Board of Directors
The Board of Directors provides governance, strategic oversight, and fiduciary responsibility for the Mitchell Indigenous Archaeological Site & Museum. Board members represent a range of professional expertise and community leadership.
Belinda Joe
Youth Education & Outreach
Belinda F. Joe (Rencountre) is Dakota Hunkpati and a member of the Rencountre tiyóšpaye (family). She is a mother, grandmother, educator, and community leader who is a strong advocate for education, diversity, Dakota language, and cultural traditions including song, dance, and storytelling. As a Bush Foundation Native Scholar and Community Rebuilder, Belinda works to connect youth, families, elders, and communities through shared values, language, music, and stories. She believes that as the world continues to change through diversity and technology, it is essential to recalibrate, strengthen community connections, and celebrate life and culture.
Grant Uecker
Local Strategy
Grant has spent his entire life in South Dakota, growing up on a farm and graduating from high school in Wagner before earning his college degree from Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell. Following graduation, he was employed by Dakota Wesleyan University for ten years, where he worked in support of higher education and campus operations. He later continued his career at Mitchell Technical College, serving in various roles until his retirement. Through his professional life, Grant developed a strong commitment to education, workforce development, and community service. He and his wife, Pam, now enjoy their retirement years in Mitchell.
Jerauld Garry
Vice President
Jerry has been a resident of Mitchell since 1976, when he and his wife, Laurie, moved to the community following his graduation from South Dakota State University. He served on the original committee that established the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Preservation Society in 1978 and has been actively involved in all phases of the Site’s development since its earliest years. An avid woodworker, Jerry has contributed to the creation of many exhibits and retail furnishings at the Boehnen Memorial Museum and the Thomsen Center Archeodome. He has worked as a financial advisor with the Dice Financial Services team since 1987.
John Koons
Treasurer
John Koons is a retired general manager who led several radio stations in the Mitchell area. Throughout his career, he worked closely with local organizations and businesses, helping strengthen regional outreach and public awareness. An active member of the community, John is a dedicated Rotarian and is involved with First Reformed Church in Mitchell. He values service, collaboration, and civic responsibility. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, woodworking, and traveling with his wife. John is married, has two grown sons, and is a proud grandfather.
John Erck
Governance & Legal Affairs
John Erck is an attorney who retired to Mitchell after more than 30 years of service with the U.S. government, including roles as a JAG officer and as a civil servant with the Department of Defense. After relocating to Mitchell, he was invited by Gordon Thomsen to join the Board of Directors in recognition of the importance of preserving the Mitchell Site. John works with fellow board members to increase local and national awareness while strengthening the organization’s long-term financial sustainability. He lives near the Site with his fiancée, Mary.
Myron Sonne
Secretary
Myron Sonne is a retired agriculture educator and farmer with more than four decades of experience in agricultural education. He taught high school agriculture for three years and served as an instructor at Mitchell Technical College for 40 years. Myron has been involved with the Mitchell Site for many years and previously served as president of the National Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association. He currently works as a farm and ranch management and estate planning consultant. Myron lives in Letcher, South Dakota with his wife, Nancy, a retired nurse educator.
Steve Kinsella
President
Steve Kinsella’s association with the Mitchell Site began in the 1970s, when he volunteered on an excavation of an earth lodge as part of a University of Wisconsin field project. He has spent his career working in communications and public policy, including serving as a communications director in the United States Senate and as press secretary to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. He has also worked as a writer and magazine editor and later founded his own consulting company. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with his wife, Ann.
Peter Lengkeek
Tribal Relations
Peter is a member of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe and serves as Chairman of the Tribal Council. A United States Marine Corps veteran, he has held a wide range of leadership and advisory roles, including service on the Indian Health Service National Suicide Prevention Strategy Committee, the HHS Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Council, and the National Tribal Advisory Council for Behavioral Health. Peter also serves as a cultural consultant for several organizations, including the Minnesota Historical Society and the Diversity Foundation. He lives in Fort Thompson, South Dakota.