Speakers

I was born and raised on the Oglala Lakota Nation; growing up my whole family was fluent in speaking the Lakota language. Lakota was our first language, and English was never spoken, until I attended Bridger Day School in 1960, where my other tiwahe is from, on the Cheyenne River Reservation. From there I moved to Sisseton South Dakota, where I lived for 25 years, and taught Dakota Language at the Tiospa Zina Tribal School. Then again, I moved to Lower Sioux Morton Minnesota, where I taught Dakota Language at the Eci Numpa Charter School.

Currently, I am consulting for the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board of Rapid City South Dakota, and for the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Dakota Language Institute of Agency Village, South Dakota.

Frederick Osborn holds an MBA from Marylhurst University, as well as a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration and Juris Doctor from Creighton University. Mr. Osborn has over 17 years’ experience in all phases of curriculum development, both traditional and online, including program design and implementation at the post-secondary level. His teaching experience includes Business, Computer Software, Economics, Humanities, Law, and Real Estate at Pioneer Pacific College, Chemeketa Community College, and Linfield University. Most recently as Chief Academic Officer and Title IX Coordinator for Pioneer Pacific College, Mr. Osborn supervised all faculty and academic standards while serving as direct liaison with both federal and state government agencies.

Larry K. Brendtro, PhD, holds a doctorate in education and psychology from the University of Michigan and trains youth professionals world-wide through the nonprofit organization, Reclaiming Youth at Risk. He has served as President of Starr Commonwealth in Michigan and Ohio and a professor at the University of Illinois, Ohio State, and Augustana University in Sioux Falls. Larry collaborates with his wife Janna, research editor for the Resilience Academy, and has published over 200 articles and 18 books. He and co-authors Martin Brokenleg and Steve Van Bockern are completing the third edition of Reclaiming Youth at Risk which introduces the Circle of Courage resilience model. The Brendtros have three children and seven grand-children and reside near Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where they participate in the annual Reclaiming Youth Seminars at Augustana University (www.reclaimingyouth.org).

Bonnie Clairmont (Ho-Chunk), Victim Advocacy Specialist, serves from TLPI's Minnesota office. Prior to her employment with TLPI, she was the Outreach/Client Services Coordinator for Sexual Offense Services of Ramsey County, a rape crisis center. While employed there, Bonnie provided leadership in the development of Sexual Assault Response Teams and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner programs and offered guidance with multidisciplinary sexual assault protocol development. She has worked more than twenty-five years advocating for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. She has dedicated much of her work to providing and improving services for victim/survivors of sexual assault, battering, and child sexual abuse, particularly those from American Indian communities. For four years she coordinated the Strengthening the Circle of Trust Conference, a conference focusing on sexual assault and exploitation perpetrated by American Indian spiritual leaders/medicine men. Bonnie co-edited a recently published book "Sharing Our Stories of Survival" an anthology of writing by Native Women who've experienced violence. Bonnie provided technical assistance to research conducted by Amnesty International USA that led to the report, "Maze of Injustice: The failure to protect Indigenous Women from sexual violence in the USA." She and her partner Jim Clairmont have two children and five grandchildren.

She loves developing new and creative ways to increase our understanding of complex problems in health by using a variety of different research methods and disciplines, from behavior genetics to community-based system dynamics. Her main areas of interest broadly involve the environments and internal mechanisms of substance use, reproductive and prenatal health, and intimate partner and family violence, focusing on health disparities and inequity for rural, Native, and marginalized communities. She is passionate about collaborating with researchers and non-researchers alike to find practical, effective, and empowering solutions to improve health equity and overall health for those in need.

Ashley works for Black Hills State University at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) on a team of Science Education Specialists. The team believes that every student deserves high-quality, engaging, relevant, equitable, and rigorous science learning experiences. The team works with teachers and students, developing curriculum, presenting in classrooms across the state, providing professional development opportunities for teachers, and providing field trip tours for students. Prior to joining the SURF team, Ashley taught middle and high school science and college biology. She also serves as the president-elect of the South Dakota Science Teaching Association.

Kim Bonen, MLS, is the Digital Resources Coordinator for the South Dakota State Library (SDSL). She maintains the SDSL database subscriptions, usage statistics, provides training, and is the main point of contact for technical issues. Prior to work with the South Dakota State Library, Kim spent 11 years as a public librarian. Kim received her BA in 2005 and a Certification in Public History in 2017; both from Northern State University. She graduated from Emporia State University in 2020, receiving a Master’s in Library Science (MLS) with a Leadership concentration. Kim is an active member of the South Dakota Library Association and has served terms on its Executive Board and Nominating Committee. She lives and works remotely Aberdeen, along with her husband, two dogs and cat.

