Executive Committee

President - Kayne Larimer, ACP

  • Kayne graduated from Bethel College in St. Paul,   Minnesota, with a BA in Business and worked for Norwest Banks for 5 years before attending the Minnesota Paralegal Institute. From 1994 to 2001, he was employed by attorney Steve Palmer in Sioux Falls. In 2001 Kayne was hired by attorney Terry Quinn and worked one year at the Johnson Eiesland Firm in Rapid City before moving with Mr. Quinn to the Gunderson, Palmer, Goodsell & Nelson Firm.  In May 2008, Kayne transitioned with Mr. Quinn to a new firm, Goodsell Quinn, LLP.  Kayne has worked for 15 years in the area of plaintiff litigation.
  • Kayne has been a member of SDPA and NALA since 1994 and obtained his CLA designation in 1995, and ACP designation in 2010. He has served the SDPA as Secretary and Webmaster, and on the Public Relations and Ethics Committees. Kayne’s wife, Emily, works as a registered nurse. They have three kids – Sarah (age 17), Caleb (age 15), and Nehemiah (age 13). In addition to enjoying the mayhem of family life, Kayne serves on the Rapid City Sport Council and his church  council, and as tournament director and treasurer for the Black Hills Disc Golf Confederacy. Kayne has also been re-elected to serve as South Dakota State Coordinator with the Professional Disc Golf Association.   kayne@goodsellquinn.com

First Vice President - Cindy Schmit, ACP

    Cindy graduated from Nettleton College and received her Certified Paralegal designation from NALA in January of 2003. She has been employed as a paralegal in Aberdeen and Sioux Falls working primarily with Attorneys Harvey Oliver, Richard Casey and John Peterson.  She is currently employed by John Peterson at Peterson Law Office in Sioux Falls. Cindy works in the areas of plaintiff’s litigation, family law and criminal defense.
    Cindy has been a member of SDPA since 2000 and NALA since 2003.  She has held the offices of NALA Liaison and Treasurer of SDPA and has served on several committees.
    Cindy’s husband, Michael, works for Knology in the communications industry. they have three children, Jamie (age 23), Jessica (age 20), and Kevin (age 16).  Cindy enjoys walking her dog, Lucky, riding bike, attending craft shows and decorating cakes.  cindyschmit@sio.midco.net

Second Vice President - Tammy Ackerman, CP

    Tammy graduated from Phillips Junior College, Spokane, Washington with an Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies. She received her Certified Paralegal designation from NALA in 2006 and is currently a student at Presentation College studying to complete her Bachelor of Science degree in business with a minor in Human Resource Management. Tammy works for Attorney Randall B. Turner in the areas of bankruptcy, family, person injury, disability and criminal law.
    Tammy joined SDPA in June 0f 2005 and NALA in 2006 and is the South Dakota Paralegal Associate “Member of the Year - 2007”.  Tammy is currently serving on the SDPA Education Committee, and as NALA Liason.
    Tammy is married to Wayne Ackerman and lives in Aberdeen.  She has two adult children and five grandchildren who live in Iowa and California. Tammy’s husband is a truck driver on the road, she fulfils her time with several church activities such as acting church treasurer, finance director, Sunday school teacher, and VBS volunteer.  Moreover, in the community Tammy enjoys meeting with the Aberdeen Chapter paralegals and working on community projects.  Currently she is on two task teams:  (1) develop community action plan for the homeless in Aberdeen, and (2) promote a halfway house (long term treatment program) to open in the Aberdeen area which will provide placement for people throughout South Dakota who need long term aftercare for their addiction.  tamm@pclan-sd.com

Secretary - Dixie Riter, CP

    Dixie received her paralegal/legal assistant diploma from the Paralegal Institute and received her Certified Paralegal designation from NALA. She is a member of NALA and SDPA. Prior to joining Schoenbeck Law in October 1998, Dixie was the agency principal and manager of a bank insurance agency.  She assists in the area of civil litigation.
    Dixie has joined attorney, Lee Schoenbeck, in lecturing before the South Dakota Trial Lawyer’s Association with respect to subrogation.  She has also lectured on the topic of trial preparation on behalf of the Institute for Paralegal Education.
    Originally from Summit, Dixie is married with three grown children and lives in Waubay, South Dakota.  She enjoys spending time with her family and also likes to run out in the country, listening to music on her mpg3 player and watching the geese fly in the Waubay lake country. dixie@schoenbecklaw.com

Treasurer - Chris Lillo, ACP

    Chris has an Associate Degree in Paralegal/Legal Assistant Studies from Kilian Community College. She has been employed at Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith     P.C. since 1995 and is assigned to the Business Organizations & Transactions Practice Group and to the Estate Planning, Tax & Probate Practice Group. Her primary focus areas include probate, wills and trusts, estate tax, real estate, corporate law and secured transactions.
    Chris earned her CLA in 1994 and a Specialty in Probate and Estate Planning in 1995. She has been a member of SDPA since 1993 and is a Past President. She has also served on several committees, including Membership, Ethics, Public Relations, and Newsletter and most recently served as Parliamentarian.  Chris and her husband, Dave, have two boys: Brandon (7) and Connor (4). Chris enjoys reading and, as a family, the Lillos enjoy camping and traveling 
    chris.lillo@woodsfuller.com

NALA Liason - Erin Johnson, CP

    Erin graduated from Augustana College in 2004 with majors in English and Government/International Affairs. She became a Certified Paralegal in January, 2007. Erin worked part-time throughout college as a legal secretary and paralegal for Richard L. Johnson, who practices primarily in the areas of criminal law and family law. After graduating from Augustana, Erin began working full-time in the same office. Erin has been a member of the South Dakota Paralegal Association since 2006; and last year, served as the association’s librarian. Erin is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children involved in abuse and neglect cases in the Second Circuit. She enjoys skiing in the winter and biking in the summer.  erinrljatty@aol.com

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