SD Department of Education

About the Department of Education

Mission Statement: The South Dakota Department of Education is dedicated to enhancing learning through leadership and service.

The South Dakota Department of Education's aspiration is for all students to leave the K-12 education system College, Career and Life Ready.

South Dakota Department of Education, 800 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501
For general inquiries, email doe@state.sd.us or call (605) 773-3134.
For media inquiries, email Nancy Van Der Weide.

Division of the Secretary - (605) 773-3134

- Dr. Joseph Graves - Secretary
- Mary Stadick Smith - Deputy Secretary
- Kristin Berger - Executive Assistant
- Julie Elrod - Secretary
- Ferne Haddock - Legal Assistant
- Amanda LaCroix - Senior Staff Attorney
- Kodi Odean-Carlin - Information Officer
- Nancy Van Der Weide - Information Specialist

Division of Accreditation and Certification - (605) 773-3134

For questions relating to certification, e-mail: certification@state.sd.us
For questions relating to accreditation, email: doeaccred@state.sd.us
For questions relating to the personnel record form, email: prf@state.sd.us

- Kathryn Blaha - Division Director

Office of Accreditation
- Kathy Riedy - Administrator
- Penny Goebel - Program Specialist
- Carol Uecker - Program Specialist

Office of Certification
- Jane Cronin - Administrator
- Vacant - Program Specialist
- Jenifer Hotchkiss - Program Specialist
- Julie McCord - Program Specialist

Division of Child and Adult Nutrition Services - (605) 773-3413

DOE.schoollunch@state.sd.us, DOE.icanhelp@state.sd.us
- Cheriee Watterson - Division Director
- Darian Schaefer - Senior Secretary
Child Nutrition Programs
- Mikayla Hardy - Office Administrator
- Melissa Cuka - Program Specialist
- Susan Goeden - Program Specialist
- Jordan Schumacher - Program Specialist
- Quanna Keyser - Program Specialist
- Christina Lusk - Assistant Director
- Andrea Theilen - Program Specialist
- Diana Webb - Program Specialist

Food Distribution Programs
- Pam McCown - Office Administrator
- Darcy Beougher - Program Specialist
- Courtney Martin - Program Assistant
- Kristi Thompson - Program Specialist

Division of College, Career and Student Success - (605) 773-3423

- Laura Scheibe - Division Director

- Kim Van Den Hemel - Senior Secretary

Office of Career and Technical Education
- Amy Miller - Assistant Director
- Jamie Boettcher - Program Specialist
- Brianna Fabris - Program Specialist
- Jane Gubrud - Program Specialist
- Kristin Larson - Program Specialist
- Tracia Rentsch - Program Specialist
- Kim Roth - Grants and Data Specialist
- Kara Schweitzer - Program Specialist

Office of Student Wellness and Supports
- Rebecca Cain - Program Specialist
- Megan Tatum - Program Specialist
- Andrea Effling - Program Specialist

Jobs for America's Graduates - SD
- Beth Schneider - Program Director

Division of Data and Research - (605) 773-3134

- Joe Moran - Director

Office of Data Management
- Judy Merriman - Administrator
- Angie Bren - Management Analyst
- Randy Hanson - Management Analyst
- Teri Jung - Management Analyst
- Jantina Nelson-Stastny - Management Analyst

Office of SD-STARS
- Sara Kock - Team Administrator
- Kim Carlson - Program Specialist
- Jake Cummings - Program Specialist
- Jay Lamb - Support Lead
- Michael Ochoa - Report Lead

Division of Finance and Management - (605) 773-3248

- Cody Stoeser - Division Director
- Lisa Rae - Deputy Director

- Debra Collins - Secretary
- Rochelle Kenzy - Fiscal Monitoring Specialist
- Michelle Kronberg - Contract and Budget Analyst
- Olivia Waggoner - Contract Manager

Office of Accounting and Financial Reporting
- Dawson Huber - Accountant Team Leader
- Corey Bowman - Accountant
- Bethany Langenbau - Accountant
- Ian Farnsworth - Accountant
- Chris Rae - Accountant Assistant
- Bill Squires - Accountant Assistant

Office of Grants Management
- Rob Huffman - Administrator
- Robyn Seibel - Assistant Administrator
- Mark Gageby - Management Analyst
- Stacey Booth - Program Specialist
- Kristina Healey - Program Specialist
- Tacy Kennison - Program Specialist
- Jerika Mennenger - Program Specialist

Office of State Aid and School Finance
- Bobbi Leiferman - Administrator
- Krislyn Norgaard - Management Analyst

Division of Learning and Instruction - (605) 773-6400

Division of Special Education and Early Learning - (605) 773-3678

- Linda Turner - Division Director
- Janet Penticoff - Senior Secretary

Office of Special Education
- Wendy Trujillo - Administrator
- (Vacant) - Part B Data Manager
- Melissa Flor - Accountability Manager
- Brandi Gerry - Part B SSIP & Literacy Plan Co-Director
- Stacy Holzbauer - Alternate Assessment Coordinator
- Lori Kwasniewski - Transition Specialist
- Beth Schiltz - Assessment & Accommodation Specialist

Office of Early Childhood Services
- Sarah Carter - Administrator
- Jodi Berscheid - Head Start Collaboration Office
- Crystal Goeden - Part C Technical Assistance
- Jennifer Kampmann - Part C SSIP & PD Specialist
- Daniel Krier - Part C Fiscal Analyst
- Steve Livermont - Part C Data Manager
- Debra Willert - Part B 619 Coordinator & BDI

Division of the State Library - (605) 773-3131

View State Library staff directory.

Division of State History - (605) 773-3458

View Division of State History's staff directory.

Dr. Joseph Graves, SD Secretary of Education