Incoming President’s Message by Jillian H. Caires

30 employees, over 250 years of service.

This month, I want to introduce (or perhaps reintroduce) you all to the most important people at the Idaho State Bar. While I am honored to fill the role of President of the Idaho State Bar Commission, these are the talented individuals you all should know.

This team dedicates themselves day after day to fulfilling the ISB’s mission. Prior to joining the Board of Commissioners, I had met some of these folks, but I was not aware of the robust, skilled, and long-tenured team of individuals (many of whom wear multiple hats) working behind the scenes at the Bar. Please take a few minutes to get to know and celebrate this fantastic team with me.

WHO WORKS AT THE BAR & FOUNDATION Diane Minnich, Executive Director Maureen Ryan Braley, Associate Director Shay Beckwith, Receptionist/Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director Carey Shoufler, Idaho Law Foundation Development and Law Related Education Director Alaina McKee, LRE Assistant Tasha Sorrells-Landeros, Admissions Analyst Nelda Adolf, Receptionist/Office Assistant Annette Strauser, Licensing and IT Administrator Calle Belodoff, MCLE/Membership Administrative Assistant Kim Wilson, MCLE Assistant Jon Wadley, IT Manager Joe Pirtle, Bar Counsel Julia Crossland, Deputy Bar Counsel Caralee Lambert, Deputy Bar Counsel Al Gill, Bar Counsel Investigator Deanna Tollefson, Bar Counsel Investigator Rachelle Littau, Bar Counsel Investigator Karen Carlisle, Clerk of the Professional Conduct Board/ Bar Counsel Administrative Assistant Katherine Williams, Bar Counsel Administrative Assistant Teresa Baker, Program and Legal Education Director Dayna Ferrero, Program Services Administrative Assistant Colleen Austin, Program Services Office Assistant Lindsey Welfley, Communications Director Carissa Carns, Member Services/Communications Coordinator Craig Kenyon, Controller Tasnia Mahmud, Financial Administrative Assistant Andy Getchell, Lawyer Referral Service Coordinator/ Accounting Assistant Jennifer Schindele, Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program Director Jenni Jordan, Project and Information Services Coordinator Yzabella Eggers, Intake Coordinator Becky Freeman, IVLP Case Investigator Stesha Powers, IVLP Assistant
Did You Know?
Photo of Carissa Carns in Malaysia city street with motorcycle in the background.

The Bar team has some unique skills…

  • Maureen is a former Division I college athlete (women’s rowing).
  • Diane doesn’t just lead the Bar, she sews too! She made many of her own clothes when she was young and a few prom dresses for her daughters.
  • Craig has hit a hole in one in golf and has bowled a 300 (perfect game!) – he earned a scholarship in bowling!.
  • Colleen was a Professional Organizer for seven years.

They like plants and animals…

  • Nelda has a major green thumb and has 50 house plants.
  • Kim has three kids, two dogs, two cats, a Leopard Gecko, and a toad at home.

They love to travel…

  • Deanna has been to 26 countries.
  • Teresa and her husband are trying to visit every state together along with each state’s capitol and as many baseball stadiums, local restaurants, landmarks, and historical sites as possible.
  • Carissa traveled to Malaysia and Japan this summer and has been to four continents.
  • Al completed a solo motorcycle trek from Central through Northwest Vietnam last winter.
motorcycle and water buffalo outside.

They have cool stories to share…

  • Lindsey hosted a morning radio show segment with her dad on News Talk 670 KBOI for two years when she was 8-10 years old.
  • Joe once saw Rage Against the Machine play a concert inside the Old Idaho State Penitentiary.
  • Annette has worked for the Bar for 41 years.

