USD Knudson School of Law Alumni Serve South Dakota's Legislature
The following alumni were elected or reelected into office and took their seats on Jan. 10, 2023
Lee Schoenbeck '84
Schoenbeck was reelected to the South Dakota State Senate to represent District 5, an office he has held since 2019. Schoenbeck previously served on the South Dakota State Senate from 1995-1996 and again from 2005-2006.
He also served on the South Dakota House of Representatives, representing District 5, from 2015-2017.
Tony Venhuizen '08
Venhuizen was elected to represent District 13 in the South Dakota House of Representatives.
Venhuizen served on the South Dakota Board of Regents as the board’s student regent from 2003-2008.
After law school, Venhuizen clerked in the South Dakota First Judicial Circuit. In 2020, Gov. Kristi Noem appointed Venhuizen as chief of staff, an office he held until running for office.
Mike Stevens '78
Stevens was reelected to the South Dakota House of Representatives to represent District 8. He held the same office from 2013-2019 and regained office in 2021 after taking a brief break for his health.
Stevens previously served on the Yankton School Board, the Senior Citizens Board of Directors and the Yankton Foundation.
David Wheeler '05
Wheeler was reelected to represent District 22 in the South Dakota State Senate, a role he assumed in 2021.
In addition to receiving his joint J.D. and Master of Public Administration in 2005 from USD, Wheeler received a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2002.
Jon Hansen '16
Hansen was reelected to serve District 25 in the South Dakota House of Representatives, a seat he has held since 2018. Hansen previously served in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2010-2013.
Hansen graduated from the USD Knudson School of Law with Sterling Honors.
Scott Odenbach '01
Odenbach was reelected to the South Dakota House of Representatives to represent District 31, a role he assumed in 2020.
Michael Diedrich '80
Diedrich was reelected to the South Dakota State House of Representatives to represent District 34. He has held this position since 2018.
In addition to earning his J.D. from USD in 1980, Diedrich earned a bachelor's degree in political science and criminal justice in 1977.
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