Staff
Carla Miller
Executive Director
Carla Miller, Ed.D.
I joined South Dakota Parent Connection as the Executive Director in August 2016. I have a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Dakota with a focus on Special Education. I have worked as a university instructor teaching upper-level coursework on assessment, Learning Disabilities, classroom management, and behaviors, as an Early Childhood Administrator, an outreach educator, and an educator on evaluation teams. I currently serve on the state's Part B Interagency Coordinating Council and the South Dakota Board of Services to the Blind and Visually Impaired. I also serve as a representative for Parent Trainings Centers with the National Center for Systemic Improvement serving on the Family Engagement Resource Team, and Stakeholder and Family Engagement Team. I am the parent of two grown sons, one with ADHD and Anxiety Disorder.
Lisa Sanderson
Grants Coordinator
Lisa Sanderson
I have served as Project Director for the statewide Family to Family Health Information Center at South Dakota Parent Connection since 2008. I have been working with systems and families across South Dakota for over 25 years, and serve as USD Faculty for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Program, and serve as the Center for Disease Control's Act Early Ambassador to South Dakota since 2018. I have a Bachelor of Science degree, maintain licensure by the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners, and was a certified educator for many years. I am a parent of three, and grandparent of five, including children with exceptional needs. My passion is supporting families to be effective advocates for their children or other family members with disabilities.
Betsy Drew
Outreach Specialist
Betsy Drew
Outreach Specialist is a retired Elementary Principal. She holds a Master's Degree in both Elementary Administration and Elementary Curriculum. She has served as a 504 Coordinator, a University Instructor, and a classroom teacher. As an administrator, she implemented a Response to Intervention program for her elementary school. Betsy is a graduate of Partners in Policymaking. She has one daughter who has a complex and rare disorder.
Kris Sellers
Outreach Specialist
Kris Sellers
I am a retired special education teacher and have worked with individuals of all ages with disabilities since college. I reside in Brandon with my husband, and we have three children and five grandchildren. I have enjoyed my “second career” as an Outreach Specialist at South Dakota Parent Connection, as it has provided me with the opportunity to work more closely with the parents of children with a disability. I can be their sounding board when they are concerned for their child and help them brainstorm and work through these difficult situations by offering recommendations, resources, and guidance when it is most needed.
Tina Kenser
Outreach Specialist
Tina Kenser
I am the mother of a middle school-aged daughter with autism. I have been instrumental in organizing a parent support group in her community. I am a graduate of Partners in Policymaking. I currently serve on the state Family Support Council, the Mayors Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities in her community, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Advisory Board in her community. I was a Captain in the military and have retired, having been Honorably Discharged from service as a Military Intelligence Officer.
Jennifer Wentzel
Navigator Program Coordinator
Jennifer Wentzel
I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Moorhead State University. Since graduating, I have worked for several non-profit organizations in various capacities providing information and resources to those needing assistance. I am a 2022 graduate of the Partners in Policymaking leadership and advocacy training in South Dakota. I am married and have two wonderful teenage boys that I guide and support every day. At South Dakota Parent Connection, I enjoy working with families who have similar experiences to my family, who with a little information and encouragement, can become stronger self-advocates for their family's needs.
Courtney Temple
Outreach Specialist
Courtney Temple
I am a veteran of the United States Air Force and after leaving the military, I worked with special needs children and adults as a Paraprofessional and Job Coach while earning my BBA with a concentration in health care management. I then became a registered behavior technician and have been trained in ABA therapy and currently, I am working to earn my Master's in Elementary and Special Education. I am passionate about continuing to learn all that I can about special education in the hopes that I can use that knowledge to enhance the quality of life for those with disabilities.
Pam Brown
Program Support Specialist
Pam Brown
I have over 20 years of experience working with children and adults with disabilities in a classroom setting and residential homes. Specializing in Employment Services, I have built connections with community leaders and businesses to strengthen support for individuals seeking employment. I am a Certified Employment Specialist Professional and Customized Employment Facilitator. In my free time, I can be found baking, outdoors watering my flowers, or camping with my husband and daughters. The thing that I most enjoy about my job is being able to connect parents with an Outreach Specialist. I can hear the appreciation and relief in their voices and that honestly makes me proud to be a part of South Dakota Parent Connection!
Ken Randall
Operations Manager
Ken Randall
Coming soon!
