Valerie Fosness Melmer

Valerie Melmer

The roots of Valerie Melmer’s life go four generations deep into the South Dakota soil, growing up in Davison County and spending summer days in Aurora and Lyman County with her grandparents.

Those roots also run deep into her faith, her family, and the Leadership South Dakota program. Valerie and her husband Rick founded Leadership South Dakota in 2014.  The program provides leaders from across the state with the opportunity to see places that many may not see, meet people that many may not meet and learn leadership skills along the way.

During the years that she lived in Pierre, Valerie was a Legislative Page Advisor to 500 high school students from across South Dakota. She serves others through ministry activities at their church. She particularly loves the moments when they are with their three children, their spouses and nine grandkids.