Celebrating 10 Years of Growth: Build Dakota Expands Team to Power South Dakota’s Workforce Future

As the Build Dakota Scholarship celebrates a decade of transformational impact, the program enters an exciting new chapter—driven by the anticipation of continued growth and new opportunities to strengthen South Dakota’s workforce. Since its launch in 2015, Build Dakota has supported thousands of students pursuing high-demand technical careers, strengthened employer pipelines, and helped position South Dakota as a national leader in innovative workforce development.

Now, to support the continued growth and reach of the program, the Build Dakota team is expanding. Rita Nelson, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, has been named the Build Dakota Scholarship Workforce Relations Coordinator. Nelson has over 25 years of experience in management, recruiting, and workforce strategies across multiple industries, including finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. She recently concluded a 10-year tenure as Workforce Development Director at Yankton Thrive, where she led strategic efforts to connect education, industry, and community partners.

In her new role, Nelson will strengthen employer partnerships, align scholarship opportunities with industry needs, and support communities in cultivating local talent pipelines across South Dakota.

She joins a strong and growing team that includes Deni Martin, Build Dakota Program Manager, who has served as the visionary leader and sole program developer since Build Dakota’s inception. Over the past decade, Martin has guided the program’s strategic growth, built lasting partnerships, and overseen its successful implementation – transforming an ambitious vision into one of the most impactful workforce scholarship models in the nation.

Also on the team is Brandy Drew, Scholarship Program Specialist with the South Dakota Community Foundation. Since joining SDCF in 2022, Brandy has supported both the Freedom Scholarship and Build Dakota Scholarship, bringing a strong focus on accessibility, communication, and student success.

This milestone year also provides an opportunity to honor the visionary leadership of T. Denny Sanford and former Governor Dennis Daugaard, whose commitment to education and workforce development brought the Build Dakota Scholarship to life. Their bold partnership laid the foundation for this lasting and impactful investment in South Dakota’s future.

As Build Dakota looks ahead, the program invites communities, economic development organizations, and regional leaders to partner in new and creative ways. Whether through local scholarship matches, career awareness initiatives, or talent retention efforts, Build Dakota is eager to collaborate and help drive workforce success at every level.

With a decade of success behind it and a growing team of passionate leaders, Build Dakota is ready to create new partnerships and help build a stronger, more resilient future for South Dakota.

Learn more about the program’s impact and growth:
🔗 SD Community Foundation Feature
🔗 Build Dakota Leadership