Kelly Weaver, Moderator
Small Business Development Center
www.sdbusinesshelp.com
LinkedIn
Facebook
Kelly Weaver is the Regional Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Aberdeen. Her office serves 13 counties in northeast South Dakota and is one of seven SBDC offices in the state. During the past 27 years with the SBDC, she has assisted thousands of people in starting businesses, buying businesses, and better managing their businesses through one-to-one counseling and training events. She currently serves as President of BIG Idea, Inc., which operates the BIG Idea Competition, a business idea competition for high school students. Kelly has a business finance and management degree from Northern State and has worked in the field of community and economic development throughout her career.
Lindsey Huber
Northern State University
LinkedIn
Lindsey Huber serves as an Instructor of Management Information Systems at Northern State University, where she teaches courses in information systems, data and spreadsheet analysis, and business communication and ethics. An NSU alumna, she brings nearly a decade of experience in instructional design and IT services to her teaching, while also contributing to broader campus and community initiatives through alumni engagement, university committees and events, and service organizations.
Megan Kukowski
My Place Hotels
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Instagram
LinkedIn
Megan Kukowski serves as the Director of Marketing for My Place Hotels. Her team of seven strategically executes everything from email marketing and digital distribution to social media and design for the brand, all with the goal of telling the My Place story for our 80+ locations in a way that connects with current and future guests. An Aberdeen native, she graduated from Central High School and attended South Dakota State University, majoring in Advertising. In addition to her 10+ years in marketing, she loves to fill her calendar with as much community involvement as her husband will allow, all while keeping up with her favorite job, Mom, to her almost 4-year-old, Quincy.
Kelli Schaunaman
Production Monkey
FaceBook
Instagram
Kelli is a Partner and Marketing Director at Production Monkeys, where she helps keep the monkeys moving in the same direction and delivering what was promised. With more than 20 years of marketing experience, she leads with a focus on organization, clear expectations, and meeting deadlines without sacrificing quality. Kelli oversees marketing strategy and execution for small businesses in Aberdeen and throughout the region. She especially enjoys the reporting and metrics that come with digital media campaigns. Outside of work, Kelli is a mom of three and is active in her church, community volunteer efforts, and local boards.
Samantha Wipf
Optimal Performance
OptimalPerformance-SD.com
Facebook
Instagram
Hi there! I’m Samantha Wipf, founder and owner of Optimal Performance. I earned my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from South College in Knoxville, TN in December of 2022, after completing my bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology at Black Hills State University, where I also served as a student athletic trainer. My goal is to create a welcoming, patient-focused environment centered on personalized, high-quality care to improve movement and performance. Outside the clinic, I enjoy time with my husband, Tyler, our Golden Retrievers, traveling, and visiting the family farm in Eureka, SD.