BOARD: Jade Elise Herman, Ed.D.

Dr. Jade Herman is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe who grew up in Mission, South Dakota. Her leadership career has been shaped by a deep commitment to education, institutional stewardship, and service to community. She holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary sciences from South Dakota Mines, a master’s degree in administrative studies with a specialization in organizational leadership from the University of South Dakota, and a Doctor of Education in interdisciplinary leadership from Creighton University.

Over the past 15 years, Dr. Herman has built a career in executive leadership, strategy, communications, governance, and institutional operations. She served in progressively senior leadership roles at South Dakota Mines, including as the university's first chief of staff and later as the first associate vice president for external affairs and senior advisor to the president. Throughout her tenure, she led initiatives in executive communications, strategic planning, institutional accreditation, campus master planning, branding, alumni engagement, government and tribal relations, and organizational change. She is recognized for her ability to align strategy with mission, strengthen partnerships across diverse stakeholder groups, and guide organizations through periods of growth and transformation.

Dr. Herman's leadership has been recognized at both the state and national levels. She was selected for the 2023–2024 American Association of State Colleges and Universities Millennium Leadership Initiative, a prestigious program preparing leaders from traditionally underrepresented communities for senior executive roles in higher education. Her honors also include South Dakota Mines' Non-Faculty Exempt Employee of the Year, the National Society of Leadership and Success Leadership Impact Award, Elevate Rapid City's 40 Under 40, the Top 50 Women Leaders of South Dakota, and Faces of the Black Hills.

Beyond her professional career, Dr. Herman serves as chair of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation Board of Directors—the youngest and only Native American woman to hold the position in the organization's history. She also serves as interim chair of the Friends of the Children–He Sapa Board of Directors and as a member of the Gwendolyn L. Stearns Foundation Board of Directors. Her previous board service includes leadership roles with the Rapid City Summer Nights, the Ranch A Restoration Foundation, and the South Dakota Mines Alumni Association.

Across her work, she is known for stewarding legacy while advancing innovation, fostering collaboration, and creating lasting impact for mission-driven organizations and the communities they serve.