Noem packs top staff positions with new, out-of-state employees

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - The office of Gov. Kristi Noem is bringing on some new faces--all of them from outside of the state, a spokesperson told KOTA Territory News.

Noem’s new general counsel starts Monday. Mark Miller is coming from the Pacific Legal Foundation, where he was a senior attorney. Tom Hart previously held this role but left earlier this year for private practice.

Jason Simmons is moving to the Department of Agriculture to help merge the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Previously, he was on the Legislative Research Council.

Allen Cambon, his replacement, started Tuesday. Cambon comes from Congressman Ralph Abraham’s (R-Louisiana) office, where he served as Abraham’s legislative director and focused on agricultural issues.

The Telecommunications Association hired Kara Semmler as its new general counsel. Her replacement, Rachel Oglesby, starts the first week of November.

Caroline Thorman is the governor’s new federal liaison. This was the governor’s daughter’s, Kennedy Noem, old role. She was most recently working for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Before that, she worked for Congressman French Hill’s (R-Arkansas) office.