At 40, Jade, Ed.D., calls herself a “constructive disruptor” — a leader who opens doors not only for herself, but for the students coming behind her.

Today, she serves as associate vice president for external affairs at South Dakota Mines (Mines), helping shape strategy, communications, and partnerships at one of the region’s leading universities. She is also the only Native American on the university’s executive leadership team.

Her path there was not easy.

Jade, an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe who grew up in Mission, South Dakota, worked full-time while pursuing her doctorate in interdisciplinary leadership at Creighton University. As a first-generation college student, the financial strain was constant.

“The financial burden, especially for first-generation [students], definitely is a little restrictive,” says Jade.

A scholarship from the American Indian Education Fund^® (AIEF) program of Partnership With Native Americans^® (PWNA) helped ease that burden at a critical moment.

“Having a little bit of extra support that went to my educational bills was super helpful,” she says. “I’m always very grateful for donors.”

That support did more than help Jade complete her degree — it accelerated a career defined by leadership and impact.

After earning her doctorate, she continued building her career at Mines, where she was promoted to the university’s first-ever chief of staff in 2021.

“That was huge being the first chief of staff here,” she says.

In 2025, she stepped into her current role as associate vice president, where she now helps guide institutional priorities and represents the university to local, state, federal, and Tribal partners.

“It never crossed my mind that a girl from the Rez would ever come close to being university president someday,” she says.

Her leadership has been recognized at the local and national levels, and in 2025, she was named one of the top 50 Women Leaders in South Dakota.

For Jade, success is not just personal — it is deeply tied to the opportunities that helped her get there, like the AIEF scholarship.

“When somebody is generous enough to want to invest in somebody else’s future, it gives the students an extra boost of motivation,” she says.

That motivation matters. Native students remain significantly underrepresented in higher education — especially at the graduate level. In 2021, Native students accounted for less than half of 1 percent of graduate students in science and engineering fields, according to the Council of Graduate Schools.

Jade sees the impact of financial barriers every day, especially for students from reservations.

“A lot of students sometimes back out [of college] because it’s overwhelming at times,” she says. “Any financial support is appreciated, no matter the size of the gift.”

Jade serves as chair of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation Board of Directors, making her the youngest and first Native woman to hold the role. Her journey with the foundation is also deeply personal. Her great-grandfather attended the memorial’s dedication in 1948 — making her leadership today a full-circle moment.

Her journey has come full circle in other ways, too. As a sixth grader, she first visited Mines for a regional science fair — an experience that sparked her passion for education. Years later, she returned to lead that same science fair, opening doors for the next generation.

“Being able to work here and provide those same opportunities for kids is a privilege,” she says.

Jade hopes to one day give back to AIEF, because she knows firsthand what that support can mean — not just for one student, but for every life they go on to impact.