Meet the Current Class
Class XI
Jonnah Lee Backman
Account Manager
Ten Acre Marketing
Velva
Rudy Dotzenrod
Owner/Operator
Dotzenrod Farm
Wyndmere
Molly Fern
Finance and Research Director
ND Corn Utilization Council
West Fargo
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
Community Development Coordinator
ND Department of Commerce
Grand Forks
Janell Jerome
ARPA Funding Coordinator
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa
Belcourt
Jens Johnson
Wildlife Resource Management Biologist
ND Game and Fish
New Salem
Jennifer Jordan
Officer Manager
Trinity Lutheran Church
Lisbon
Taylor Kittelson
Western Area Health Education Center Director
Mayville State University
Velva
Amberrae McLeod
Security Ground Coordinator
Unifi Services
Bismarck
Cassandra Mellmer
Owner
Cassie's Cleaning Company, Rural Route Therapies
Reeder
Ryan Messer
Chief Financial Officer
Heartview Foundation
Menoken
Carmel Miller
AgTech Workforce Coordinator
NDSU Extension
Carson
Brian Palmer
Superintendent
Bottineau Public Schools
Bottineau
Briana Spellerberg
Director of Nursing
Sargent County District Health
Lidgerwood
Abram Valenta
Owner/Farmer
Valenta Farms
Montpelier
Haley Vollmer
Director of Marketing
Dakota Community Bank & Trust
Mandan
| Seminar | Dates | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Seminar 1: Orientation to the RLND Program | November 19-22, 2025 | Medora, ND |
| Seminar 2: Personal Leadership Development | January 28-30, 2026 | Wahpeton |
| Seminar 3: Rural Resources and Issues | February 25-27, 2026 | Minot |
| Seminar 4: National Study Tour: Trends in Agriculture and Rural Issues | March 22-28, 2026 | Washington D.C. |
| Optional Online Leaders are Readers Book Study | April/May/June 2026 | |
| Seminar 5: Regional Study Tour: Agriculture and Rural Issues | June 22-26, 2026 | Fargo, ND/Minneapolis, MN |
Seminar 6: Communication in Leadership Joint seminar with SDARL | November 18-20, 2026 | Ellendale |
| Seminar 7: State Leadership within Agriculture and Rural Policies | January 13-15, 2027 | Bismarck, ND |
| Seminar 8: International Study Tour | February 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 Leadership | March 26-28, 2027 | Newtown |
| Optional Online Leaders are Readers Book Study | April/May/June 2027 | |
| Seminar 10: Civic Engagement/Looking Ahead | June 16-18, 2027 | Washburn |
| Graduation Gala | November 2027 | TBD |