And…

  • They are inspired by the work ISB members do to serve pro bono and paying clients and the public at large.
THE STAFF’S FAVORITE IDAHO HIDDEN GEMS Boise front dirt roads on a motorcycle – Al y Slow by Slow coffee in downtown Boise is the best! (Get a cappuccino!) – Carissa y Idaho’s small towns, landmarks, and the unique offerings of our state for outdoor recreation and our state parks – Teresa y Louie Lake southeast of McCall – Joe y Mores Mountain! Not far out of town, yet it feels like it’s a world away – Nelda y There is not a more magical place than the Sawtooth Mountains – Jenni & Kim y The Drops in Shoshone – Colleen y Jump Creek near Marsing – Craig y Hyde Park – Diane & Deanna y World Center for Birds of Prey, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, and Zoo Boise – Diane y Westside Drive In & the public library in Idaho City – Lindsey y The Boise Basin, especially Placerville and Centerville – Annette y Boise’s foothills and restaurants – Deanna y The Lobby Bakery in Glenns Ferry; They have the best baked goods and their prices are ridiculously affordable. Two fancy coffee drinks and two scones will run you about $7 – Maureen

In 2025, the Idaho State Bar will celebrate its 100-year anniversary! We have accomplished a lot in those 100 years! Here’s what some members of the Bar team hope to see in the next 100 years:

  • Preservation of the professionalism within our small bar , continuing to serve the citizens of Idaho with great lawyers, and the opportunity to learn more about the legal system and civics. – Teresa
  • Further growth and advancement in the use of technology. – Nelda, Katherine & Kim
  • The Bar continuing to be a resource for attorneys as they practice changes with AI and other technological developments. – Caralee
  • A growing membership to meet the legal needs of all Idahoans! – Craig

And here are some projects on the horizon they are excited to share with our members:

  • The new ISB member portal. – Everyone
  • Continuing to advance processes at the Bar to make things easier for the members to get their information. – Carissa
  • Finding new ways to serve our members through changes in the Annual Meeting. – Teresa & Colleen
The ISB team has a lot to be proud of…
  • Joe is proud of his office’s grievance investigations – those investigations take a lot of work, and his team takes great pride in reaching the right outcome.
  • Jennifer shared that following a statewide outreach, the number of attorneys with an Emeritus license has more than tripled and Emeritus attorneys have since provided legal services to numerous low-income Idahoans.
  • The IVLP team has modernized their processes and expanded the services they are able to provide while maintaining the same number of staff.
  • The Communications team has recently completed a full redesign & platform transition of the ISB and ILF websites and a full redesign of The Advocate magazine.
  • Annette, Kim, and Carissa have all worked to streamline processes and go paperless.
  • Teresa and Maureen found creative ways to serve members during the COVID-19 pandemic including successfully administering a safe, in-person bar exam in 2020.
  • Julia has participated in three major overhauls of parts of the Idaho Rules of Professional Conduct.
And they have a lot more they would like you to know…
  • Many Idahoans are in need of pro bono services. The need for IVLP attorneys far outweighs the resources we have, and we’d love to work with more attorneys! – Jennifer & Jenni
  • The Idaho Lawyer Assistance Program is a fantastic resource for attorneys in crisis. – Joe
  • Bar Counsel’s Office is a great resource that provides assistance with ethics, grievances, client assistance fund claims, etc. – Deanna
  • We are one of the few bars in the country that does not pay for editorial/article content for our magazine; every article in our magazine is purely volunteer based. The discourse that happens in our magazine is incredibly important and we wish even more members would write for us! Especially on legal topics they are passionate about. – Lindsey
  • We have a dedicated, professional staff that works hard to serve you! – Craig
  • We are happy to help people and answer questions. The ISB team is one phone call or email away. – Maureen
  • That there is an opportunity for all to be involved, no matter how busy your practice may be. It is vitally important to our profession to get to know other members of the Bar from across the state to keep our bar collegial and welcoming. – Teresa

headshot of Jillian Caires

Jillian H. Caires is an Idaho native and a proud Washington State University Cougar and Gonzaga Bulldog. After clerking for the Honorable Benjamin Simpson, Jillian spent several years in private practice in Coeur d’Alene before joining the in-house legal team of Avista Corporation. In her free time, Jillian enjoys baking, gardening, walking her standard poodle, and spending time with her family.