May 15, 2024

A former leader at Sanford Health and a member of the Minnehaha County Commission has been named the next public health director for the city of Sioux Falls.

Mayor Paul TenHaken appointed Joe Kippley for the role, which has been vacant since June 2023 when Charles Chima resigned after less than two years.

Kippley most recently served as the clinic director of cardiology at Sanford Health. He has served on the Minnehaha County Commission since last year.

“Joe’s education, which includes a law degree, paired with his background in health care, make him a great next leader for our Health Department in the city of Sioux Falls,” TenHaken said in a statement. “He genuinely cares about serving our community and is committed to making it better not only in his work but through his involvement in various volunteer efforts.”

Kippley’s first interest in public health came in 2001 when he served as a U.S. Senate page in high school in Washington, D.C., when the 9/11 and anthrax attacks raised the profile of bioterrorism threats. That experience led to two summer internships during college with the South Dakota Department of Health in Pierre related to bioterrorism readiness and a study of the state’s uninsured population.

Before returning to South Dakota in 2016, he led teams at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, Illinois, and Singing River Health System in Pascagoula, Mississippi, managing day-to-day operations across a wide array of fields, including primary care and oncology. Kippley worked in multiple director roles at Sanford Health with Imagenetics and the cardiology department.

“I am honored to have this opportunity to lead the team at the Sioux Falls Health Department,” Kippley said. “Local government is on the front line of serving our community, and I look forward to sharing my passion for this city while making a positive impact on public health.”

Kippley was born and grew up in Brookings but has called Sioux Falls home for the past seven years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from the University of Notre Dame, a law degree from the University of South Dakota and a Master of Health Administration from the University of Iowa.

The public health director’s appointment requires the advice and consent of the City Council, which is scheduled for a vote May 21.