Tignor, Lauren N.

A Miami native with a strong Hispanic background, Alexandra Kontos graduated from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and a Minor in Business Administration. While at Florida State University, Ms. Kontos earned a prestigious internship with Ogilvy Public Relations in Washington, D.C., which allowed her the opportunity to implement an award-winning student educational campaign entitled "Are You Credit Wise?" on the Florida State Campus. It was through this internship that Ms. Kontos developed her passion for helping people in the areas of money and debt management. After graduating Magna Cum Laude, Ms. Kontos worked with a school fundraising company helping teachers and educators raise money for enrichment programs at their schools.

Ms. Kontos then went on to attend the esteemed University of Florida's Levin College of Law. During her initial year of law school, she volunteered with the Alachua County Teen Court Program, a diversion program that allows middle and high school first time criminal offenders the opportunity to be adjudicated by their peers. Ms. Kontos also clerked at a Real Estate and Immigration law firm in Doral, Florida, was a Teaching Assistant for the Legal Research and Writing Class at UF Law School, and served as the Public Relations Chairperson for the Law College Council.

After graduation, Ms. Kontos moved back to Miami and began working for a consumer bankruptcy and foreclosure defense firm where she successfully represented distressed homeowners in state foreclosure actions. Within months of hire, she was promoted to the firm's Bankruptcy department and skillfully represented consumers in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 proceedings. Ms. Kontos took great pride in helping her clients gain a fresh start financially by counseling them through the Bankruptcy process.

Wanting to gain insight into lending institution's practices, Ms. Kontos decided to work for a law firm representing creditors in foreclosure and bankruptcy proceedings. While practicing as a creditor attorney, Ms. Kontos worked with most major mortgage lenders and servicers and gained priceless insight into the practices of lending institutions. She attended numerous mortgage mediations and learned first –hand what mortgage lenders require to move forward with loan modifications under the Making Homes Affordable Program, also known as HAMP, in Bankruptcy.

Ms. Kontos is fluent in Spanish and is in good standing with the Florida Bar. She is licensed to practice in all Federal Districts in the State of Florida, including the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida. Ms. Kontos is a member of the Bankruptcy Bar Association as well as of Business Networking International (BNI) Miami-Dade. She is also actively involved with her children's school, and enjoys volunteering and doing pro-bono work for organizations that focus on helping children.