Part 1: Who makes up the special sauce of Sage Legal Group?
Sage Leader, Founder & Attorney, Megann Hendrix
Megann is our north star and the visionary behind Sage Legal Group. Combining her expertise in estate planning, estate administration, and elder law, along with her steadfast moral compass, Megann guides the team with a focus on serving others first—teammate, client and community. Her DISC profile and communication style isAnalytical-Expressive (Compliance-Influence).
Fondest childhood memory? Experiencing the 4th of a July as a kid. Her grandfather is a man of many hobbies—and just so happened to put on many of the fireworks displays in the local communities. She loved going to all his shows—running around in the park during the day, then loading up on glow-stick necklaces and joining the other kids to watch her grandfather’s fireworks light up the sky at night.
What brings her joy? Traveling and seeing different places in the world—experiencing other cultures provides her with new perspectives on her own life. And, of course, “Friday Movie and Pizza Nights” with her husband and their son. It’s a tradition they started in 2020, and they all love that time together so much that they’ve carried it on into the present day.
Her favorite time of day? Waking up for a cup of coffee; the very first part of her day. She loves the smell of the coffee brewing, and then sitting down in the living room with her mug to read a bit before starting her day.
Who has made a great impact on her life? Her seventh/eighth grade teacher. Megann is very much a thinker, and, when she was younger, she struggled with focusing on her school work. Her teacher spent extra time with her, teaching in a way that made sense to her. His belief in Megann gave her confidence in her abilities, leading her to excel as a student.
What’s Megann great at? This is something many people may not realize, but Megann is a hidden artist. She laughs and says “I always say that’s what I’m going to do in retirement—is art. I’ll go into my second career after being a lawyer: into art.” She loves making jewelry, candles, macramé, and her own household and skincare products. She also loves calligraphy and watercolor painting.
What does she love about being part of the Sage team?“It’s amazing. We have the same values we live by, which is important. Serving others; doing what’s right for others first. And NO DRAMA in the workplace. And teamwork. A lot of [companies] talk about teamwork, but don’t actually [prioritize] it. I think our team is really great at legitimately helping each other out in an unselfish way. I’ve been reflecting [over this past spring], and for the first time I’m just so happy and there’s nothing I would change.”
Legacy Architect & Attorney, Emily Harriman
Emily is our trusted estate planning, elder law, and family law attorney. She guides our clients through building a sound plan that will serve the client and their families in the present and future. Her DISC profile and communication style is Amiable-Driver (Steadiness-Dominance).
Fondest childhood memory? The family vacations they took during the summer. Her mom was a teacher, her dad in the military. She, her parents, and her sister would pile into the car (plane tickets for a family of 4 were too expensive) and head out for a road trip. From DC, Virginia, Utah, to South Dakota, she loved having just the four of them together to tour around the country.
What brings her joy? Traveling—experiencing different cultures and seeing how other people live. She believes there are so many beautiful corners of the world to see, and she loves how open-minded it encourages her to be.
Her favorite time of day? The morning, especially on weekends. She loves waking up knowing there’s a full day stretched out ahead of her.
Who has made a great impact on her life? Her dad worked a lot of jobs to make sure his family was financially provided for. But he was never not present. He got minimal sleep but still showed up for his kids. He demonstrated a strong work ethic for her, while always maintaining what was most important in the forefront—his family.
What’s Emily great at? Listening. Especially for her friends, people seem to open up easily to her. She says “if you want advice, I’ll give it. But if you just want someone to listen, I’ll do that, too.” Her “finding a solution vs. providing comfort” mentality makes her a great listener.
What does she love about being part of the Sage team? “It’s so rare to be a part of something like what we have at Sage. We’re obviously a professional group, we all take things seriously, we all work really hard, but at the same time it’s like coming to work with your friends or family. It’s refreshing. It all comes down to the values we [share].”
Legacy Steward & Paralegal, Jennifer Braza
Jennifer is our expert in estate administration. She helps families navigate difficult stages after the passing of a loved one. Her DISC profile and communication style is Amiable-Analytical (Steadiness-Compliance).
