Erika Burgos has over 15 years of experience handling personal injury cases including auto accidents, slip and falls, medical practice and nursing home negligence. She has worked as lead paralegal in numerous jury trials which resulted in favorable outcomes for the client. She has assisted with mediations, mock trials and focus groups. 

She currently works at Ligori & Cappy in Tampa as lead trial paralegal in the litigation department. She is a Florida Registered Paralegal and State of Florida Accredited Claims Adjuster. 

Erika is also TBPA's Certification Ambassador and is actively leading a study group for paralegals taking the Certified Paralegal exam offered by NALA and Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam or Paralegal CORE Competency exam offered by NFPA.

Contact Erika here.

Elaine Schroeder has been employed by Lizbeth Potts, P.A. since 2003.  Practice areas include Family Law, Estate Planning/Probate, Guardianship, Civil Litigation, and Immigration.  She is also working part time for the Bass Law Group.  Practice areas include Estate Planning/Probate, Guardianship and Business Law.  Ms. Schroeder earned her Associates of Science degree from Florida Metropolitan University in 2004.  She also has an Associates of Arts in Business Administration from National Education Center, Bauder College.

Elaine has been a member of the Tampa Bay Paralegal Association since 2006.  She has been on the board since 2012 holding positions of 2^nd Vice President and Director. She is also the chairperson for the military outreach program benefitting Tampa’s local USO office which is located at the Tampa International Airport.  Elaine was on the advisory Board Committee for ITT Technical School for their Paralegal Studies from 2010-2012. Elaine has been a Florida Registered Paralegal since 2008. 

When Elaine is not working she enjoys spending time with her two children, volunteering at the USO Center of Central Florida and Give Kids the World Village, traveling, going to the beach, reading, and spending time with family and friends.  

Susan Lee recently relocated from the Boston area and has over ten years of law firm experience.  Working as an assistant administrator for an environmental firm and currently working for a firm that specializes in aviation sales and tax law.  She has a bachelors degree in Business Management and a completed the paralegal program at Boston University in 2011. 

She is a past member of the Association of Records Management and Administrators, having drafted a records management and disposition policy for her former firm.  She is also a past volunteer of the Boston Debate League, a former president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce chapter in her town of Braintree, MA. 

Susan enjoys being active and recently completed a sprint triathlon in Clearwater. 

She is looking forward to growing in the paralegal profession as well as becoming more involved in the community

 Contact Susan here. 

Katie recently received her Certified Paralegal (CP) designation through NALA and is employed at the law firm of Barnett, Bolt, Kirkwood, Long & Koche, P.A. in the litigation department. 

While in graduate school, she worked at the law firm of Motley Rice, LLC, in the Anti-Terrorism and Human Rights Department on the 9/11 Team.  Katie has a Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree from Charleston Southern University in Charleston, South Carolina, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude.  

Shortly after graduating, Katie and her chef husband, Bobby, got married in Charleston’s historical district.  She and her husband are avid foodies and enjoy attending local food events, dining in local restaurants and trying new and exotic cuisines.  In her spare time, Katie enjoys offshore and inshore fishing, attending sporting events and spending time with her husband and their golden retriever, Rawlings.

Contact Katie here.

Melissa Cook is a transplant from Michigan and has been working in the legal field for 13 years.  She received her Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies in June 2002.  Her first law firm was Owens Law Group, P.A. in Sun City Center where she worked until February, 2011.  After leaving Owens Law Group, P.A. she worked for two more firms as well as working as a contract paralegal for a corporation before landing at her current employer, Peterson & Myers, P. A., in Lakeland, Florida where she works in the transactional practice group which consists of Commercial Real Estate, Banking and Finance, Agricultural transactions as well as corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and estate planning, to name a few.

In her spare time Melissa is involved with the Zephyrhills High School Band Boosters which both of her daughters, Kaitlyn and Amanda, are involved in the marching band, symphonic band and jazz ensemble.  Melissa also enjoys spending her free time with her husband, Mike, and the girls by going to Busch Gardens whenever possible or spending time at home just relaxing.

Contact Melissa here.

Jan Brown has over 20 years of experience in the legal field. She has bachelor degrees in Journalism and History from Indiana State University and received her paralegal certificate from Pennsylvania State University. She began her legal career working for McArdle, Caroselli, Spagnolli & Beachler in Pittsburgh, P.A. doing toxic tort litigation, personal injury and medical malpractice. Jan has worked as a litigation paralegal for James Hoyer, P.A. for the last 9 years, doing predominantly Class Action and Qui Tam cases.  She was awarded the 2014 Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service by a Paralegal.

