Kristi Noem is a Republican politician born on November 30, 1971, in Watertown, South Dakota. Raised on her family's farm and ranch, she is a lifelong rancher, farmer, small business owner, wife, and mother. She served as South Dakota's 33rd Governor , the state's first female governor, representing the state at-large . Notable achievements include her advocacy for agriculture, gun rights, tax cuts, and limited government; record-low unemployment and tourism growth in South Dakota; opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns and mandates; and authoring books Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland and No Going Back . She resigned as governor in January 2025 to serve as U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security , later becoming U.S. Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas .

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Attended Northern State University but left after her father's death in a farming accident to manage the family ranch; earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from South Dakota State University in 2011.
• Political Experience:
  • South Dakota House of Representatives , serving as assistant majority leader; focused on agriculture, economic policy, gun rights, and property tax reform.
  • U.S. House of Representatives ; led on farm bills, served on House Ways and Means Committee, and negotiated Trump's 2017 tax cuts.
  • Governor of South Dakota ; expanded broadband, launched anti-meth efforts, cut regulations, and was reelected in 2022 with record votes.
  • U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security .
  • U.S. Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas .