People

Amy Varland grew up in Lead, South Dakota and has spent much of her time between there and Rapid City. 

Her professional life is colorful.  She is a licensed bail bond agent, is certified to officiate at wedding ceremonies, and is a...

Cara Hetland is the News Director for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. She has more than 20 years in public radio as a reporter and producer.  Cara is also host of the Friday midday program Innovation.  She loves a good story and can’t...

Cassie Bartlett is a junior at the University of South Dakota and graduated from Washington High School in Sioux Falls. She is majoring in Contemporary Media & Journalism, with an emphasis in journalism and a minor in Spanish. At USD...

Charles Michael Ray grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota on the banks of Boxelder Creek downstream from the town of Nemo.

He began working for SDPB Radio as a reporter in 1992 at the age of 19. He worked his way through college at...

Chris Laughery is the local host of SDPB’s All Things Considered.  His family consists of his wife Ann and son Matt. Chris has been involved in the broadcast world for over 15 years. He is a United Stated Navy veteran and played a role...

Gary Ellenbolt brings South Dakotans the news of a new day on SDPB's Morning Edition.  Imagine the guy in the local coffee shop who knows everything, can't wait to tell everyone, and throws in a clever phrase now and again, and you'll...

Hannah Olsen is a senior at the University of Sioux Falls where she is pursuing a degree in Media Studies, emphasis in multimedia production, with a minor in Art and English.  Hannah was born and raised in Huron, South Dakota, and is a 2006...

Jim "Uncle Jimmo" Clark has been hosting Jazz Nightly since 2001.  He's a veteran of nearly 40 years in radio broadcasting. His first  gig was at a 50-watt AM radio station in Tafuna, American Samoa in 1970.  Before coming to SDPB, Clark worked...

Jim Kent is originally from Brooklyn, N.Y. A freelance writer and radio journalist who currently lives in Hot Springs, South Dakota.  Jim can be heard on a variety of radio programs including National Public Radio, South Dakota Public Radio,...

Kealey Bultena grew up in South Dakota, where her grandparents took advantage of the state’s agriculture at nap time, tricking her into car rides to “go see cows.” Rarely did she stay awake long enough to see the livestock, but now she writes...

Nate Wek is starting his senior year at South Dakota State University where he is studying Journalism/Broadcasting with a minor in Political Science. This is his first year interning for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Nate is the Director of...

Owen DeJong has been with SDPB Radio since 1997. In addition to hosting Morning Classics, he’s also the Director of Operations and has been the Radio Program Director, too. Before venturing into the world of Radio at the behest of SDPB’s Larry...

Susan Hanson is the Radio Program Director at SDPB. She's also the producer and host of No Cover No Minimum Radio, and the producer and voice of the long-running Radio Arts Calendar. Hanson started her career with SDPB Radio in 1999 as a part...

Rapid City freelancer Victoria L. Wicks has been producing news for SDPB since August 2007. She has in the past been a newspaper reporter, and she spent about 14 years advocating for crime victims in Rapid City and Aberdeen. Vicky is...