Contact Us

To contact a licensing board, select the appropriate board on the licensing board page and use the direct contact information found on the individual board page. Questions about Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program should be directed to the Department of Social Services.

To contact the Department of Health general mailbox use this form or find a direct contact in our directory below.

South Dakota Department of Health

Robert Hayes Building

600 E. Capitol Ave.

Pierre, SD 57501-2536

Phone: 605-773-3361

Fax: 605-773-5683

1-800-738-2301 (in SD only)

Staff Directory

Lynne Valenti, Deputy Secretary, Division Director, Licensure and Accreditation, 605-773-6188
Doreen Kayser, Executive Assistant, 605-773-3923
Emily Kiel, Division Director, Healthcare Access, 605-773-3361
Beth Dokken, Division Director, Family and Community Health, 605-773-3737
Jennifer Larson, Assistant Division Director, Family and Community Health, 605-773-3737
Dr. Tim Southern, Public Health Laboratory, 605-773-3368
Dr. Joshua Clayton, State Epidemiologist, 605-773-3737
Darcy McGuigan, Division Director, Finance and Operations, 605-773-3361

Family and Community Health

Division Director - Beth Dokken, 605-773-3737
Assistant Division Director - Jennifer Larson, 605-773-3737

Child and Family Services - Linda Ahrendt, Administrator, 605-773-4074

Maternal Health - Christine Catts, 605-681-8021
Infant Health - Jill Munger, 605-202-1798
Home Visiting Program - Carrie Churchill, 605-394-2495
Baby Care (case management for high-risk pregnant women) - Peggy Seurer, 605-948-2412
Better Health for Kids with Chronic Conditions - Whitney Brunner, 605-773-4749
Child & Adolescent Health - Sarah Barclay, 605-367-5212
Family Planning - Hope Klein, 605-688-5803
Newborn Screening - Bernadette Boes, 605-773-2944
WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children) - Rhonda Buntrock, 605-773-4786

Disease Prevention and Health Promotion - Kiley Hump, Adiministrator, 605-773-5610

Chronic Disease Director & Deputy Administrator for Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion - Laura Streich, 605-773-7046

All Women Count! (breast and cervical cancer screening) - Lori Koenecke, 605-773-5725
Chronic Disease Epidemiologist - Laura Gudgeon, 605-367-7081
Colorectal Cancer Screening - Lori Koenecke, 605-773-5725
Comprehensive Cancer Control - Lori Koenecke, 605-773-5725
Diabetes Prevention & Control - Kayla Magee, 605-773-2981
Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention - Rachel Sehr, 605-367-5356
Nutrition and Physical Activity - Larissa Skjonsberg, 605-773-2171
South Dakota Cancer Registry - Kay Dosch, 605-773-6345
Tobacco Control - Sierra Phelps, 605-773-2891
Opioid Program Director- Lori Martinec, 605-773-3917
Worksite Wellness - Enid Weiss, 605-878-0314
Injury Prevention Coordinator - Nicole Wright, 605-773-6744
Injury Prevention Epidemiologist - Amanda Weinzetl, 605-367-7436

Infectious Disease Director & Deputy Administrator for Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion - Angela Cascio, 605-773-4900
- Northeast/Central Regional Supervisor - Greta Thorpe, 605-626-2403

Western Regional Supervisor - Summer Radke, 605-394-2519
Southeast Regional Supervisor - Brenda Hansen, 605-367-4610
Healthcare-Associated Infections - Vacant, 605-773-4672
HIV/AIDS Prevention - Sarah Zaiser, 605-367-7202
Immunization - Tim Heath, 605-773-5323
Immunization Registry Coordinator - Brett Oakland, 605-367-4902
Ryan White Part B - Deborah Rumrill, 605-773-3523
Sexually Transmitted Disease Control - Vacant, 605-773-4794
Tuberculosis Control - Kristin Rounds, 605-773-4784

Communications Coordinator - Rebecca Piroutek, 605-773-2790

Healthcare Access

Division Director - Emily Kiel, 605-773-6108

Health Information Technology - Kevin DeWald, 605-256-5711

Communications - Kieran Tate, Director, 605-774-3063

Content Developer & Web Strategist - Jennifer Baker, 605-773-4967
Public Information Officer - Morgan Leiferman, 605-367-6054

Public Health Preparedness & Response - Kaitlin Thomas, Administrator, 605-367-5043

Assistant Administrator - Whitney Lutkemeier, 605-773-3593
Hospital Preparedness Coordinator & South Central Plains Regional Preparedness Coordinator - Melanie Wilmer, 605-773-3399
Strategic National Stockpile Coordinator - Chuck Kevghas, 605-773-2792
Glacial Lakes Regional Preparedness Coordinator - Rick Forkel, 605-626-2376
Sioux Empire Regional Preparedness Coordinator, SD Health Alert Network Coordinator - Carol Taylor, 605-367-7496
Black Hills Regional Preparedness Coordinator, Heather Fox, 605-394-6858

Rural Health - Kaitlin Thomas, Administrator, 605-367-5043

Assistant Administrator - Josie Petersen, 605-773-3517
Rural Hospital Program Coordinator - Michelle Hoffman, 605-773-5883
Recruitment Program Coordinator - DeAnn Sprenger, 605-773-2706
Rural Health Specialist - Natalie Jung, 605-773-6320
Primary Care Program Coordinator - Emily Paulsen, 605-773-2679

Emergency Medical Services & Trauma - Marty Link, Administrator, 605-367-5372

Trauma Program Manager & Eastern EMS Specialist - Jamie Zilverberg, 605-773-3308
Educational & Professional Standards Coordinator - Lance Iversen, 605-394-6027
Central EMS Specialist - Bob Hardwick, 605-773-4440
Western EMS Specialist - Julie Smithson, 605-394-5113

Licensure & Accreditation

Division Director - Lynne Valenti, 605-773-6188

Policy, Rules, & Legislation - Susan Sporrer, 605-773-4946

Accreditation & Reporting - Mariah Pokorny, Director, 605-773-3393

Vital Records - Shawna Flax, Administrator, 605-773-4961
Health Statistics - Mark Gildemaster, 605-773-3596
Professional & Occupational Boards - Mariah Pokorny, 605-773-3393

Licensure & Safety - Melissa Johnson, Director, 605-318-1843

Health Protection (restaurant, campground, & lodging licensure) - John Osburn, Administrator, 605-394-6064
Health Facilities Licensure & Certification - Cassie Deffenbaugh, Administrator, 605-773-3356
Medical Cannabis - Chris Qualm, Administrator, 605-773-3361