Biographies

TIMOTHY G. ANDERSON, P.A.

Mr. Anderson graduated with honors from Jacksonville University in 1971 and the University of Florida College of Law in 1974.  He grew up in a casualty insurance environment, his father being a State Farm Insurance Divisional Superintendent.  In 1975, after one year of defending insurance companies,  he began exclusively representing injured individuals.  Mr. Anderson is a Master of the American Inns of Court and has been Board Certified by the Florida Bar in the field of Civil Trial Practice since 1983.  He has been lead counsel in more than 300 personal injury jury trials and is frequently asked to lecture and provide expert testimony in matters involving personal injury and insurance law. 

Mr. Anderson is married to his wife, Carole, and has two sons, one daughter and two grandchildren.

DERRICK VALKENBURG

In 1978, Derrick was born in Gainesville, Fla.  At an early age his family moved to the Orlando area where he was raised. 

After high school, Derrick attended Valencia Community College in Orlando.  While at Valencia, he became Vice President of Student Government, Chair of the Inter Club Council, and President of the History Guild.  In spring of 1999, he graduated with an Associates of Arts degree with High Honors.

In 1999, Derrick’s next stop was at the University of Florida to pursue a Bachelor of Accounting and Master of Accounting.  During this time, he became involved the Student Government.  Derrick focused most of his extra time on the Student Traffic Court and was later appointed to the Chief Justice position.  As a result of dedicating himself to various leadership activities, he was honored with membership in Florida Blue Key. 

More importantly, these were the years that Derrick began to know the Anderson family through Timothy G. Anderson’s son, Timothy, Jr., and the Sigma Chi fraternity.

In Fall of 2002, Derrick began law school at the University of Florida.  In preparation for a career in litigation, he participated in the Trial Practice Clinic and became a Certified Legal Intern with the State Attorney’s Office in Tampa, Fla.  Additionally, Derrick became Vice President of Florida Blue Key and participated in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program in his spare time.  This was also the time that he studied for and passed the Certified Public Accounting exam.

After passing the Florida Bar exam in 2005, Derrick began working at the State Attorney’s Office in Tampa, Fla. as an Assistant State Attorney.  At the State Attorney’s Office, he prosecuted over fifteen jury trials, many more bench trials, and argued motions to suppress evidence on a regular basis.  Derrick was in the courtroom on a daily basis interacting with the court, opposing counsel, and various witnesses.  This experience allowed him to expand and develop all the skills that he learned in the classroom and apply them to real-life circumstances in the courtroom.

Late in 2006, Derrick made his move to the Law Offices of Timothy G. Anderson, P.A.  Together with the other dedicated staff members, he is putting all of his past experiences to work for the clients of our firm.

When Derrick is not at the office, you may find him on a local golf course, a neighborhood basketball court or softball field.  If not there, he is usually spending time with family and friends or participating in a local school’s volunteer program.

RICHARD DEVINE

Richard has worked for the law firm for over 4 years and is the firm’s case manager. He assists Mr. Anderson in the investigation and presentation of your case.

He is a veteran of the Unites States Navy and a graduate of Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama majoring in Business Administration and Economics. He has been an insurance adjustor and claims branch manager for a large insurance company.

Richard is married, has one son and resides in Largo, Florida.  His hobbies include cycling, racquetball and outdoor activities.

HELEN MAYNARD

Helen Maynard has worked for the Law Firm of Timothy G. Anderson, P.A. for over 9 years and is the firm’s senior Litigation Assistant.  Helen directly assists and supports the Attorneys throughout the litigation stage of the case, including preparation for jury trial. She also does special investigation for the firm.

Helen is a native of Florida and has lived in the Tampa area for many years.  She enjoys boating, fishing, camping, playing billiards, reading, gardening and spending quality time with her two teenagers.

BECKY LAMSON

Becky was born in El Dorado, Arkansas, raised in Columbus, Ohio and has resided in the Tampa Bay area since 1976.

She has a degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University, Purdue University at Indianapolis(IUPUI)and has worked for Mr. Anderson since 1983.  Prior to 1983, she worked as a claims examiner for Social Security Disability and was an Investigator for Child Support Enforcement.

In addition to being the Office Manager, she also does the Calendar for the office.

When not in the office, she enjoys working in her yard, loves to travel and visiting with family and friends.  She is a participant in several Brandon-area charities and the Susan B. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation.

GABRIEL TILLMAN

Gabe Tillman was born in North Carolina in 1970.  His father retired from the Army and the family moved to New York where Gabe grew up.

Gabe joined the Air Force after graduating from Susan E. Wagner High School in 1988, where he was an aircraft mechanic for 8 years and served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm.  Gabe has traveled to Spain, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

When he returned to the States he was stationed at Mac Dill AFB for 2 years and was transferred to Moody AFB in Valdosta, Ga.

When he left the military he moved to Daytona Beach, Fla. and attended Embry Riddle Aeronautical School and moved back to Tampa. 

Gabe previously worked for Penn Mutual Insurance Company for a year and then came to work at Timothy G. Anderson, PA and has been working at our office 8 years.

While not working, he enjoys spending time with friends, movies, visiting his family in Jacksonville, Georgia, New York and Pennsylvania, and his dog, Holly.

STACEY GRAHN

Stacey Grahn is a legal secretary and has worked for Timothy Anderson for over 14 years.

She grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from college with a psychology and political science degree from Drew University in Madison, N.J. Over time, she migrated south to enjoy the beach.

She and her husband Bob have a 6-year-old son named Lucas.  They love to go to the beach in the summer and snow skiing in Colorado in the winter.

FRAN SWEET

Fran Sweet has worked for Mr. Anderson since l977 as a legal assistant and is now semi-retired.

Born in Middletown, Conn., she lived in Hartford, Connecticut before coming to Florida in l952. She is a Plant High graduate and worked at Shand’s Hospital, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla. as a medical transcriptionist in the Radiology Department.

She worked as a secretary at Insurance Company of North America in the Claims and Surety Department and also for Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company in claims.

She is married with two sons, six stepchildren and several grandchildren.

Fran likes the beach, mountains, snow skiing, traveling to Europe and spending time with her family and grandchildren.

MELISSA CHRISTENSON

Melissa Christenson was born in Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Her family moved to Florida in 1979. Her father is a retired from the Army and her mother retired from the Federal Government after 20 years of service.

Melissa worked for the Clerk of the Circuit Court for 5 years in the Misdemeanor division and worked for another area law firm before she began working for Tim Anderson.

Her education includes:

Brandon Christian Academy were she graduated with honors and then moved to Florida Metropolitan University were she completed her Associates degree also graduating with honors.
Her job duties include remaining in close contact with client�s, pre-suit investigation and all aspects of preparing demand packages to be submitted to insurance companies.
Her hobbies are to spend time with her family, being a soccer mom and is a member of the Board of Directors at South Hillsborough Soccer League.

Melissa has been married for 16 years and has two children.