The following members constitute our Board of Directors for 2008:

• President: Mary Lou DiMaggio, CP
  
  Mary Lou DiMaggio received her AA in Paralegal Studies from Keiser College in 1999, earned her CP credentials from NALA in 2000, and became an active member of SWFPA in 2002. She currently works as a corporate real estate paralegal for Crown Castle International, a company specializing in the wireless communications industry. Prior to working as a corporate paralegal, she worked as a Bankruptcy paralegal for 6 years for a sole practitioner who specialized in Debtor representation. Outside of work, Mary Lou enjoys riding her Harley, spending time with her two granddaughters, shopping, and playing with her 2 dogs and 3 cats.
  
  
• Vice President: Lynda E. Jencks, CP
  
  
  Lynda is a certified paralegal with the law offices of George H. Mazzarantani, P.A., and she specializes in real estate, land use and zoning, contract, and corporate law.  She graduated from Stone School of Business in New Haven, Connecticut and began her career as a paralegal 31 years ago for a law firm in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. She worked at the firm for nearly 20 years before moving to Florida in 1996. She received her NALA Certified Paralegal designation in January 2005, and she has taught contract law in the CLA Review Course for Manatee Community College and SWFPA.  Lynda has two children and two granddaughters, and she enjoys motorcycling, photography, yoga, and traveling.
  
  
• Secretary: Helen Beggun
  
  
  Helen Beggun received her paralegal certificate from Manatee Community College in May, 2006. She relocated to Sarasota from New Jersey where she raised a family and had a rewarding career with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University and enjoys reading, beachwalking, fitness activities, and volunteering as a reading tutor.
  
  
• Treasurer: Sonja Behn
  
  
  Sonja Behn is a paralegal with the law firm of Icard Merrill.
  
  
• NALA Liaison: Tamara "Tammy" Skonie, CP
  
  Tamara "Tammy" Skonie is a litigation paralegal for Ruden, McClosky, Smith, Schuster & Russell, P.A. She received her BA in History from UNC at Chapel Hill in 1990 and her paralegal certificate from Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois in 1994. Prior to Ruden, she worked a combined 7 years for the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustees in Chicago and in Seattle. Outside of work, she enjoys scuba diving, reading the latest Harry Potter book and bicycling with her kids.
  
  

Non-Voting Member:

• Newsletter Editor: Laura L. Herald, CLA
  
  Laura L. Herald, CLA, is a Judicial Assistant for County Judge Judy Goldman and is the present Editor of SWFPA's newsletter, Writ of Assistants. She has thirty years of legal experience, 16 years in the private sector in litigation, real estate and probate, and 14 years in the government sector. She was a charter member of SWFPA and served two terms as its Vice President (1998–1999) and two terms as its President (2000–2001). She is a member of the National Notary Association, Notary Signing Agent Section.
  
  

  2008 Board:

  

  L to R: Sonja Behn, Treasurer; Helen Beggun, Secretary; Tammy Skonie, NALA Liaison;
  Lynda Jencks, VP; and MaryLou DiMaggio, President

  SWFPA Essentials!

  

  L to R: Laura Herald, Newsletter Editor; Karin Turner Cooney, Webwriter; and Susan Levine, FAPA Representative