2022 Elevate Leadership Institute Class. Credit: Erica Lane Photography.
Forty years ago, Leadership Rapid City (LRC) began, bringing people together with the notion they could make a difference in the community, that leadership wasn’t just a thing you waited for in Pierre or Washington, that it was right here in The Black Hills. The program saw more than 1,000 people graduate and launched initiatives like Summer Nights, Day of Excellence, and the Festival of Lights Parade. It also gave future and current leaders a better understanding of the area and helped network the Black Hills far and wide.
After looking at Leadership Rapid City and taking into consideration feedback from LRC graduates and businesses, Elevate Rapid City built upon the previous success to develop a new leadership initiative: Elevate Leadership Institute (ELI).
“Leadership Rapid City did a great job of networking and community education for our community leaders,” said Tom Johnson, president and CEO of Elevate Rapid City. “ELI builds upon that success with additional leadership skills and training so the next generation of leaders in Rapid City has the capacity and resiliency needed to live up to Elevate’s mission: elevating the region for all.”
The Elevate Leadership Institute is aimed at providing engaged citizens from across the region with the background, unique experience, and insights necessary to assume leadership positions in the community.
“The members of this year’s class have not only grown in self-awareness and knowledge of our community, but they have taken that knowledge and feel empowered to get involved,” said Samantha McGrath, workforce development and talent attraction director. “Whether it’s helping to address the housing crisis or racial injustices or creating more opportunities for our youth and strengthening our great recreational activities, the class took their capstone projects and truly impacted this community. We are excited to celebrate these graduates and look forward to welcoming the class of 2023.”
A graduation celebration was held at The Monument in Rapid City on Thursday, May 5. Graduates of the Elevate Leadership Institute Class of 2022 are:
- Stephanie Anderson, Security First Bank
- Thomas (Tommy) Barbour, Northwest Pipe Fittings
- Laura Bellisle, Black Hills Basecamp
- Carrie Bond, State's Attorney Office
- Rebecca Bradley, Monument Health
- Jordan Burbach, Architecture Incorporated
- Justin DiBona, Gunderson, Palmer, Nelson & Ashmore, LLP
- Tim Doyle, Rapid City Police Department
- Austin Eichacker, Ketel Thorstenson, LLP
- Ben Ganje, Zuya Sica Consulting
- Holli Hennies, Pennington County
- Mark Jobman, Jobman STUDIO
- Adam Kaemingk, United States Senator Mike Rounds' Office
- Kalie Kjerstad, Self-Employed
- Jacob Losett, Scull Construction Service
- Brian Maruska, SoDak Marketing
- Katie Murray, United States Representative Dusty Johnson's Office
- Jeremy Muth, Select Construction Inc
- Luke Neely, Lloyd Companies
- Eric Nelson, Black Hills Energy
- Devin Pfaff, Casey Peterson, LTD
- Ryan Phillips, Rapid City Police Department
- Daniel (Danny) Sandvig, Raid City Fire Department
- Jennifer Schmaltz, Monument Health
Those interested in applying for the class of 2023 can learn more and access the application here. The application deadline is June 17. Scholarships and financial assistance are available.