Christina, an experienced advocate and nonprofit professional with over 17 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, joined SDHC in May 2024. Christina has a master’s degree in Advocacy and Political Leadership with a Nonprofit Organization focus from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Christina serves on the Boards of Directors for the South Dakota Nonprofit Network and the Camp Unistar Foundation. Christina is a proud Hufflepuff, and in her free time she enjoys reading, crosswords, historical research, and spending time with her two daughters.

Jennifer, Center for the Book Director since 2012, manages the South Dakota Festival of Books, One Book South Dakota, and Young Readers Initiative. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from South Dakota State University. Having worked in public relations and taught both high school and college English, Jennifer loves language and serves as SDHC’s unofficial editor. A true bookworm with a special fondness for literary fiction, she met her favorite author (and the subject of her master’s thesis), Louise Erdrich, at a Festival four years before joining SDHC. Destiny!

Carolyn joined the SDHC team in 2011 and organizes finances and daily operations as the Business Manager. She graduated from Southeast Technical Institute with an AAS degree in Business Administration/Accounting. She is also a proud veteran, having served in the South Dakota National Guard. Stories are what interest Carolyn, and the humanities have many to share. Her favorite stories are – well, anything involving people!

Ann, leading SDHC’s development since 2023, brings a wealth of experience from her previous role as Director of Marketing, where she led, created, and oversaw all marketing facets for a management company’s multimillion-dollar assets in an entrepreneurial environment. A strategic thinker and organizer, she excels in value system creation and streamlined processes, fueling workflow efficiencies that contribute to company growth. With expertise in communications, relationship-building, evaluation, online technology and databases, program onboarding, marketing, and design, Ann consistently delivers impactful results. Her adaptability and proactive approach make her indispensable for organizational expansion.

Stacy, having joined SDHC in 2021, graduated from South Dakota State University with a BS and an MS in Sociology and an MEd in Adult & Higher Education. Her responsibilities at the council include implementing programs like Humanities Café and Veterans initiatives, as well as developing new programs like the upcoming America 250 commemoration. She coordinates the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street tours and manages the distribution of thousands of books for the Young Readers One Book program. Stacy also assists with the annual Festival of Books and spearheads SDHC’s volunteer recruitment efforts. Always seeking to learn something new, Stacy enjoys spending her free time immersed in a documentary or a good book, preferably with a cat in her lap.

Deb, a member of the SDHC team since 2015, processes and manages the Speakers Bureau program and discussions and is also responsible for database administration. She enjoys spending time with family, bargain hunting, and creating. Her preferred reading is in the “how to” genre, but to escape reality, she chooses gothic novels or fantasy and likes protagonists to have strong personalities with courage and determination.

Melinda, a transplant from Ohio, started working as the SDHC Grants Coordinator in 2018. She and her family have enjoyed globe-trotting, including numerous trips to Bolivia, Haiti, Dubai, and six months spent living in the Middle East. Melinda truly enjoys diving into the details of the grant applications she manages for the humanities council. She also has a special place in her heart for knitting, and has been knitting since she was 10 years old.