JAG Advisory Board

JAG-SD thanks the following individuals for volunteering their time to serve on our advisory board. Each member brings experience and expertise to the table to assist, advise, support, and advocate for the JAG-SD program and our participants.

JAG-SD Mission: Empowering South Dakota's young people with the skills and support to succeed in education, employment, and life.

Amber Arlint is a State Farm agent in Sioux Falls and a current member of the South Dakota House of Representatives. She was born and raised in Freeman. Amber earned her bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in Education Administration - Higher Education & Adult Learning from the University of South Dakota. She started her career at USD as an admissions counselor and in 2013 became the Director of Student Services - Sorority/Fraternity Life & Leadership before moving to Las Vegas. After having her first child, she and her husband Trent decided South Dakota was the place they wanted to work and raise their family.

RF Buche is a fourth-generation grocer and president of GF Buche Co., which was established in 1905 in Lake Andes by his great grandfather. Buche owns and operates grocery, convenience, fast food, hardware, and auto parts stores in 18 locations in 11 South Dakota communities, employing approximately 300 team members. Buche has served on the board of directors for the National Grocer's Association. He and his wife Tammi have four children.

Matt Collins is the President/General Manager of Kennebec Telephone Company. Matt overseas five company divisions- KTC Construction, PowerCom, Chamberlain Napa, Charley's Welding and Auto and TCS (Technology Communications Specialists). The company is deeply rooted in Central South Dakota and is one of the only independently owned telephone companies in South Dakota. Matt also is the Lyman School District's School Board President, assistant high school football coach and head girls middle school basketball coach, and a volunteer fireman. Matt volunteers his time to community events- annual ice fishing tournament, pancake feeds, Town & Country bike rodeo and numerous others. Matt is married to Christie and they have two sons and one daughter.

Chris Daugaard is a partner at Ernst Capital in Sioux Falls. He directs the firm's marketing and communications along with managing investor relations and raising capital for real estate investments. Daugaard has also worked in business analysis and development roles for Raven Industries, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, and the Enterprise Institute. A native of Dell Rapids, he currently lives in Sioux Falls with his wife Emily and their son.

Linda Foos has been a South Dakota educator for 35 years, serving as a classroom teacher, elementary principal, superintendent, special education cooperative director and JAG specialist. Linda has a bachelor degree in elementary education from Dakota State University, masters in school administration from South Dakota State University, and specialist in curriculum and instruction from the University of South Dakota. Foos is a native of Wessington Springs and currently lives by Wagner with her husband Tim. She has two children and six grandchildren.

Jake Harens is the project delivery senior manager within the Transmission & Engineering Services department at Black Hills Energy. Harens has spent the past 12 years working for utilities in South Dakota, serving the Yankton region with NorthWestern Energy and now the Black Hills region with Black Hills Energy. He lives in Rapid City, where he enjoys spending time with his wife Sandra and three kids, soaking up all the outdoors opportunities the Black Hills has to offer.

Lonnie Heier is the CEO of Heier Inc., which owns and operates five Dairy Queens in South Dakota. Heier has been in the restaurant business for 15 years.

Rob Monson is the executive director of School Administrators of South Dakota, a nonprofit group whose members are superintendents, business officials, curriculum directors, special education directors, and principals from all across South Dakota. He has an extensive background in K-12 education as a teacher and school principal. Rob has a bachelor's degree in business education, a master's degree in elementary school administration and supervision, a specialist's degree, and superintendent endorsement, all from the University of South Dakota. He is also a proud Desert Storm veteran, having served with the South Dakota Army National Guard. He and his wife Angie have three sons and one granddaughter.

V.J. Smith is a professional speaker and author. After working for the Allied Signal Aerospace Company in Kansas City in the eighties, he returned to his alma mater in 1990. He worked for South Dakota State University until 2007, when he left to pursue a career in professional speaking. Smith is the author of the bestselling book, The Richest Man in Town. He lives in Brookings and has been a South Dakota state senator since 2019.

Alexander (Zane) Zephier is the field advisor for the Upward Bound program at the University of South Dakota. As a freshman at Wagner High School, Zephier was elected president of the first high school JAG program in South Dakota. During his senior year, Zephier was one of three students selected to represent South Dakota in the public speaking competition at the JAG National Student Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. In 2013, he was one of 10 students nationwide to earn the Kenneth M. Smith Scholarship.