Our Instructors

Victoria Wright

Victoria Wright earned her JD from Wake Forest University where she served on the Law Review. From 1994 to 1997, Victoria served as the Law Clerk to then Chief Judge A. Thomas Small, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of North Carolina. She practiced consumer debtor bankruptcy law and represented plaintiffs in fair debt collection actions from 1997 to 2005. In 2004 Victoria was the recipient of a special pro bono award given by the Bankruptcy Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Victoria is certified by the American Board of Certification and the North Carolina State Bar as a Specialist in Consumer Bankruptcy and has been an active speaker for continuing legal education seminars. Victoria is also certified as Financial Management Teacher by the Coalition for Consumer Bankruptcy Debtor Education, as a Housing Counselor by the Association of Housing Counselors, and as an Accredited Credit Counselor by the AFCPE (Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education).

Victoria was appointed by the Governor to the newly formed Financial Literacy Council for the State of North Carolina. She also serves as the Pro Bono/Public Service Chair for the Bankruptcy Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Michael Paul

Michael Paul received his JD from George Washington University in 1987. He practiced corporate litigation for a private law firm in Washington, DC from 1987 through 1995. He represented fortune 100 companies as well as start-ups in the communications and electric utility fields.

Michael left the practice of law to run his own company, which he did for 12 years.

In January 2007, Michael joined Hummingbird and currently is Director of Counseling Services, Staff Attorney and is one of the company’s instructors. His time is spent on all legal and regulatory matters, supervising the credit counselors and has appeared in Hummingbird’s latest financial education video.

 

Cynthia Peacock

Cynthia received her Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Wake Community College in 1986. She has since received her Paralegal Certificate, became a Notary Public and a Certified Credit Counselor.

From 1998 through 2004, Cynthia was a paralegal for a prominent bankruptcy law firm in Raleigh, North Carolina. While there, she was directly responsible for examining and discussing its clients’ budgets and credit information in detail.

In 2005, Cynthia became a credit counselor for Hummingbird, where now she is a Senior Credit Counselor. She communicates daily with consumers seeking financial management or pre-bankruptcy credit counseling. She reviews personal financial information, analyzes budget and living expense information and creates certificates of credit counseling for consumers. In addition, she has appeared in Hummingbird’s most recent financial education video.

 

Jeffrey S. Strayer

Jeff Strayer currently is the Chapter 13 Debtor Educator for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

For the past 4 years, Jeff's unique motivational style has lifted the spirits of over 25,000 people while inspiring them to take charge of their financial lives.