For immediate release / Dec. 21, 2022
Contact Information:
Jennifer Henrie, SDARL Program Director
(605) 441-4729
SOUTH DAKOTA AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL LEADERSHIP
ANNOUNCES NEW CEO
Brookings, SD – The Board of Directors of the South Dakota Agricultural and Rural Leadership (SDARL) Foundation is pleased to announce and welcome Janelle Booth as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective March 20, 2023.
Booth is a native of Timber Lake, South Dakota, and has been working at Montana State University and in the Montana University System for 15 years. She was co-founder and director of REAL Montana, a highly successful leadership training program for Montana industry and agricultural leaders, and served as a research director for the Montana University System in the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education. She currently serves as the university’s Director of Government Affairs and chief lobbyist, and is a member of the university President’s executive team.
“We’re very excited to have Janelle return home to South Dakota as the CEO of SDARL,” said Todd Mortenson, Chair of the SDARL Board of Directors. “Her experience in leadership education and knowledge of our state enables her to take our state’s premier leadership development program to the next level.”
Booth holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Montana State and a Bachelor's degree in biology from South Dakota State University. She and her fiancé, Troy Lindskov, both grew up near Timber Lake in the north central part of South Dakota and are returning there to work alongside family on their Black Angus cow-calf operation.
“Troy and I grew up farming and ranching. It is a dream of ours to continue that tradition and an opportunity came up for us to do that,” Booth said. “We are looking forward to returning to our family roots.”
Booth steps into the CEO position at SDARL following the November 2022 retirement of Don Norton.
The SDARL program is a series of 12 seminars over 18 months where competitively-selected class members learn the skills, knowledge and character of leaders for agriculture and rural communities in South Dakota. SDARL also offers leadership training to partner organizations and to graduates through SDARL Learning Network. The SDARL Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 corporation, is the management and funding organization for the program and other leadership development efforts.
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Engaged Leadership for a Vibrant South Dakota! Board of Directors: Todd Mortenson, Hayes – Chair; Krystil Smit, Huron – Vice-Chair; Terry Jaspers, Sisseton – Treasurer; Rebecca Rink, DVM, Huron – Secretary. Members: Matt Dybedahl, Pierre; Bill Even, Adel, IA; Eric Jennings, Spearfish; Dr. Joseph Cassady, Brookings; John Melius, Brookings; Heather Niederwerder, New Underwood; Craig Schaunaman, Aberdeen; Sara Steever, Sioux Falls; Dr. Jonathan Kleinjan, Brookings; Ross Tschetter, Bridgewater; Daniel Warren, Hermosa.
