June 16, 2026

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Linzie Stratmoen, development and marketing associate at DakotAbilities.

Name: Linzie Stratmoen

Age: 28

Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

School. I was recruited for the then women’s swim team at Augustana and fell in love with the town and campus! The feel of the town was comparable to Lincoln, so it was a great option for a home away from home.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

Work and family. It’s a perfect in-between for my husband’s and my families, making for quick trips so our son can see his grandparents, uncles and aunts!

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

I learn something new nearly every day, whether it’s about our impact within the community or even just within the walls of Longfellow, our next steps as we continue working to fulfill our mission or creative job skills from co-workers and leadership.

How did you get connected to your industry?

YPN (Young Professionals Network)! While I have various other connections that I’ve made throughout the years, the majority of the individuals I’ve met in the development and marketing industries are thanks to the variety of opportunities offered by YPN.

Describe your workplace in three words.

Empowering. Compassionate. Inclusive.

What is something someone might be surprised to learn about you?

I was an NSCA All-American recipient my senior year.

What’s your favorite way to give back to your community?

This year, I mentored an awesome student through TeamMates! I’m looking forward to being a part of that program after my maternity leave this upcoming fall. Outside of that incredible mentoring opportunity, I enjoy supporting small businesses, especially grocers. I love the Co+op and Pomegranate Market. You can always find what you need or want, plus they have a great variety of snacks for my toddler!

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

Trader Joe’s and Runza have already been shared. I thought saying Raising Cane’s would be an “aha” moment, but it seems like I’m a bit behind the ball on that one, too, given recent Sioux Falls news!

If you had $1 million to start a business, what kind of business would it be?

While our Sioux Falls community has several options for people of all ages to learn lifesaving swimming and water safety skills, that supply never fully meets public demand — it just can’t. Growing up with water safety knowledge gave me a real sense of freedom — especially in the summer — that I’ve watched others never experience, and I don’t believe cost should be a barrier to gaining those skills.

My “business” would really be an initiative: a $1 million fund supporting individuals and families through water safety lessons at little to no cost, likely in partnership with the American Red Cross or a similar organization with an established curriculum. The focus wouldn’t just be on pools and lakes but also on rivers and ponds, which are incredibly common bodies of water across our state and region. The group most at risk of drowning is children ages 1 to 4, followed by young adults and minority communities — populations that often fall outside the typical swim lesson pipeline. If water safety education doesn’t reach them between ages 5 and 11, it likely never will.