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Case Manager
ts******@***sc.org
Tammy Sellars is a Case Manager for the National Farmworker Jobs Program, serving western South Dakota for the past eight years. She has been part of Black Hills Special Services Cooperative (BHSSC) for 21+ years, including two decades coordinating the Community Education of the Black Hills program 2004 to 2024. With 35+ years of workforce experience spanning sales, marketing, business ownership, and client support, she has experience working with people from all walks of life. She shares that “The most rewarding part of NFJP is working with people to achieve their potential and recognize their own path.”  Proud to be born/raised in the Black Hills, Tammy enjoys fishing, hiking, and biking, and gardening. She and her husband live in Rapid City and love spending time with their families.
EWD Division Director
jm******@***sc.org
Jeanne McKenna is the Director of the Education and Workforce Development division. She brings 30+ years in education as a teacher, coach, and principal, and 8 years of experience in corporate management. Jeanne holds a bachelor’s degree in education and special education from BH State University and a master’s in educational leadership from SD State University. Jeanne has been with BHSSC for ten years. She and her husband live just outside of Sturgis and have two adult children and ten grandchildren. Jeanne enjoys living in the Black Hills, walking her dogs, camping, cooking in her commercial kitchen, working for Harley-Davidson at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and spending time with her family.Â
Northern Hills GED Instructor
tp*******@***sc.org
Tammy Peterson is an Adult GED Instructor with a background in secondary education and archaeology. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Black Hills State University. Tammy has 30+ years as a home schoolteacher, a science and agricultural educator, and as an archaeologist. Outside of work, Tammy enjoys her family, landscaping, gardening, designing, hiking, cross country skiing, and fishing. She is an avid farmer’s market and country store supplier with her fresh produce, homemade breads and yogurt, jams, handsewn vintage aprons, and canned goods.
Employment Specialist
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Trevor Larson is an Employment Specialist with the Project Skills program. In his role, Trevor is passionate about supporting individuals as they work toward meaningful employment and greater independence, and he values building strong, respectful relationships with both participants and community partners.
Instructional Assistant
sl*****@***sc.org
With ten years of experience caring for children, Steph has had the joy of working with kids of all ages and unique strengths. Those experiences helped her develop a calm, encouraging style that she brings to her role as a special education aide. Outside of school, Steph loves to travel and has even spent time living on a sailboat, experiences that have shaped her sense of adventure and appreciation for exploring new places. She enjoys taking students outside, encouraging hands‑on learning, and creating a welcoming environment where every child feels supported and included.
Case Manager
sd******@***sc.org
Special Education Instructor
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Instructor
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Robin Lamb is the Lead Teacher at Black Hills Education Connection. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and Special Education from Black Hills State University. Robin has been with BHSSC for 11+ years. She lives in Spearfish and has three adult children and six (plus one on the way) grandchildren who live in Colorado. Robin enjoys cooking meals for family and friends, spending time with her cat Maxie, camping, and taking road trips to spend time with her Colorado family.
Southern Hills GED Instructor
rs********@***sc.org
Renae Schneider is a part-time Adult Education Instructor in the Southern Black Hills. She has been in this role since 2014. Renae holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Minot State University along with a Certificate of Law Enforcement from the University of North Dakota-Lake Region. Renae is also employed at Ameriprise Financial in Custer as well as coaching and officiating volleyball. Renae and her husband Kent have resided in Custer for the past 28 years and have a daughter Marlee. Renae enjoys golfing, hiking, traveling, quilting and attending most athletic events in the area.
Evening GED Instructor
ps****@***sc.org
Paul Smith is an Adult Education and Literacy instructor at the Career Learning Center of the Black Hills. He has 20+ years of teaching and coaching experience in three states and internationally. Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of St. Thomas. He has been with BHSSC for over 10 years. Paul and his wife live in Rapid City. They have three adult children and one grandchild. Paul enjoys hiking, camping, traveling, and living in the Black Hills.
Skills Trainer
mh****@***sc.org
Michael Hauge is a Skills Trainer for Project SEARCH Black Hills. He has four years of experience in Human Resources and previously worked at Monument Health. He’s been with BHSSC for around a year now. Outside of work, Michael enjoys hiking in the Black Hills, playing video games, and spending time with family.
Case Manager
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Laura Kelly is a Case Manager for the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP). With more than sixteen years of experience serving schools and public libraries, she brings a strong background in leadership, community engagement, and relationship building. Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Education, along with a minor in Communications and Library Media Science, which has equipped her with the skills to effectively support individuals and families she serves. Laura resides in Pierre and is embracing the empty-nester phase of life with her three young adult children. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and playing golf.
Employment Specialist
ks****@***sc.org
Kim Scott is the Program Manager for the Project Skills program; helping to get students with disabilities job skills before they graduate. She has been working with students with disabilities for 30+ years, 23 of which have been with BHSSC. She went to Black Hills State University, where she realized her passion was working with students to make a difference in their lives. She believes helping students achieve what they did not believe was achievable makes even the most challenging days worthwhile.
She was born and raised in Sturgis, so it’s no surprise that she met and married an avid motorcyclist. She enjoys riding with her husband, camping, hiking, kayaking, and being with her family.
