The Billie Sutton Leadership Institute's sixth year is underway, and the 2024 Sutton Leaders and Rural POWER class has been announced.
Sixteen members of the new class met for a training seminar this past weekend in Oacoma to kick off the year-long leadership development program.
[Photo:] 2024 Sutton Leadership Institute Class with Billie and Kelsea Sutton
Billie Sutton, a former state senator, 2018 candidate for governor of South Dakota, and founder of the Sutton Leadership Institute said,
"This is our sixth year of providing South Dakota leaders with impactful training and opportunities for learning, networking, and growth. These folks are leading in communities big and small, and we are proud to support them as they take on ambitious new plans to make a difference throughout South Dakota."
Members of the 2024 class of the Billie Sutton Leadership Institute include:
Angelica Mercado-Ford, Sioux Falls, Sutton Leaders
Danielle Duxbury, Wessington Springs, Rural POWER
Danielle Kucera, Winner, Rural POWER
Dustin Calhoun, Rapid City, Sutton Leaders
Dustin Christensen, Hamill, Rural POWER
Jeff Thaler, Sioux Falls, Rural POWER
Kaleb Hartley, Wagner, Sutton Leaders
Kehala Two Bulls, Rapid City, Sutton Leaders
Lara Thiem, Sioux Falls, Sutton Leaders
Lauren Nikolas, Aberdeen, Sutton Leaders
Liz Renner, Yankton, Rural POWER
Margaret Doom, Wagner, Rural POWER
Sara Telahun Birhe, Sioux Falls, Sutton Leaders
Stephanie Hanson, Brookings, Sutton Leaders
Sydney Schad, Lantry, Rural POWER
Zach Dickson, Sioux Falls, Sutton Leaders
The non-partisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit Billie Sutton Leadership Institute is dedicated to inspiring and preparing the next generation of leaders to build a stronger South Dakota and more vibrant communities and workplaces through service to others.
Sutton Leaders is the Institute's original program, now in its sixth year, focused on leadership development, community engagement, and public service across South Dakota.
Rural POWER, now in its fourth year, seeks to grow a new generation of rural leaders and encourage involvement in local rural cooperatives providing essential services to South Dakota communities.