Scottie Bruch is the SD State Library School Library Technology Coordinator. She has experience in both the public and school library and also in the classroom with a history as a middle school reading and social studies teacher, the Assistant Director and Teen Services Coordinator at the Sturgis Public Library, and the Head Librarian for Meade School District, managing two middle school libraries and one high school library. In her current role for the SDSL, Scottie provides support and services for South Dakota school librarians.

Andrea Diehm, MA, NCC is in her 6th year as a School Counseling & Career Development Specialist at the South Dakota Department of Education, providing assistance on school counseling and career development. Diehm has a background in school counseling, holding a master’s degree in school counseling and certification as a National Certified Counselor. Prior to her work at the South Dakota Department of Education, Diehm was employed as a K-12 school counselor. In 2017, she received the Special Contributions Award from the South Dakota School Counselor Association for her supportive school counseling efforts.

Janice has nearly two decades of education experience as a social studies teacher, a BARR coordinator, and a BARR coach and trainer in a rural Maine district. Her current responsibilities include overseeing the quality and implementation of BARR in secondary schools, as well as ensuring coaches have the feedback and resources they need to coach their schools with fidelity.

LaVonne Fox, PhD, OTR/L. Currently a program developer/instructor at the Turtle Mountain Community Tribal College to develop a Master of Education program. She was born and raised on the Turtle Mountain Chippewa reservation in North Dakota. She has been active at various leadership levels at the local, state and national level. Her primary interests have been developing material related to understanding humility and cultural safety for healthcare and education professionals. She has considerable experience working with children, youth and young adults with mental health issues in mental health settings and in the community. Her inspiration has been to develop materials for Indigenous people/communities that are strength and cultural based focusing on building positive Indigenous identities and resilience.

Kari Hall (Oglala Lakota Oyate) is an exercise science instructor at Dakota State University, the chairperson of the DSU Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee, and a PhD Candidate in Leadership in Health and Human Performance. Her current research work is her dissertation titled "Oceti Sakowin Elders' Perspectives of Healthy Aging". She has been teaching health, exercise science, and physical education courses at DSU since 2016, and serves as the Co-Director for the College of Education's Madison CyberLabs. Additionally, she is working with Dr. Bree Oatman on IGNITE kits for k-12 classrooms, and CybHER initiatives at DSU, which supports girls interested in STEM as a future career area. Kari uses STEM in Exercise Science when teaching students about the human body and movement mechanics and studying health and human performance topics. She, her husband, and two sons live in Chester, SD, located on the lands of our ancestral Oceti Sakowin Oyate.

Melanie Holmquist, a native of Mahnomen, MN, is currently teaching the Ojibwe Studies course at Detroit Lakes High School along with Mike Swan. Additionally, she is the College & Career Facilitator for the American Indian Education Department which serves to facilitate opportunities for our American Indian students. Melanie earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Bemidji State University and began her career in Indian Education at the Bemidji Middle School. Her husband made a career in the United States Marine Corps so Melanie was afforded the opportunity to work within education, direct summer camps, and teach across the globe for Pre-K up through high school for the past 30 years. She and her husband have settled back in Minnesota. Together they raised three children, (31), (25), and (22).

Kelly Kalina is the BARR coordinator at Detroit Lakes High School (MN), beginning his first year in this role. Prior to this school year, Kelly has spent the last 21 years teaching math. Kelly began his teaching career at Columbia Heights Middle School in 2000, and then went on to teach at Columbia Heights, Fridley High School, Fargo North High School (ND), and is currently starting his eighth year at DLHS. Kelly received his BA in Math and Physical Education from Mayville State University, an MA in Education from Saint Mary's University, and is currently working on an MA in administration from Minnesota State Moorhead. In addition to teaching math, he has coached football, basketball, and track and field. Kelly is married and has three children (19), (17), and (15).

Mallory Kloucek is the NAMI South Dakota Ending the Silence (ETS) coordinator and ETS PROJECT AWARE coordinator for the state. Previous to NAMI SD and Ending the Silence she spent 5 years as a development manager at Tallgrass Recovery and Sober Living Homes in Sioux Falls. While completing her Master’s degree from USD she transitioned to the nonprofit sector where she worked briefly for the Ronald McDonald House of Charities South Dakota.

Mallory gives back to the community by volunteering for NAMI South Dakota as a support group facilitator, the Huntington’s Disease Society of America South Dakota Chapter along with other numerous committees.

