In September our Chief Operating Officer, Rodney Bordeaux, was elected president of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. His departure left a big hole at St. Francis Mission. We are happy to report that we have been able to quickly fill it with Austin Keith.
Austin is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. His grandmother was a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and lived near White River. Austin has two bachelor degrees—in Economics and Psychology—and a Masters in Psychology. He has held administrative positions in the Cheyenne River Tribe, Habitat for Humanity, and the University of South Dakota. He has also worked as a mental health specialist on three reservations—Rosebud, Pine Ridge, and Fort Berthold in North Dakota.
Coming to St. Francis Mission, he said that he wanted to work in a faith-based environment where he would be able to have a positive impact on greater numbers of people.