DRA Welcomes Jason Schoch as New Executive Director
After an extensive search, Dakota Rural Action (DRA) is pleased to announce Jason Schoch as its next Executive Director. As the organization prepares to celebrate nearly 40 years of organizing in South Dakota, the board and members are excited to welcome a permanent executive director. Schoch succeeds long-time director Frank James, who retired last year. Chase Jensen, DRA’s Organizing Director, has been the acting director in the interim.
“Our search for an Executive Director has concluded as we welcome Jason Schoch to the role, who has a strong background with grassroots efforts and experience working with all residents of our state. Our staff’s deep commitment to South Dakota and grassroots organizing allowed DRA to move through this process with ease while maintaining a strong foundation. We are excited as we begin a new chapter in DRA’s story,” said Paula Antoine, DRA Board Chairwoman.
Schoch is joining DRA after 14 years leading South Dakota State University Extension’s Tribal Local Foods Program and six years as Project Director of Dr. Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program on the Pine Ridge Reservation. With extensive experience in leading and developing teams, supporting new and beginning producers, revitalizing rural community development, and farm-to-school initiatives, he is a proven leader with a passion for all South Dakotans and sovereign Tribal Nations. Schoch has worked in impoverished communities, focusing on community food systems and leading wildlife- and biodiversity-friendly, nature-based, regenerative small farming programs.
“One of my first formative memories when I was little was attending farm auctions with my grandfather during the 80s farm crisis. I remember him bidding on equipment he didn’t really need, just trying to help his neighbors out of a terrible situation. I also remember how hard he worked to keep our family farm afloat and profitable in a changing world that made sustaining agriculture and rural life increasingly difficult,” Schoch said of his lifelong connections to the farming community.
“In South Dakota, there’s a resilience in our farmers, our rural communities, and in the people from rural areas living in our cities. We have the grit, ingenuity, and pragmatism to face today’s challenges, just as my grandfather did decades ago. I am proud to join Dakota Rural Action in fighting to protect remaining small family farms, to organize those who call South Dakota home, and to give voice to a part of the country often ignored by today’s self-appointed power brokers.”
Dakota Rural Action is a statewide grassroots group that organizes people and builds leadership while developing strong allied relationships to protect environmental resources, advocate for resilient agriculture systems, and empower people to create policy change that strengthens their communities and cultures.
