Hanson named to leadership program

Stephanie Hanson, a population health instructor at South Dakota State University, has been named a Sutton Leader as part of the Billie Sutton Leadership Institute’s Sutton Leaders Program. 

The program is a “yearlong leadership development program for a selective class of young professionals, community leaders, local elected officials, and people interested in public service or getting more involved in their communities.” 

According to Keri Pappas, a research associate who nominated Hanson for the Sutton Leaders program, “Stephanie is working to transform the health care landscape in South Dakota and has already made significant progress in the short amount of time she has been here.” 

In addition to being a population health instructor at SDSU, Hanson also leads the BIRTH-SD-AIM program to improve maternal health outcomes at South Dakota hospitals and birthing centers, specifically as it relates to perinatal substance use disorder, perinatal mental health and obstetric hemorrhage. 

BIRTH-SD-AIM — which stands for Bridging Information and Resources to Transform Health for South Dakota parents-Assessing need and Implementing Maternal health safety bundles — is the first of multiple planned programs to improve perinatal health outcomes in the state. Hanson is actively seeking additional grants funding for new programs to improve perinatal health, particularly as it relates to perinatal mental health. 

“I hope that this opportunity will not only allow me to continue to grow and develop as a leader in South Dakota but also allow me to network with others in our state who are driven to make changes to improve the health of our community,” Hanson said. 

Part of the Billie Sutton Leadership Institute involves developing a community engagement plan designed to make a difference in their communities. Hanson said she will use her community engagement plan to “focus on continuing to move the needle in a positive direction for improving perinatal health in South Dakota.” 

“I'm very honored and excited to have been chosen to participate in the Billie Sutton Leadership Institute,” Hanson added. “The opportunity is incredible, and I am really looking forward to being able to further develop my leadership skills while simultaneously being able to work on improving my community.”