Mallory enjoys her free time with outdoor activities including running, riding bike, walking her dog Lola, spending time with friends, family and her husband Andy.

Sarah Nielsen, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA is an associate professor at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND, in the Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Sarah has over 20 years of experience working with children, youth and young adults with mental health issues in communities and schools. Her clinical practice included developing and implementing trauma-informed approaches in mental health care. She assisted students transitioning from mental health programs back to public schools where she trained and assisted schools in this effort.

Jamie is the Digital Media Specialist for the Lakota Language Consortium. Her focus within LLC is to coordinate and creatively share the materials produced through the LLC and to help communities continue on their Language learning and/or reclamation journeys. She is a member of the Oglala Lakota nation and began her personal Lakota language journey in 2020.

Julie is a lifelong science nerd who is passionate about supporting STEM teaching and learning, especially at the elementary level. As a certified K-8 teacher with a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction she is constantly in search of effective ways to engage students in high-quality science experiences that help them apply their learning inside and outside the classroom.

As a Science Education Specialist at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota she provides presentations for K-12 students, develops curricular materials, hosts student field trips, and facilitates professional development sessions for classroom teachers.

Jeannie graduated from Yankton Senior High School way back. After her four children were either out on their own or in high school, she went back to the University of South Dakota to complete a Bachelor’s degree with three majors: Sociology, Psychology and Drug/Alcohol Abuse. Because education was so fulfilling she decided to return to the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, completing her Master’s degree in Counseling and Psychology in Education in 1995.

She currently works as the program manager of the ASVAB Career Exploration Program (CEP) for the Department of Defense at the US Military Process Station as an Education Services Specialist working with Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors in 172 South Dakota High Schools, 19 Minnesota High Schools, 36 Iowa High Schools, and 11 Nebraska High Schools.

Career Exploration is such an important part of securing a satisfying career. Once a student does their first career exploration they tend to do so through out their life time. Anyone who has a satisfying career which they enjoy doing leads to life happiness, productivity, and life fulfillment regardless of what the particular career may be.

Education:

BS Biology, Evergreen State College

MA Organizational Leadership and Teaching, Gonzaga University,

PhD Science Education, University of Idaho,

MS Chemistry Education, South Dakota State University (currently enrolled)

Recent accomplishments:

• I successfully completed my first year of a graduate program in chemistry!

• I survived another year parenting a toddler and a newly minted teenager.

What I Do: I am a science learning alchemist, one part science, 2 parts creativity, one part fun! I help create culturally sustaining curriculum for K-12 classrooms and informal learning environments. I partner with different organizations to build capacity for STEM education.

Josh Omang is in his first year as Principal at his alma mater Detroit Lakes High School. Prior to serving in the role of principal, Mr. Omang was the Academy Coordinator, and Head Football Coach in Detroit Lakes. In his 19 years in education, Mr. Omang has taught every grade level, 5th-12th grade, in both outstate MN and in the suburban metro area of Minneapolis/St. Paul. During this time he has taught the subjects of health education, physical education, personal wellness, and strength training and has coached multiple high school sports including football, track and field, and archery. Mr. Omang’s administrative experience includes 7 years of serving in the role of Administrative Dean at both the middle and high school levels. Here he developed a passion for developing high performing and innovative school cultures, and a focus on relationships. A lifelong learner, Josh attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN where he studied health education and physical education. He has also earned a Master’s Degree from St. Mary’s University in curriculum and instruction, a specialist degree in K-12 principalship from the University of St. Thomas, and his Superintendent Licensure through Minnesota State University Moorhead. Josh resides in Detroit Lakes, MN with his wife and children (13) and (10).

Dr. Oyen is the Program Director and an Assistant Professor of School Psychology for the University of South Dakota. She is also a Licensed Psychologist in the State of South Dakota. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Oyen was a practicing rural school psychologist for ten years. Dr. Oyen is a state coordinator for the Multi-tiered Systems of Support/Positive Behavior Interventions and Support project in the State of South Dakota and sat on the Special Education Interim Legislative Committee as a Governor appointee. Dr. Oyen’s research focuses on risk and protective factors that lead to student outcomes as well as the role of advocacy in public service settings. Her peer-reviewed research has been published in Contemporary School Psychology, School Psychology Review, Psychological Services, and The Rural Educator. In addition, she is a Past-President and Past-Chair of Government Professional Relations for the South Dakota Association of School Psychologists.