Box Elder GED Instructor
ks****@***sc.org
Kari Smith is an Adult Education and Literacy Instructor at the Career Learning Center of the Black Hills. She brings 25+ years in education as a teacher and tutor, both in the US and internationally. She also has nine years of engineering experience. Kari holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in secondary education. Kari has been with the AEL program for about 2 years. She and her husband live in Rapid City, have three adult children and one grandchild, and two cats. Kari enjoys reading, cooking, hiking, camping, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones.
Mentor
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Julia Kelly is a Workforce Connections Mentor. Julia has nine years of experience serving individuals and families across the Black Hills region through a variety of human and social service roles. Julia holds a B.S. in Psychology from Black Hills State University and is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work at the University of South Dakota. Outside the office, she enjoys spending time outdoors, cooking and trying new foods, reading, good coffee, and being with her family.
GED Instructor
jo*****@***sc.org
Judy Oldert has been an Adult Education and Literacy Instructor with BHSSC for 30+ years. She lives on a ranch east of New Underwood and enjoys cooking, yardwork, hiking and traveling. She and her late husband have three adult sons and four grandchildren whom Judy homeschooled for 13 years. Priorities are family time and church activities.
Assistant Program Manger
jg***@***sc.org
For more than 20 years, I, Jenny Geis, have served as the Assistant Program Manager at Black Hills Academy, working closely with school districts, special education directors, parents, and community partners such as Lutheran Social Services. I’m dedicated to supporting students and families through strong relationships, clear communication, and a commitment to creating effective, student-centered solutions.
Instructor
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Jamie Hockenbary received her teaching degree in 1995 from BHSU. She spent the first part of her teaching career teaching K-8 in all subjects. She has been the ELA/Speech/Title I instructor at Black Hills Academy since 2020.
Program Manager
gm*****@***sc.org
Gloria Miller serves as the Program Manager for the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) at Black Hills Special Services Cooperative, bringing 20+ years of experience supporting migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Her work is grounded in both professional expertise and lived experience as a former migrant worker from Texas. After relocating to South Dakota, she began her career with NFJP as a Case Manager, where she directly supported participants navigating employment barriers. Gloria has spent 10+ years leading NFJP, with a strong commitment to expanding access to education, training, and career opportunities for farmworkers and their families. Outside of work, Gloria enjoys running, reading, and cooking, and treasures time with her husband and three grown children.
Case Manager & Data Specialist
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Erin Zimmerman began her employment with BHSSC in May 2014 as the Administrative Assistant in the Pierre office. She later transferred job positions to the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) as a Case Manager/MIS Data Specialist. Prior to BHSSC, Erin worked for many years assisting individuals with disabilities, staff scheduling, staff trainings, and IT support. In her spare time, Erin enjoys spending time with her family & friends, crafting, fishing, playing cards, and watching movies. Erin is also a proud, small business owner of a local handmade/homemade gift shop (which has been one of her lifelong dreams since a young child) that offers over 20 other in-store vendors’ homemade/handmade crafts as well.
Program Manager
es*********@***sc.org
ESOL
dk****@***sc.org
Desi Kranz is the English Instructor for Speakers of Other Languages with over 14 years of experience in language acquisition as a K–12 educator and adult education instructor. She is passionate about empowering multilingual learners to build confidence and communication skills. She believes that language learning is a powerful tool for connection, opportunity, and community. In her free time, Desi can be found exploring nature with family or traveling to experience new cultures.
Special Education Instructor
cg****@***sc.org
Christopher Grube is a retired public school teacher currently working in Project SEARCH with BHSSC, bringing 30 years of experience at the middle and high school levels. Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography, an Associate of Science in Aviation Sciences and Aeronautics, and has completed graduate coursework in National Security Studies and Political Science. Chris is a commercial pilot and FAA-certified Airframe and Powerplant Technician with Inspection Authorization. He owns and operates an aviation maintenance business and has built several aircraft, including one on display at a museum outside Paris, France. He is also a graduate of two fire academies, with six years of service as a firefighter, and has worked with aerial firefighting organizations, including CalFire and the BLM, as both a pilot and technician. Chris is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician.
Program Manager
bc***@***sc.org
Bethany Cook is the Program Manager of Black Hills Education Connection. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education, and a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, both earned through Black Hills State University. Bethany has been with BHSSC for 34+ years. She lives in the county outside Spearfish. Bethany enjoys gardening, camping, canoeing, journaling, loom knitting, and spending time with her family and cocker spaniel Ella.
GED Instructor
ar********@***sc.org
Alyssa Roberson-Groenewoud is an Adult Education and Literacy Math Instructor at the Career Learning Center of the Black Hills. She has over 2 years of experience teaching adult students’ mathematics. She also has experience in pretesting (TABE testing) the students and data entering the students. During her time at the Career Learning Center of the Black Hills, she has shown her leadership skills by stepping in and helping wherever she is needed. Alyssa is super passionate about her job in helping students exceed in their academics.
Instructional Assistant
ab****@***sc.org
I am a dedicated professional Instructional Assistant at Black Hills Academy, where I support and empower youth in their personal and educational development. I bring valuable experience working with diverse populations of young people through my involvement with numerous nonprofit organizations. I graduated from Black Hills State University with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a minor in Psychology, which informs my approach to understanding behavior and social dynamics. I am passionate about fostering growth, resilience, and positive change in the youth I serve. In my free time, I enjoy the outdoors, especially hiking, camping, and traveling while also spending quality time with my family and friends!
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