Fondest childhood memory? She had a stay-at-home mom when she was growing up. She remembers coming home from school and sitting down at the kitchen table to have a snack and start her homework. Her mom would be cooking dinner while she’d be asking Jennifer about her day. She loved that special time she and her mom had together before her dad came home (although he also provided her with his undivided attention when he arrived ❤️).
What brings her joy? Being outside, hiking, camping and scuba diving. She loves the learning aspect of traveling and being in nature—it expands her as a person. She loves the weightless feeling of diving into the ocean, and observing these beautiful, interesting creatures she wouldn’t otherwise experience in normal life.
Her favorite time of day? Right after dinner. When the day is winding down, she’s been productive, and now it’s time to relax. She and her husband will chat about their days, often watching the sunset together on their back porch.
Who has made a great impact on her life? She had a mentor at her first professional job. This woman embodied everything a great leader should embody. “My victories were her victories. She was not at all threatened by my successes. A rising tide lifts all boats.” They became lifelong friends, and Jennifer learned what it truly meant to be a confident leader, treating your colleagues with with respect and empowerment.
What’s Jennifer great at? Baking! But also being a good friend. She’s great at listening and being there for the ones she loves. She’s protective and fun to be around.
What does she love about being part of the Sage team? “It’s awesome,” she laughs. “No job is always unicorns and rainbows. There are always [difficult] aspects to every job. But Megann is a great leader. She’s supportive. She doesn’t micromanage. [We don’t have that kind of environment] where I have to push you down in order to lift myself up.”
Client Ambassador & Office Manager, Stephanie Bachman
Stephanie gets our clients through the front door by managing calendars and planting the seeds for new client-attorney relationships. Her DISC profile and communication style is Amiable-Analytical (Steadiness-Compliance).
Fondest childhood memory? Spending her summers running around with the neighborhood kids all day, then going home at night and falling into bed in total exhaustion. That feeling of sunshine, freedom, and fresh summer air.
What brings her joy? Having time with her two girls and her husband. She loves being in the backyard with them, with the dogs running around playing. She also loves spending time with her friends and reading new books.
Her favorite time of day? The start of a morning, right after a cup of coffee. Or that hour and a half of quiet time after the girls go to bed.
Who has made a great impact on her life? Her Aunt Judy. She was like a combination of an older sister and parental figure for Stephanie. She held a constant and consistent presence in Stephanie’s life, offering guidance and support. She was never judgmental, and has influenced the way Stephanie raises her own daughters—that there is no stipulation for the unconditional love and care she will always provide to them.
What’s Stephanie great at? Keeping things organized and maintaining positive energy during chaotic times. She always practices an “attitude of gratitude.”
What does she love about being part of the Sage team? “I feel very fortunate to be part of the Sage team. This is a great job for doing impactful work for [others], while also working [with] a really awesome team that is supportive of each other. If I could manifest the perfect job, which I feel like I did…I [would] want to do something good for people, but I would also want [a company that cares] about me.”
Legal Support & Archive Curation, Linda Lewis
Linda supports our legal team by maintaining order of our client files. She curates our archiving system so that we can easily access files and continue to serve our clients long into the future. Her DISC profile and communication style is Amiable-Expressive (Steadiness-Influence).
Fondest childhood memory? During the summer, she loved spending time on her aunt’s and uncle’s farm in rural Wisconsin. Staying there for weeks at a time, she loved hiking through the countryside, being among the cows and horses, and wading in the creek. Her father was a naturalist, very in tune with creatures and plants, so it was special to spend so much time in the place where he was raised.
What brings her joy? Her granddaughter. She’s watching her little personality emerge—she’s animated, with a mixture of defiance and sweetness.
Her favorite time of day? Watching the sun set over the water. She loves to submerge her feet in the lake, and take in the peaceful, healing sensation of the water.
Who has made a great impact on her life? Her mom. She appreciates the way her mother raised her; how she always treated her. She’ll make Linda’s favorite meals whenever she goes to visit, still finding ways to take care of her. Watching a parent age is bittersweet, and the time spent together is precious.
What’s Linda great at? Being crafty and resourceful. She finds sewing projects to be restorative. Her craftiness makes her a great problem-solver.
What does she love about being part of the Sage team? “It means family. It means we’ve got each others’ backs. Community and belonging. A sense that we can [accomplish] anything.”