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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) Kelli Bowen grew up on a small livestock farm near Kathryn. She went to K-12 school in Enderlin before attending Valley City State University.

Bowen and her husband Jayson live south of Wheatland with their two daughters. 3 year-old Eve and Addalyn who was born in July of 2015. She is an Operations Specialist at First State Bank of North Dakota in Casselton.

Kelli Bowen and 29 other people were selected to Rural Leadership North Dakota’s seventh class.

She and the others were selected for the North Dakota State University Extension Service’s leadership development program that starts in November. They will spend 18 months developing skills to help them shape the future of their organization, community and state.

Participants will learn leadership skills, such as thinking critically and creatively, communicating effectively, self-awareness, decision making, strategic planning and managing conflict.

The selected participants will also learn about agricultural and rural policy, marketing, civic engagement, the value of coalitions and partnerships, industry and community advocacy, the agricultural economy and future trends that could affect North Dakota agriculture, finding innovative ways to fund local and regional development projects, and how to work with the state Legislature.

Those selected for the 2025-17 class are: Kelli Bowen, Buffalo; Rachel Bush, Jamestown; Jayme Davis, Rolette; Roxanne Hoffarth, Langdon; Devin Jacobson, Alamo; Kwirt Johnson, Belfield; Kayla Burkhart, Berthold; Pavel Danil, Michigan; Jeremy Doan, Bismarck; Levi Jacobson, Bismarck; Daniel Janes, Horace; Erica Johnsrud, Watford City; Lucas Lang, Sterling; Jodi Larson, Hettinger; Jason Lindell, Park River; Georgia Miller, Jamestown; Chuck Neubauer, Bottineau; Brandon Pyle, Casselton; Kristi Schultz, Wheatland; Jeanna Smaaladen, Grand Forks; Larry Luick, Fairmount; Natalie Muruato, Beach; Darrell Oswald, Wing; Gregg Schuetze, Watford City; Joyce ShiningOneSide, Dunseith; Warren Solberg, Horace; Joni Tillich, Belcourt; Daniel Stenberg, Watford City; and Alan Svangstu, Minot.

RLND program director Marie Hvidsten said, “This class is the largest group so far with 29 participants. The experience they have will be life-changing.”

Since RLND began in November 2003, 110 people from 78 communities in 37 counties have graduated from the program.