS
- In 2023, she gave a guest lecture on international rights of children compared to the rights of the children in the U.S.
- She has two cats - one orange and one black, named Crimson and Clover after the song by Tommy James & The Shondells
- She's a huge history nerd, and loves a good podcast or trip to the museum
- Her most irrational fear is birds
- Her favorite place in the world is the beach
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- U.S. District Court of MA
Lori Joyce, Case Manager
Foundations Family Law & Mediation Center is insanely lucky to employ the talents of the "GOAT" (Greatest of all Time) of family law paralegals in Massachusetts in Lori Joyce. With her incredible attention to detail, personal dedication to her cases and clients, and years of family law experience, Lori is beloved by clients and colleagues alike.
As the Firm's Case Manager, Lori oversees all case files and ensures that all attorney and client deadlines are met. She is a financial statement and discovery guru, and expertly assists our clients in the preparation of court required financial forms and the exchange of mandatory documents. Lori has the secret sauce that enables our firm to provide stellar service to all our clients. She truly is one-in-a-million.
Lori has worked in the legal field for over two decades. She graduated from Quincy College with a degree in Paralegal Studies. Lori joined Foundations Family Law & Mediation Center to continue working alongside Attorney Jolee Vacchi after they were colleagues together at a previous firm for over 4 years. Can you say, Dream Team!? We are confident that you will love working with Lori as much as we do.
FUN FACTS
- Master Vintage Crafter, specifically of crochet including baby sweaters & blankets
- Grandma to 2 granddaughters, who she loves to spend time doing "girly" things with (especially after raising 3 sons)
- Voracious reader, especially of mysteries and thrillers
- Has a New Zealandic penpal that she’s been writing to for 40 years (and visited!)
- Loves to travel and wants to visit every state. Her next travel goal is Alaska, to see the aurora borealis!
Chris Vacchi, Director of Operations
chris@foundationsfamilylaw.com
After growing up in Brockton, Ma, Chris attended Stonehill College where he not only majored in Sociology and minored in Criminology, but also met the love of his life in a History of Horror Films class. After college, he worked his way up the corporate ladder of a medical supply company in Rhode Island from specialist to manager over the years, but still felt like something was missing. With all the cases that the firm is taking on, there was a need for someone to manage the non-legal aspects and the team knew just who to turn to, as Chris was already considered an unofficial part of the firm with his undying support.
As the firm's Director of Operations, Chris will be working on implementing policies and procedures, overseeing bills and collections, onboarding new staff members, and building vendor relations, all while also being grounding moral support so FFL can stay focused on building client relationships and positive outcomes. Not all heroes are visible, but we know his presence will be felt through the team's success!
FUN FACTS
- Enjoys camping when the weather allows
- Loves the Live Free or Die State in the winter time
- Plans to visit Idaho, Norway and Iceland one day (not at the same time)
- Working on restoring a historic home built in the early 1900s
- Actively involved in all his kids' activities, including baseball, dance and soccer!
Renee Carlson, Client Concierge
renee@foundationsfamilylaw.com
A New York state transplant, Renee has been living in Massachusetts for over two decades- ever since she moved here to attend college at Endicott College in Beverly. With a background and Master's degree in Education, Renee was a teacher for 10 years before leaving the field to raise her children full-time. In recent years she began teaching yoga, but decided she wanted a bit more, and jumped at the chance to do good with a team of like-minded women and bring her positive and compassionate energy to a new field.
As the firm’s Client Concierge, Renee onboards all new clients seamlessly into the FFL family. With her warm and peaceful demeanor, she is a steady point of contact throughout their case to address any concerns, make connections with other divorce-adjacent professionals depending on need, and to lend an empathetic ear.
FUN FACTS
- Has a golden retriever named River, who is overly protective and VERY vocal
- Lives on Cape Cod with her two rambunctious kids - Henry (age 13) is an artist, swimmer and a runner while Stella (age 11) is a competitive gymnast and dancer
- Loves to read and is often reading 3 or 4 books at one time
- Two-time hall of fame athlete who loves softball
- 200 hour registered yoga teacher who teaches not only HOT, but also some challenging vinyasa classes!
Shameka Miller, Office Liaison
shameka@foundationsfamilylaw.com
- Met the love of her life through social media, and knew from the first date that it was the start of forever!
- Dedicated Mom to a beautiful blended family - she has three sons as well as bonus son and daughter
- Also has two "gentle giants" at home: An English Mastiff and a Black Lab, who keep the household lively and full of energy
- Her youngest son is autistic, which has fueled a passion for advocacy, patience, and finding beauty in the details
Skyler Silva, Law Clerk
skyler@foundationsfamilylaw.com
FUN FACTS
- Has 3 rambunctious cats named Blue, Whiskey and Rye
- An avid outdoorsman, he's taken several trips across the Americas, and even visited penguins in Antarctica
- Trained as a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo
- Big fan of birds (sorry Michelle!)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- RWU Law Moot Court Board, President
- Rhode Island Bar Association Family Court Bench/Bar Committee, Student Member
- Rhode Island Bar Association Probate & Trust Committee, Student Member
If you're ready to work with one of our team members, we invite you to connect with us to learn more about the possibilities for your personal circumstances.
You can also call (508) 635-8965 or fill out our contact form.
