The Tippins’ love story sounds right out of an episode of CSI: San Mateo County. Mahsa was working in the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office, and Rick was the investigating officer in a drug case she was handling. Mahsa says Rick has been making her laugh from their first interaction. “I emailed Rick a list of questions so we could go over them before the preliminary hearing, and he emailed me back with nonsense responses that made me laugh…a lot. At that moment, I grew very fond of his personality. He makes me laugh more than anyone in this world…all the time. If any kids are reading this, let me impart some wisdom: marry someone who makes you laugh. When you’re quarantined together during a pandemic, it’s a lot more fun!” Rick adds that the attraction to Mahsa came on strong. “The first time I saw her at the DA’s office, there was an immediate attraction. I watched the way she handled herself and was impressed. We were assigned to a case together and the rest, as they say, is history.” An engagement followed in 2008 and they were married at Mountain Winery in May 2009 with a traditional Persian ceremony. “I have to admit, our wedding is still the best party I’ve ever been to,” adds Mahsa. “I love being married to Rick, truly. My parents raised me to be self-sufficient so I wouldn’t have to rely on anyone to thrive in life, but Rick adds to my life in ways I could never achieve on my own.”
Mahsa came to California by way of Texas. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Iran during the revolution. While her mom finished getting her MBA in Texas, her dad moved to the Bay Area to start their new life in California. When her mom finished her MBA, Mahsa, her mom and sister joined her dad in the Bay Area. She primarily grew up in Foster City.
Rick was born in Ventura, CA and moved to Northern California shortly thereafter. The first 12 years of his life were spent in a fairly rural area of the upper Napa Valley. He rode horses, had chickens and goats, and pretty much lived in the woods that surrounded his home. When he was 12, his family moved to Napa proper where he attended a religious school through 10th grade and Napa High School his junior and senior year where he played football. After high school, he joined the Marine Corps in 1986.
When the couple met, Rick was living in San Ramon where Mahsa eventually joined him. “When I was pregnant with Max in 2011, we were looking to move to Danville or Alamo. We ended up looking at a house in Hidden Oaks and absolutely fell in love with the peaceful and family-oriented nature of the community. We were hooked and we just love it here. There are so many kids the same age as ours. We couldn’t be happier with our decision to move to Hidden Oaks,” says Mahsa.
A lover of the pursuit of justice, Mahsa received her B.A. in Legal Studies from UC Berkeley and earned her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law. She is a Partner at DeHay and Elliston, LLP in Walnut Creek and defends corporate clients in all stages of litigation, including at trial in different parts of the country. She also serves as National Coordinating Counsel for two corporate clients. “Litigation can be challenging and contentious, so having fun and learning to find ways to laugh with your teammates is essential to maintaining good mental health,” Mahsa admits. Since 2016, Mahsa has been recognized in San Francisco Magazine’s section for The Top Women Attorneys in Northern California. She has also been a speaker at conferences on a variety of litigation-related topics and a guest lecturer at Golden Gate University School of Law. “I am a big proponent of being fair and acting right—those two tenets would save a lot of people, communities and countries heartache and destruction. I always tell my kids, ‘Be smart. Be strong. Be a good person. The rest will always fall into place.’ I follow those words when it comes to my personal and professional life. One day, I would love to be a judge,” says Mahsa.
Rick is the strategic protector of the family. He served in the United States Marine Corps before starting a career in criminal justice. “I was assigned to the 3rd Battalion 1st Marines where I was deployed on a Westpac as an anti-tank gunner. When I returned to the States, I transferred to the Surveillance Target Acquisition Platoon. I deployed one more time before my separation from active duty. After the Marine Corps, I returned to Napa where I put myself through the basic police academy and went to work for the East Palo Alto Police Department, when it was the murder capital of the United States. Then I moved to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office where I worked in a Street Crimes Suppression Team, SWAT, Narcotics, and Homicide. I also received my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Management and ultimately retired as a Lieutenant.”
After retiring in 2018, Rick set out to pursue his goal of being a published author. “The only way I could empower my kids to pursue their dreams, was to pursue mine. I taught myself to write screen plays while working the graveyard shift at a correctional facility. I never pursued the sale of any of my screenplays and ultimately decided to write a novel. After self-publishing my first book, A World Slowed: The Jared Chronicles, I was signed by a publisher out of San Diego to complete the four-part series. The first two books are out now; the third will be released by early December,” says Rick. “I was ready to retire from law enforcement, but I am not retiring from life. The energy and determination I put into my family and my books has made my life even better,” Rick adds.
Three children round out the Tippins family. The oldest, Jake, is a 29-year-old police officer for San Ramon Police Department. Next in line is Max, who is 9 years old and a 4th grader at St. Isidore School. And the youngest, Layla, is 7 years old and in 2nd grade at St. Isidore.
“Jake Lives in San Ramon with his beautiful wife, Samantha, who works at Genentech, and their joyful baby, Luke. Max is an outdoor kid through and through—riding his bike, swimming, and exploring as much as he can. He also loves putting together engineering kits and routinely updates his Amazon wish list to add more—you know, just in case anyone wants to buy him a kit. Layla becomes lovelier every day if you ask me. She loves to write sweet notes and leave them around the house. She’s a very loving and caring little girl with a wicked sense of humor when she is comfortable around people,” says Mahsa.
The family is completed by two mutt rescue dogs, Tasha and Lucky. Tasha is around 9 years old and is the sweetest dog who has perfected the art of relaxing. Lucky is a year old and was rescued from the Animal Rescue Foundation. “One day, we went to the Danville Farmers’ Market for actual food and saw the ARF truck there. The kids and I decided to take a look. Poor Rick, he totally lost control of the situation and we left with a new puppy,” Mahsa says laughingly.
The Tippins have lived in Hidden Oaks since 2011 and say they are grateful every day for the community, “We have found a wonderful sense of togetherness in our community. We look out for one another and enjoy conversations together. We enjoy being active in our local community and at the kids’ school. We also firmly believe our kids are our true legacy in this world. The more we invest in their mental, spiritual, and academic well-being, the more we are doing our part in adding good human beings to this world.”
By Megan Scott, Resident since 2010
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