Noem Announces Cabinet and Staff Hires

Pat Powers

Noem Announces Cabinet and Staff Hires

PIERRE, S.D. – Governor-elect Noem today announced the following cabinet and staff hires:

Interim Secretary of Human Services

Shawnie Rechtenbaugh will serve as interim secretary of Human Services. Rechtenbaugh, a Mobridge native, is currently the interim secretary for the South Dakota Department of Public Safety. Before taking on that role, she served in varying capacities at Public Safety, including as deputy secretary. Rechtenbaugh was formerly state prevention coordinator for the South Dakota Department of Human Services and Social Services where she coordinated grant dollars for the implementation of evidence-based programming to reduce underage drinking and substance abuse. Rechtenbaugh has also specialized in providing in-home case management services for youth, adults, and families, and has worked with adult mental health.

Interim Secretary of Social Services

Amy Iversen-Pollreisz will serve as Interim Secretary of Social Services. Currently the deputy cabinet secretary for the Department of Social Services, Iversen-Pollreisz has led extensive system change initiatives and infrastructure development for behavioral health services. She previously served in various roles within the Department of Human Services, including work as the director of the Division of Mental Health. She also served as an elementary school counselor in Stanley County. Iversen-Pollreisz is a Pierre resident.

South Dakota Housing Development Director

Mark Lauseng will be reappointed to his position as executive director of South Dakota Housing Development Authority – a post he has held since 2006. Lauseng has worked at the Housing Development Authority since 1986. He has served on the Governor’s Workforce Initiative, South Dakota’s Interagency Council on Homelessness, the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition, and the National Council of State Housing Agencies Board of Directors.

Senior Policy Advisor

Tiffany Sanderson will join the Noem administration in April 2019 as senior policy advisor. Sanderson, a Pierre resident, previously served as director of career and technical education within the Department of Education. She is currently a senior learning designer for Vivayic, Inc, where she specializes in career education and workforce strategy services.

“I’m committed to being a family-first governor, fighting to strengthen the family unit and make sure every child has a chance to grow up in a strong, safe environment,” said Noem. “These folks are committed to serving children, families, and communities, and I look forward to working with them to produce real, life-changing results for all South Dakotans.”

The Noem administration will continue reviewing resumes and accepting applications for permanent cabinet secretary positions.

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12 thoughts on “Noem Announces Cabinet and Staff Hires”

    1. also Kylee Kettering…haven’t seen her with a position yet…she helped at a lot of events for Nom the last few years.

      Maybe Hunter should look to the AG’s office….Ravnsborg seems to be hiring other good people.

    1. Sometimes fresh blood does not want to relocate to Pierre. A lot of times, there’s not real opportunity for the fresh blood’s spouse in Pierre. Some fresh blood with school age kids, don’t want to uproot them for a temp job in Pierre. Just because you don’t see a lot of fresh blood, it doesn’t mean they weren’t asked.

      1. Agreed. Not really excited about the recycling of people To just different posts. Pierre gov folks lose touch very quickly with reality. There are a lot of great people that would be better in the cabinet if they didn’t have to relocate. Actually family first folks won’t relocate. Let that sink in.

  4. Noem hired her daughter, kept Tony Venhuizen, hired the wife of Daugaard’s top advisor Nathan Sanderson, and found a job for her son-in-law…so much for change in Pierre.

  5. Mr. Anonymous, do you think this young Tiffany gal will be be the voice of her hubby, also a former advisor, making the realtors or whoever Mr. Sanderson runs a real power to be conoitered with? Or will she be her own woman?

  6. Here is a post topic for Mr. PP to consider: how would a Sutton office of governor shaped up differently from a Noem office of governor. Speculate. Would this Sanderson lady have been hired by Mr. Sutton? Would the senate be befreft of any Democrats because all 5 of them would be on the Governor Sutton cabinet? Speculate. Lay out how Billie’s cabinet and governor’s office would look. I think some libbie insight into this would be really good, too, as we can all imagine a Jim Hundstad run governor’s office, with a Bradford Secretary of Agriculture. Those two fellows are younger than grudznick, but they are still alive, right?

      1. It would be like that Christmas movie where the world has gone all to hell for Mr. Stuart and then he wakes up and finds the GOP back in charge again.

    2. Grudz, I’ve almost always agreed with your sentiments until now! Let’s not even consider a world where that would’ve happened… 🙂

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