Jan is the Pro Bono Chair and Bar Liaison for TBPA and has been actively involved with Wills for Heroes since 2011.  She also participates in the mock trials at elementary schools and in Make A Difference Day each year, providing items for homebound veterans.

Jan and Jim have been married for 22 years.  They have two children and twin grandsons.  They enjoy boating and fishing.  In her free time you might catch Jan on stage at one of the community theaters.

Rebecca is an Advanced Certified Paralegal specializing in commercial litigation.  She has been with the law firm Barnett, Bolt, Kirkwood, Long & Koche, P.A. for 19 years and enjoys being part of the litigation team in a fast paced law practice.  Rebecca also works with the firm’s Executive Director on various projects, including the firm’s Technology Committee and as a trainer for new hires and paralegal trainees. 

In addition to Rebecca’s position as Chair of the Education/Professional Education Committee, she is active with TBPA's Mentoring Program wherein she recruits members to mentor students and new paralegals. She also has recently served as a TBPA Delegate to the Florida Alliance of Paralegal Associations. 

Rebecca is active in her church and volunteers as a team leader for its Haiti Mission and as a member of the church’s outreach oversight board.  In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys driving the back roads on her Harley with her husband and spending lazy afternoons at the beach with her adult children.

Contact Rebecca here.

Kim has been employed by Zinzow Law, LLC since 2012.  She has 5 years of experience handling construction, real estate, and business matters.  Kim has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of South Florida and a Master of Science Degree in Education from NOVA Southeastern University.  She received her Paralegal Certificate from St. Petersburg College and achieved the designation of Certified Paralegal (CP) through NALA in 2014.

Kim served as President of the Tarpon Springs High School Softball Booster Club for 2 years.  Currently, Kim volunteers as Vice President of Corporate Giving for the Zinzow Law Foundation, is active on the Education and Professional Development committee for TBPA, and is the TBPA delegate for FAPA. 

Kim has been married for twenty-one years to her wonderful husband, Randy, and has two incredible daughters.  In her spare time, Kim enjoys running, camping, kayaking, and spending time with her family.

Carrie Tonski has worked for Michael P. Maddux, P.A. since September of 2005 in the areas of personal injury and civil rights violations. She has worked in the legal field since 1990 with experience in personal injury, civil matters, criminal defense on the federal and state court levels, and family law.

 Contact Carrie here.

 Cherise earned her B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from the University of South Florida (USF) and her Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies from St. Petersburg College (SPC).  She is a NALA Certified Paralegal.

Cherise has been working in law firms since 2006 with a primary focus on real estate and foreclosures.  She recently shifted to working on medical malpractice cases and is enjoying learning this new world.

Cherise adores spending time with family, friends and pets.  She enjoys traveling, discovering new restaurants, the beach and reading.

Contact Cherise here. 

Barbara has been employed as a paralegal since 1985, beginning her career in a large nationwide foreclosure firm for 3-1/2 years then moving to a local foreclosure firm for 7-1/2 years. She also worked for 1-1/2 years with a national firm who was local counsel to a national bank with offices in Tampa.  When the local firm closed its doors due a bank buyout, Barbara found employment at the firm of Barnett, Bolt, Kirkwood, Long & Koche, P.A. in Tampa, where she has spent the last 20+ years specializing in commercial real estate transactions.

Barbara has been affiliated with the Paralegal Association of Florida, Inc. (State and Hillsborough County Chapter), and the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc. since 2005.  In 2007 Barbara became an active member of the Tampa Bay Paralegal Association, Inc. (“TBPA”), where she has served on the Board of Directors in various roles, including Director, Secretary, Treasurer, First Vice President, President-Elect and President.  As a Member of the TBPA, Barbara is a member of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc. (“NFPA”) and has recently (October 2015) been elected as the Region III Director on the NFPA’s Board of Directors.  She has also been registered with The Florida Bar as a Florida Registered Paralegal since March 28, 2008. 

While not working on activities advancing the paralegal profession, Barbara spends time volunteering at the local USO Welcome Center at the Tampa International Airport. She is also an amateur photographer and likes to take photos wherever she travels (from Alaska to Hartford then on to Dallas and Hawaii and back to Florida). 

Barbara and her husband, Ray, who have been married since 1987, have three children, Jeremy, Jamie & Jessica.  In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, reading, shopping, and spending quality time her family and friends.  Her favorite thing to do on the weekends is to play Texas Hold‘Em Poker!