LEADERSHIP
President - Sam Hettinger
Samantha Hettinger has been a public school educator in South Dakota since 2013. She currently serves the Harrisburg School District as an instructional coach and HS student council advisor. Outside of her day job, Sam is an adjunct instructor in the Fredrikson School of Education at the University of Sioux Falls. She regularly volunteers as a program presenter for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and is the SDSCA Spirit Point Region advisor.
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She lives with her husband, three kids, and two black labs. Sam likes sushi, Skittles (purple bag), painting and crafting, cooking and baking, yoga, and doing a mediocre job of managing two fantasy football teams.
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Sam earned her bachelor’s degree in English from South Dakota State University in 2013, an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Florida in 2016, and an Ed.S. in Educational Administration and Leadership from University of South Dakota. She is now pursuing a doctorate in PK-12 Educational Leadership.
Her favorite part of SDCTE has been networking and sharing ideas with master English educators across the state.
Vice President - Adam Rudebusch
Past President - Nicole Finnesand
Teaching since 2011, Nicole Finnesand has found home at Tri-Valley High School where she currently teaches 9th and 12th grade English, Creative Writing, ACT Prep, and advises the Yearbook. Additionally, Nicole serves on the ELA Advisory Committee for the Dept. of Education and has served on standards workgroups and committees in the past.
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Nicole earned her BA in English and Secondary Education from Augustana University, her M.Ed in Reading from Black Hills State University, and most recently became a National Board Certified Teacher in ELA for Early Adolescence.
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Outside of the classroom, Nicole spends time with her husband and two young sons and pursues her love of gardening, baking, reading, singing, and drinking coffee.
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Secretary Vicky Gleason
Vicky began teaching in 2014. She taught 3rd grade for six years before moving to high school ELA in 2020, teaching in Summit, South Dakota. She also teaches career exploration. Outside of teaching and spending time with her husband and daughter, she coaches oral interp and directs the one-act and all-school plays.
She also brought Project LIT to her school. Her favorite hobbies are reading, baking, and spending time outside. Her favorite books are Little Women and Long Way Down, and she loves COWS!
Treasurer - Danielle Kohlmeyer
Danielle is an English educator with ten years of experience, currently teaching grades 7–12 in the Woonsocket School District.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in English Education from South Dakota State University and in 2024, completed her master's degree in education from Northern State University. In addition to teaching, she serves as the College and Career Advisor, helping students navigate dual credit opportunities, college applications, test preparation, and scholarships. She's passionate about building strong relationships and creating meaningful, student-centered learning experiences that prepare students for life beyond high school. Outside of school, she lives in Huron, South Dakota, with her husband and two dogs.
Conference Coordinator - Susan Farrell-Poncelet
Susan Farrell-Poncelet is the eighth through twelfth grade English, photography, and art teacher, prom advisor, oral interp coach, speech and debate coach, yearbook advisor, and senior capstone project coordinator at Sanborn Central. In addition, Susan teaches special-topic graduate courses through DSU in conjunction with SDCTE.
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Susan earned her A.S. and B.S. in Business Administration with a health care concentration from Colorado Technical University, her teaching certification from Dakota State University, her M.S.Ed. in English Education from Valley City State University, and her K-12 administrative certification through the University of Kansas.
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In addition to serving on the SDCTE executive board, Susan is a member of the Speech Communication Association of South Dakota and the National Council of Teachers of English, as well as serves on the Young Adult Reading Program committee through the South Dakota Library Association and is the chairperson of the Sanborn Central Education Association.
When she is not teaching, Susan likes to travel, spend time with her family, fish, hike, paint, and photograph old buildings.
Communications Director - Corrine Kallemeyn
Corrine Kallemeyn started her teaching career in 2000 teaching all 9-12 English and Journalism at Bristol High School. Since that time, she has taught in a number of small schools in northeastern South Dakota. She has taught every ELA course in 7-12 English, directed school plays, advised the yearbook, and coached oral interp. She is currently in her 24th year of teaching Speech and English 10 at Watertown High School. Corrine is the head oral interp coach and one-act/fall play director.
Corrine has been an SDCTE member off and on since 2009. She came to the board as the vice president-elect in 2017. Corrine enjoys leading the Spring Book Study and Summer YOUniversity. She is a member of the Educators Rising Board and the SDHSAA Advisory Board. She is an active Scout mom, the Scoutmaster for Scouting America Troop 8G, and a past assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 209.
Corrine earned her BA in English from South Dakota State University. Outside of teaching, she hangs out with her husband, Joel, and her two children, Eric and Emily, attending concerts and theater shows. Reading, crafting, gardening, and birding keep her busy during the summer.
Post-Secondary Liaison - Laura Cruse
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Laura is the Post-Secondary Liaison TYCA (Two-Year College). She teaches English classes full-time at Southeast Technical College.
When she is not teaching, she likes reading, remodeling her house, gardening, hiking, traveling, water aerobics, and playing music (piano). She is crazy about Masterpiece Theater, British spy series, and PBS Great Performances, especially their Shakespeare productions. Her husband and four children are her greatest treasures.
Post-Secondary Liaison - Cheyenne Marco
Cheyenne Marco, PhD is a Senior Lecturer of English at the University of South Dakota. She teaches undergraduate English courses, coordinates the SD Region Writing portion of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and serves as the faculty advisor for the University’s creative writing club.
She loves working with students in all kinds of capacities! In her non-existent free time, she enjoys going on hikes with her husband and dog.