Mikena VanLiere - EmBe

EmBe Announces 2021 Tribute to Women Nominees

Mikena VanLiere2021-03-29T11:32:57-05:00

(Sioux Falls, March 29, 2021) – Forty-nine women and men have been nominated for EmBe’s 48th Tribute to Women awards. Tribute to Women is the longest-standing award honoring the achievements of women in the region. “Tribute to Women celebrates the work people do to empower our community. For 48 years, Tribute has honored those actively transform our community, making it thrive. Especially after this past year, it’s a great way to come together and celebrate the accomplishments of these outstanding nominees,” said Kerri Tietgen, EmBe CEO. The honorees were nominated in one of the following categories: Business Achievement, Community Service, [...]

EmBe Announces 2021 Tribute to Women NomineesMikena VanLiere2021-03-29T11:32:57-05:00

Shelby Norgaard: Curriculum & Staff Development Coordinator

Mikena VanLiere2021-03-25T16:36:29-05:00

Shelby Norgaard is the Curriculum and Staff Development Coordinator in our Childcare & School Age Care department. Shelby is the backbone of the department by helping train staff, support the Site Managers and Teachers in any way she can to ensure they have what they need to carry out lesson plans and ensuring teachers and children are safe. "There is nothing like walking into a classroom and having children shout out my name," Shelby stated. "Hugs and fist pumps are the highlights of my day. It is always an adventure to figure out a way to sit ten children on [...]

Shelby Norgaard: Curriculum & Staff Development CoordinatorMikena VanLiere2021-03-25T16:36:29-05:00

Volunteer Highlight: Sam Ryckman

Mikena VanLiere2021-03-09T09:33:05-06:00

FIRST LEGO League Alum and Volunteer: Sam Ryckman My interest in engineering and science started the same way it likely did for many: playing with Lego. From age eleven to eighteen, I participated in FIRST Lego League (FLL) and later FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC). These programs sparked my interest in science and engineering through exciting challenges and fun competitions. I learned how to design, program, and build robots. But more importantly, I learned the importance of teamwork, communication, and hard work. I am now attending college at South Dakota Mines pursuing degrees in mechanical engineering and computer science. After graduating, [...]

Volunteer Highlight: Sam RyckmanMikena VanLiere2021-03-09T09:33:05-06:00

EmBe Selects New Chief Executive Officer

Mikena VanLiere2021-03-08T16:28:50-06:00

(Sioux Falls, March 8, 2021) — Today, the EmBe Board of Directors is proud to announce that Kerri Tietgen has been named the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer. Tietgen will begin her new role on March 22. Tietgen, of Sioux Falls, has 20 plus years of experience in executive leadership roles and most recently was the founder and operator of KT Consulting. In this role she served as a consultant to a range of organizations of all sizes, and from private, non-profit and for-profit sectors. She earned her Master’s Degree from the University of South Dakota. Her expertise encompasses leader [...]

EmBe Selects New Chief Executive OfficerMikena VanLiere2021-03-08T16:28:50-06:00

Megan Willroth: School Age Care Site Coordinator at Freedom

Mikena VanLiere2021-02-19T16:07:07-06:00

Megan Willroth is an After School Care Site Coordinator at Freedom Elementary in Harrisburg. Each day she makes sure that programs are running smoothly and EmBe's values are reflected through the things we do and teach on our offsite locations. "I try to make the before and after school program a safe space for the kids." Megan starts, "I am proud of the kids every day when they enjoy the things I have planned for them and choose to be vulnerable with me after a hard day at school." We are so fortunate for our childcare and school age care [...]

Megan Willroth: School Age Care Site Coordinator at FreedomMikena VanLiere2021-02-19T16:07:07-06:00

Help as Needed: Dress for Success Sioux Falls Mentorship

Mikena VanLiere2021-03-05T16:32:27-06:00

Janet sat across the table from me, a warm cup of coffee in each of our hands as I welcomed her to share a little more about herself. This was the beginning of a six-week mentorship in which I, a thirty-something, came to learn more about a fifty-something who found herself unemployed following decades of hard work. Janet, a mother, widow and college graduate with a host of experience, was already working with an employment specialist at the Department of Labor. Her resume was impeccable. Her letters of reference provided insight into her exceptional work ethic. We met weekly, in-person [...]

Help as Needed: Dress for Success Sioux Falls MentorshipMikena VanLiere2021-03-05T16:32:27-06:00

EmBe proudly announces renovations to downtown location

Mikena VanLiere2021-01-26T08:40:14-06:00

(Sioux Falls, SD, January 25, 2021) - EmBe’s renovation will bring facilities into alignment with community needs identified in our recently adopted 2021-2024 strategic plan. “EmBe is building on our 100-year legacy of serving women and families in the community. The time is right for EmBe to invest our resources in this project. The form has followed the function, and we have the opportunity to align our historic 1951 facility with 21st century priories and needs,” said Anne Rieck McFarland, EmBe Interim CEO. “EmBe has transformed many thousands of lives right here in the heart of downtown Sioux Falls. This [...]

EmBe proudly announces renovations to downtown locationMikena VanLiere2021-01-26T08:40:14-06:00

Kerra Wallace: Lead Teacher in 2C

Mikena VanLiere2021-01-20T10:58:38-06:00

Kerra Wallace is the Lead Teacher in 2C at EmBe South and has done amazing things to continue to evolve our curriculum and ensure our classrooms are a fun and safe environment for the children. Her job entails seeing over the children and daily activities of her classroom. Creating lesson plans, craft prepping, recording information about each child in KidReports and so much more! "I love seeing the kids explore through daily play and watching the lightbulbs turn on when they figure something out," Kerra said. EmBe has helped Kerra in my professional development by giving her the opportunity to [...]

Kerra Wallace: Lead Teacher in 2CMikena VanLiere2021-01-20T10:58:38-06:00

EmBe awarded Bush Foundation Community Innovation grant for collaborative project

Mikena VanLiere2020-12-22T09:33:29-06:00

EmBe has been awarded a Bush Foundation Community Innovation grant. The $200,000 award provides funding for a two-year collaborative project to develop a framework for a shared child and school age care substitute staffing pool. This pool of trained staff will meet day-to-day needs across multiple organizations. The project grew out of the Sioux Falls Childcare Collaborative, convened and facilitated by Sioux Falls Thrive. The group has been meeting for several years with a focus on advancing sustainable child and school age care. COVID has propelled the group into the spotlight as the essential work of childcare providers has affected [...]

EmBe awarded Bush Foundation Community Innovation grant for collaborative projectMikena VanLiere2020-12-22T09:33:29-06:00

Donor Spotlight: Dr. Drew Alton

Mikena VanLiere2021-09-01T09:44:38-05:00

The world is watching as NASA’s Perseverance Rover makes its way to Jerezro Crater on planet Mars to hunt for prehistoric fossils in the next six months. For local professor and FIRST LEGO League (FLL) volunteer Dr. Drew Alton, the mission fuels his passion to bring science, technology, engineering and math to kids across South Dakota as a volunteer and as a program collaborator. “I want them to say, ‘I could be part of that mission,’” Dr. Alton said. “It’s exactly what FLL is all about.” Dr. Alton, a professor of physics at Augustana University, has been volunteering for the [...]

Donor Spotlight: Dr. Drew AltonMikena VanLiere2021-09-01T09:44:38-05:00

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About Mikena VanLiere