Governor-elect Noem Announces Staff Hires

Pat Powers

Governor-elect Noem Announces Staff Hires

PIERRE, S.D. – Governor-elect Kristi Noem today announced a key round of governor’s office staff hires. The following people will begin serving on January 5, 2019.

Senior Advisor

Beth Hollatz will serve the Noem administration as senior advisor. Hollatz, a Watertown resident, previously served as state director for Governor-elect Noem’s congressional office. Additionally, Hollatz functioned as a key advisor on the Kristi for Congress campaign in 2010 and the Kristi for Governor campaign this year. She now serves as the transition team’s inauguration coordinator.

Senior Policy Advisor

Aaron Scheibe will serve the Noem administration as senior policy advisor. Scheibe, a Pierre resident, was previously the deputy commissioner of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development where he now serves as interim commissioner. Prior to joining GOED in 2014, Scheibe served for 12 years as a diplomat for the U.S. Department of State.

Director of Scheduling 

Megan Goltz will serve the Noem administration as director of scheduling. Goltz, an Estelline native, previously managed scheduling for the Kristi for Governor campaign. She now serves as the transition team’s scheduler.

General Counsel

Tom Hart will serve the Noem administration as general counsel. Hart, a resident of Pierre, currently serves as deputy secretary of the Department of Labor and Regulation. Prior to joining the department in 2014, Hart practiced law in the private sector in Sioux Falls and Pierre.

Press Secretary

Kristin Wileman will serve the Noem administration as press secretary. Wileman, an Aberdeen native, was previously Governor-elect Noem’s press secretary in Washington, D.C.  She now serves as the transition team’s spokesperson.

Policy Analyst

Kennedy Noem will serve the Noem administration as a policy analyst. Noem, a Castlewood resident, previously operated as the Watertown field office director for the Kristi for Governor campaign. She currently serves on the transition team.

“Ronald Reagan once said to surround yourself with the best people you can find. These are some of the best,” said Noem. “These folks will bring a wide variety of perspectives to the table, they’re results-focused, and I know they’ll do everything they can to serve the people of our state. I’m grateful to have them on my team, and I look forward to the way we’ll work together to strengthen South Dakota.”

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31 thoughts on “Governor-elect Noem Announces Staff Hires”

  1. Looks like a good crew. Kristi will get flack for hiring her daughter but being the Governor’s daughter shouldn’t disqualify you from being apart of an administration you worked hard to get elected. And I’m actually glad there will be a young person to give a different perspective on the team.

      1. Obama was president of the Harvard Law Review. Has Ms. Noem ever written an article for The Collegian?

            1. no with Harvard law review as your source…who cares about that socialist institution that won’t even let ROTC on campus

      2. RFK didn’t need the income, and I don’t think he accepted it. The concern for nepotism actually comes from the potential income and not the undue influence. Else, we wouldn’t want first ladies, or gentlemen, even trying to influence their executive branch spouses, would we?

  4. I’m impressed that Governor Noem is bringing in one of her hardest working campaign staffers into the Governor’s Office. They are always among the best at getting the priorities & promise made inculturated into the office because they were there when the candidate campaigned and set the agenda.

    With session starting virtually simultaneously with the start of the Gubanatorial term, the need for quick feedback from legislators, cabinet members, and division directors does not allow for everyone getting to the Governor or Chief of Staff. People coming off the campaign can answer literally hundreds of questions without talking to the Governor direct because they know the agenda.

    The fact she is the Governor’s daughter is irrelevant to me. Results and quick answers are what I care about. If she is good, who her mother is will only make her more effective and serve the public better. If she is an idiot, it will be exposed and take care of itself. The new Chief of Staff is pretty good at cutting off heads. But, based on her campaign work, I’d feel pretty good about the appointment.

  7. Let’s not forget that the current SD governor’s chief of staff is also his son-in-law. Regardless of how one feels about nepotism in state government, it’s nothing new. There are other examples I could cite, and I’m sure I’m not nearly as knowledgeable on the subject as some others here.

  8. Come on, the ONLY resume this young lady, who hasn’t even finished her education, has are the jobs her mom or her mom’s friends have hired her for. Her inexperience is obvious and the nepotism is blatant. If a Democrat did this same thing we’d rightfully scream bloody murder. Kristi shouldn’t get a pass just because she’s on our team.

  9. Kennedy is a political adviser for her mother. She has been involved in politics for a lot of her life. Few of us have gained
    that kind of experience. Great families do great things.

  13. What? No eyebrows raised over the former deputy commissioner of the governor’s hit squad becoming the senior policy advisor? How many people has he murdered? Stace Nelson and Lora Hubbel should investigate!

  17. It’s technically legal as long as Kristi isn’t directly her boss (have her report to some underling or something) but it’s still not a good look.

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