Page Title

Meet the Current Class

Description

Class XI

Jonnah Backman, RLND Class XI

Jonnah Lee Backman
Account Manager
Ten Acre Marketing
Velva

Rudy Dotzenrod, RLND Class X

Rudy Dotzenrod
Owner/Operator
Dotzenrod Farm
Wyndmere

Molly Fern, RLND Class XI

Molly Fern
Finance and Research Director
ND Corn Utilization Council
West Fargo

Dee Holmes, RLND Class X

Deanna Decimus Holmes
Owner
All Embracing Home Care, All Embracing Home Care Foundation, CAFF Property Group, El Way Child Care & Learning Center, Kidwell Signature Cleaning
Grand Forks

Anya Hondel, RLND Class XI

Anya Hondel
Community Development Coordinator
ND Department of Commerce
Grand Forks

Janell Jerome, RLND Class XI

Janell Jerome
ARPA Funding Coordinator
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa
Belcourt

Jens Johnson, RLND Class XI

Jens Johnson
Wildlife Resource Management Biologist
ND Game and Fish
New Salem

Jennifer Jordan, RLND Class X

Jennifer Jordan
Officer Manager
Trinity Lutheran Church
Lisbon

Taylor Kittelson, RLND Class X

Taylor Kittelson
Western Area Health Education Center Director
Mayville State University
Velva

Amberrae McLeod, RLND Class X

Amberrae McLeod
Security Ground Coordinator
Unifi Services
Bismarck

Cassandra Mellmer, RLND Class X

Cassandra Mellmer
Owner
Cassie's Cleaning Company, Rural Route Therapies
Reeder

Ryan Messer, RLND Class XI

Ryan Messer
Chief Financial Officer
Heartview Foundation
Menoken

Carmel Miller, RLND Class X

Carmel Miller
AgTech Workforce Coordinator
NDSU Extension
Carson

Brian Palmer, RLND Class X

Brian Palmer
Superintendent
Bottineau Public Schools
Bottineau

Briana Spellerberg, RLND Class X

Briana Spellerberg
Director of Nursing
Sargent County District Health
Lidgerwood

Abram Valenta, RLND Class X

Abram Valenta
Owner/Farmer
Valenta Farms
Montpelier

Haley Vollmer, RLND Class XI

Haley Vollmer
Director of Marketing
Dakota Community Bank & Trust
Mandan

Rural Leadership North Dakota (RLND) Class XI (2025-2027) Seminar Information
SeminarDatesLocation
Seminar 1: Orientation to the RLND ProgramNovember 19-22, 2025Medora, ND
Seminar 2: Personal Leadership DevelopmentJanuary 28-30, 2026Wahpeton
Seminar 3: Rural Resources and IssuesFebruary 25-27, 2026Minot
Seminar 4: National Study Tour: Trends in Agriculture and Rural IssuesMarch 22-28, 2026Washington D.C.
Optional Online Leaders are Readers Book StudyApril/May/June 2026
Seminar 5: Regional Study Tour: Agriculture and Rural IssuesJune 22-26, 2026Fargo, ND/Minneapolis, MN

Seminar 6: Communication in Leadership

Joint seminar with SDARL

November 18-20, 2026Ellendale
Seminar 7: State Leadership within Agriculture and Rural PoliciesJanuary 13-15, 2027Bismarck, ND
Seminar 8: International Study TourFebruary 2027 (12 days within February 5-27)

TBD

Previous destinations include Ghana, Spain, Chile, Vietnam, Thailand, Costa Rica, Panama, and Brazil

Seminar 9: Critical Thinking in LeadershipMarch 26-28, 2027Newtown
Optional Online Leaders are Readers Book StudyApril/May/June 2027
Seminar 10: Civic Engagement/Looking AheadJune 16-18, 2027Washburn
Graduation GalaNovember 2027TBD