June 9, 2022

Leadership South Dakota has named 43 members to its next program.

The ninth class will begin with a meeting this fall in Pierre and continue to meet monthly throughout the state through March. A record number of South Dakotans applied for the program, which has more than 300 graduates.

The statewide program has a mission to engage citizens from across the state and provides participants with the background, unique experiences and insights necessary to be successful in leadership positions.

“We are excited to announce this years’ class and look forward to working with a great group of folks who are interested in improving their leadership capabilities,” director Rick Melmer said in a statement. “We are grateful to have this new class bring their experiences and perspectives to the conversation this year as we all learn how to be better leaders at work, in our communities and for our state.”

The members are:

• Christie Aberson, First Interstate Bank
• Travis Adney, Lawrence & Schiller
• Amanda Anglin, Sturgis Economic Development Corp.
• Andrew Becker, Rapid City Police Department
• Kecia Beranek, Dakota Resources
• Dominka Blum, Northern State University
• Rebecca Bradley, Monument Health
• Miranda Broin, Poet
• Mike Burgard, Marco
• Kim Burma, Midco
• Scott Carbonneau, First Premier Bank
• Margaret Carmody, Raven Industries
• Brian Cooper, Maguire Iron
• Eric DeKam, SBS Cybersecurity
• Madeline Diedrich, South Dakota Trust Co.
• Katelyn Duffy, NorthWestern Energy
• Natalie Eisenberg, Click Rain
• Shawn Fredericksen, Sammons Financial
• Thad Giedd, Pinnacle Productions
• Ashia Gustafson, Brookings city librarian
• Amy Hasvold, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
• Jennifer Hoesing, DakotAbilities
• Luke Hutcheson, First Premier Bank/Premier Bankcard
• Richie Hutchinson, First Interstate Bank
• Nate Johnson, Valley Queen Cheese
• Stephanie Judson, South Dakota Communication Foundation
• Michelle Kane, South Dakota CEO West Women’s Business Center
• Chelaine Knudsen, Yankton Sioux Tribe
• David Larson, Hegg Realtors
• Madeline Miller, Avera Health — The Link
• Erik Nyberg, Cutler Law Firm
• Eric Pauli, Xcel Energy
• Matt Roby, city of Watertown
• Amy Sazue, Rapid City Indian Boarding School
• Hannah Schafer, South Dakota Magazine
• Bo Secrest, Black Hills Energy
• Kelsey Smith, Black Hills Special Services Co-op
• Sadie Swier, Downtown Sioux Falls Inc.
• Hope VandeKop, SDN Communications
• Nathan Vader Plaats, city of Lennox
• Abbey Vanderwerf, Marsh McLennan Agency
• Stacy Wrightsman, Sanford Health
• Nicole Zoerink, Sanford Health