May 2, 2023

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Katherine Cedeño Torres, nurse manager at The Link.

Name: Katherine Cedeño Torres

Age: 28 

Hometown: Pierre

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

I originally moved to Sioux Falls to attend Augustana University.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

Most of my family lives in or near South Dakota, and Sioux Falls is a great home base for adventuring! 

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

Working at The Link energizes me because I get to work alongside individuals who show boundless grace, empower patients and each other, and provide dignity and hope to vulnerable individuals.

How did you get connected to your industry?

During my first two years at Augustana University, I volunteered as a pediatric companion at Sanford’s Children Castle. I encountered some phenomenal nurses during my volunteer shifts, which led to me changing my major from biology/pre-med to nursing.

Describe your workplace in three words.

Empowering, essential, empathetic.  

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

Skydiving in Western Australia, swimming in the Ganges, sleeping in the Sahara and summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania are some bucket-list items I’ve checked off. I’ve also lived in Scotland, Australia and Spain. Antarctica — my seventh continent — is next! 

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

My favorite way to give back is through serving as a Friendship Family for Augustana’s International Programs Office. My husband and I became a Friendship Family to two students last year, and we’re planning to visit one of them in his home country of Kosovo this year.

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

If Trader Joe’s came to Sioux Falls, I’d be a happy camper! 

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

I would love to develop a business with the mission of encouraging and helping arrange solo travel, especially for women. I’m referring to adventurous, culturally immersive, change-your-life travel. Solo travel often leads to more connections, greater immersion and a more personal experience. In my experience, there is inequality in solo travel, with less females comfortable exploring on their own. This may seem like a first-world problem; however, our global perspective informs how we view and love our neighbors, and this influences our decision-making. More well-traveled individuals exhibit greater cultural awareness, improved emotional intelligence, enhanced problem-solving and increased self-confidence. I firmly believe cultural immersion and solo travel can create a more understanding, empathetic world, and I’m interested in encouraging more individuals to prioritize it!