Board of Directors and Staff

Stephanie enjoys connecting with people who want to leave this state better than they found it and who are committed to giving back to the places they’ve called home. She is thankful for the progress the Foundation has made since its inception in 1987 and is committed to deepening its positive impact on South Dakota.

After graduating from Augustana College and starting her career in the sales division of Midco Communications, Stephanie returned to her hometown of Pierre to join the SDCF team.

Denise is responsible for general administrative, clerical and receptionist duties. She is excited to join SDCF working alongside the staff to assist donors, nonprofits and communities in reaching their charitable goals.

Denise enjoys camping, fishing and bowling. She was born and raised in Pierre where she currently lives with her two children.

Clay enjoys working closely with the Investment Committee to manage the funds entrusted to SDCF so they can benefit South Dakotans long into the future.

Before joining SDCF, Clay was employed at public accounting firms in Minnetonka, MN and Pierre. Clay has served his alma mater as past president of the USD Alumni Association and is currently a USD Foundation trustee. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of SD and the SD CPA Society.

Jamie grew up near the South Dakota Badlands on her parents’ cattle and wheat ranch. She is a University of Wyoming graduate.

Growing up in a rural area, she understands the importance of community to South Dakota’s citizens. Jamie is grateful to contribute to SDCF's mission of bringing philanthropy to life for a stronger South Dakota.

Gallagher works directly with SDCF’s regional community savings account partners, including the Aberdeen Area Community Foundation (AACF), as well as area nonprofits and individuals. In addition, his work includes a partnership with the Knight Foundation in soliciting grants for their endowment fund benefitting the Aberdeen community.

Pat grew up in Redfield and attended the University of Notre Dame. After college, he lived in the Washington, D.C. area for about 15 years and worked in educational communications and nonprofit public relations. In 1998, he returned to South Dakota to live in Aberdeen. He worked as the Development Officer for the Aberdeen Catholic School System for more than 17 years, where he assisted donors in meeting their goals of supporting the school system through estate gifts, capital gifts, scholarships, and other methods. Prior to coming to SDCF, he served as Resource Development Director for GROW South Dakota for four years, obtaining grants and other funding to support its community development mission.

John brings experience from his 35+ year career with the State of South Dakota. He began as an auditor for the SD Department of Transportation and since has worked in various positions including CFO for the SD Departments of Human Services and Revenue. In March of 2020, John made the decision to leave State government and began working for a local CPA firm preparing tax returns and assisting with bookkeeping.

John was raised by parents who instilled the values of hard work and giving back to your church and community. He has served on the Board of the Boys & Girls Club for 15 years, serving as Treasurer for 13 years and President for two. John has also served on the Lutheran Memorial Church Council with a three-year term as Vice-President, President, and immediate Past President. His favorite activity was serving three-year stints through the confirmation process at their church for both his sons.

John moved to Pierre in 1985 where he met and married his wife, Jackie, and was blessed to have two boys.

Prior to joining the Foundation, she worked in state government and higher education. Born and raised in Pierre, Stephanie graduated from Black Hills State University. After some time working in the Black Hills area, Stephanie returned to Pierre in 2022. She has three children, two of them married, and two grandchildren.

Shelly enjoys being part of a motivated team to help worthwhile causes in South Dakota. Originally a North Dakota native, she grew up on her family's farm and ranch in the western part of the state. She now lives in Pierre with her husband, John.

Beth grew up at Fort Meade/Sturgis and graduated from Texas Lutheran University. She is a graduate of Leadership South Dakota and earned the CFRE certification in 2019. Prior to her work with the SDCF, she held leadership positions with Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota, Native American Environmental, and the McKie Automotive Group.

In addition to her responsibilities at the Foundation, she is an active community member serving as the Board Chair for the Sanford Underground Research Facility Foundation, Thrivent Financial Strategy team, Past President of the SD Chapter of AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals), Past President of the West River Estate and Financial Planners, and the South Dakota Nonprofit Network,

She and her husband Mark have two grown sons.

Before joining SDCF, Kelly built a strong foundation in accounting and financial reporting during her tenure at First National Bank and Fischer Rounds Insurance of Pierre. With over 20 years of professional experience, she is known for her positive, approachable demeanor and her sincere dedication to building strong, effective relationships. Kelly takes pride in building meaningful relationships with donors, colleagues and community stakeholders, all while dedicating herself to strengthening South Dakota’s nonprofit sector.

Kelly’s leadership style is deeply rooted in the work ethic instilled by her upbringing. Growing up on a ranch in rural Haakon County, west-central South Dakota, she learned the value of hard work and resilience from her parents, whose determination and dedication continue to inspire her professional journey. Her early education took place in a two-room country schoolhouse, and she later graduated from Stanley County High School in Fort Pierre, SD. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Black Hills State University.

Kelly and her husband, Anthony, live in Pierre, SD, where they enjoy life with their daughter, Morgan.

Currently, Ginger works closely with the Grantmaking Committee to make distributions from the South Dakota Fund, Nonprofit Savings Account, Fairy Godmother's Fund, Beyond Idea Grant (BIG) and Bush Prize: South Dakota grant programs. BIG and Bush Prize: South Dakota are offered in partnership with the Bush Foundation.

Ginger is committed to connecting nonprofits with the funds they need to help South Dakotans. Traveling across the state, she meets with grant applicants, conducts grant recipient site visits and awards grant checks.

Before her time with SDCF, Jennifer worked in the insurance industry for seven years with Fischer, Rounds, & Associates and American Trust Insurance, LLC. Jennifer grew up in the middle of nowhere, Montana. She became a Pierre transplant in 2005 where she continues to reside with her husband and daughter.

She is proud to be part of an organization that assists donors, communities and nonprofits in creating a lasting legacy for South Dakota.

Before joining SDCF, Cassie previously served the State of South Dakota as the Finance Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), where she oversaw multiple loan and grant programs to small businesses and communities. Prior to that, she worked at BankWest as a Credit Analyst and the South Dakota Department of Legislative Audit as an auditor. The most rewarding part of her most recent job at GOED was helping businesses and communities to improve the quality of life in South Dakota.

In that same vein, Cassie looks forward to helping play a part in enhancing communities across the state and making South Dakota an even better place to call home.

A native of central South Dakota, Cassie grew up in Onida. She now lives outside of Pierre with her husband Cody and three young children.

Prior to his current position, Jeff served as the Executive Director of the USF Foundation at the University of Sioux Falls, where he guided multimillion-dollar campaigns for endowments, programs, and infrastructure. His dedication to philanthropy was preceded by six years as a retail manager at Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply, where he honed his leadership and customer service skills in Montana and Washington State.

Raised on a Montana ranch, Jeff has a passion for the outdoors and eagerly seizes any chance to immerse himself in nature. He’s a graduate of the University of Sioux Falls with both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Business Administration, where his involvement in the Cross Country and Track programs further enriched his collegiate experience.