Oct. 19, 2021

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Chelsea Cronin, director of development at the Washington Pavilion. 

Name: Chelsea Cronin

Age: 37

Hometown: Luverne, Minnesota

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

I moved to Sioux Falls when the organization I was working for expanded their services to the state of South Dakota. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to move closer to my family and expand the reach of our programs and services.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

The people and strong sense of community that exists here. We have such a phenomenal city, filled with so many unique local shops and restaurants. There is always something new to experience!

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

I love meeting new people, learning about their passions and connecting them with opportunities to support engaging experiences in our community. Connecting passions with our mission and seeing the impact that is made brings both great joy and great satisfaction.

How did you get connected to your industry?

My first experience with the nonprofit sector was in college on a service project for one of my communication courses. I found it to be incredibly rewarding, and it launched a passion for me. After college, I was fortunate to land a job at Sioux Empire United Way, where my role exposed me to the many ways I could make an impact. I’ve been working in the sector for nearly 15 years now.

Describe the Washington Pavilion in three words.

Engaging. Dynamic. Supportive.

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

While I enjoy all the features of living in a small city, I also love the outdoors. On summer and fall weekends, you can frequently find me camping at area state parks or enjoying a nice fire. It’s incredibly relaxing and one of my favorite pastimes. Most of my vacations are planned for enjoying the outdoors, with national parks being my preferred destinations.

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

I serve on the Pavilion’s culture advisory board and co-chair our community engagement committee. Through this group, I’m able to connect our staff with opportunities to serve their community in a volunteer capacity or through supply drives. We have so many incredible, worthy organizations in our city. We hope to create awareness of the needs in our city and how we can support each other.

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

Trader Joe’s or Portillo’s.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself continuing to serve Sioux Falls through nonprofit development work as this career and city have my heart.