Dr. Oyen is very actively involved in the National Association of School Psychologists as the Chair of the Government Professional Relations Committee. She is looked to as a national advocate for the role of rural school psychologists. Dr. Oyen has multiple chapters in scholarly edited books regarding the practice of Rural School Psychology. In addition, Dr. Oyen also sat on the taskforce to address the national shortage of school psychologists, sat on the writing team for the 2020 revision of the NASP practice model, and sat on the National Advisory Committee for the updates to the School Psychologists Praxis Exam.

In 2014, Dr. Oyen received the University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine Distinguished Service Award from the Center for Disabilities for her contributions to the field of disabilities. She also received the School Psychologist of the Year Award by the South Dakota Association of School Psychologists in 2015. Dr. Oyen was also awarded a competitive summer training grant to examine factors related to child maltreatment in South Dakota, a SD Community Foundation Innovation grant to study the profiles of children who experience maltreatment in rural settings, and most recently, a SAMHSA Disaster Relief grant in collaboration with the SD Department of Social Services to address Crisis Prevention and Response in Schools.

Stephanie Weideman is an education consultant in South Dakota and has been working in the field of education for 25 years. Her previous experiences include classroom teaching, employment with the Department of Education, Dropout Prevention, and School Support Team Member. For the past 7 years Stephanie has worked with schools across the state as a PBIS Coordinator, assisting them as they work to improve student behavior, school climate, and culture.

Professor Victor Douville, Oceti Sakowin Traditional Historian, at Sinte Gleska University, Rosebud Reservation, Mission, South Dakota has committed and devoted 50-years of his professional life to explain "The Lakota Paradigm" that is 10,000+year-old ancient Lakota Oral Language and Life Way of Wolakota: a covenant of peace and friendship in social harmonious relations with the entire web of life, including the stars. Victor Douville became a shirt wearer society member of the Wicinska Akicita on May 18, 2019 and a Wicasa Yatapika Waonspekiya (Praise Worthy Educator Man) on May 18th, 2019 recognized as a spirit-sense educator who cares about Lakota Identity, Sovereignty, Spiritual Life Ways and Beauty of Mother Earth and Father Sky, and mystery of the Web of Life including the Stars.

Chad is a new member of the Education and Outreach team at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) working as a Science Education Specialist. We believe that every student deserves high-quality, engaging, relevant, equitable, and rigorous science learning experiences. We work with teachers and students, developing curriculum, presenting in classrooms across the state, providing professional development opportunities for teachers, and providing field trip tours for students. I taught high school Chemistry and Physics at Hill City High School for 23 years prior to joining the SURF team.

Megan grew up in northwestern South Dakota where she has gained more than a decade of experience in education, most recently serving at the university level as a director of counseling at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Megan is currently responsible for integrating BARR into the national education conversation through data and evaluation and writing publications. She supports both internal and external evaluations of BARR, provides expertise in continuous improvement, research, and statistical analysis, and assists with writing grants and technical papers.

Ronette Rumpca is the Curator of Interpretation for the South Dakota State Historical Society Museum in Pierre. She has been at the SDSHS Museum since 1997. Prior to that Rumpca worked at the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island, NE and at the Smith-Zimmermann State Museum in Madison SD. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion SD and a master’s degree in history from the University of Montana, Missoula. As the Curator of Interpretation, she has been responsible for the development of eleven of the Museum’s fourteen current education kits.

Marilyn Mendenhall is the Brookings District Elementary librarian for four elementary schools. She has been a librarian for all grades kindergarten through high school and a public librarian. She reads children's books extensively so that she can recommend good books to her students. She enjoys being with young children and seeing the world through their eyes. Mendenhall encourages an environment where readers experience community through shared literature.

Megan Tatum, BS, is in her 9th year at the South Dakota Department of Education, providing assistance on career development and the free online career and postsecondary exploration tool, SDMyLife. Tatum has an education degree in family & consumer sciences and mathematics. In 2019, Tatum received the Special Contributions Award from the South Dakota School Counselor Association for her support to school.

Dick has more than 30 years of experience in public education, having served most recently at Chanhassen High (a BARR school), which is a suburb of Minneapolis. He is dedicated to helping teachers build meaningful relationships with their students. Dick supports schools in the implementation of BARR through professional development, unlimited virtual coaching, and frequent onsite visits.

I taught special education, all ages from birth to 21, in South Dakota for 20 years. We moved to Iowa where I was employed as a special education consultant, learning support coordinator, and specially designed instruction literacy coach. I have served as a trainer in PBIS, Check & Connect, LETRS modules 1-3, and Fierce Conversation and as an implementation specialist for Really Great Reading. I currently work as a PBIS coordinator and coach and MTSS coordinator.