Speaker Bios

Christine Erickson is the 33rd Mayor of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, serving since July 2026, and the first woman to hold the office. Born in Rapid City and raised in a working-class family, her values were shaped by hard work, service, and integrity — principles she continues to carry into every facet of her professional and public life.

Christine’s early exposure to service came naturally as her father served in the U.S. Army and her mother worked in a local school cafeteria. These roots laid the foundation for her deep commitment to community. She earned an associate degree in Business Administration from National American University and a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Sioux Falls.

She always had an interest in protecting taxpayers, having worked for the South Dakota Department of Revenue, where she was recognized as “Revenue Agent of the Year” for her excellence and accountability. In 2012, Christine was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives for District 11, and in 2014, transitioned to serve two terms as an at-large member of the Sioux Falls City Council. During her tenure, she built a reputation for pragmatic leadership, transparency, and advocating for policies that reflected common sense and long-term impact.

In 2021, Christine became President of both the South Dakota Auto Dealers Association and the South Dakota Trucking Association — two integral industries to the state and the nation. Under her leadership, these organizations have become more modernized, tech-driven, and efficient in serving their members and South Dakota’s economic growth.

Christine brings a clear leadership philosophy: "Will it work? Will it make things better?" She believes the people of Sioux Falls deserve real results — not political wins and losses, but measurable improvements that make life better for families, businesses, and neighborhoods.

Family is the bedrock of Christine’s life. She is engaged to Jason and the proud mother of three sons, Anthony, Braylon, and Charlie. All three boys share a love of sports and a quick wit — keeping their mom constantly entertained with their sense of humor.

Christine Erickson’s multifaceted career - spanning government, business, and community advocacy - exemplifies her deep commitment to service, leadership, and the future of Sioux Falls.

Vaney Hariri is a leadership coach, culture strategist, and community advocate whose work centers on the human side of building strong, resilient communities. With nearly two decades of experience shaping intentional cultures, Vaney helps leaders understand how trust, belonging, and shared purpose directly influence the success of teams, organizations, and the places they serve.

As co-founder of Think 3D Solutions and co-author of Think 3D, A Radical New Approach to Maximizing the Potential of Your Team, Vaney provides practical tools for navigating change, strengthening collaboration, and building high-performing cultures. His background includes more than 12 years leading teams in the financial sector, where he saw firsthand how organizational culture drives engagement, performance, and long-term sustainability insights highly relevant to planners managing growth, redevelopment, and community trust.

At this year’s planning conference, his presentation is entitled: “Culture Builds Communities: The Leadership Behind Great Places” Plans shape cities—but culture shapes whether those plans succeed. During this session, Vaney invites participants to think beyond plans and policies and to consider how leadership, culture, and empathy shape the future of our communities.

Jerry Fogg is an enrolled member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe and a nationally respected mixed-media artist and Indigenous storyteller whose work challenges audiences to rethink history, place, and cultural resilience. Through his signature Foggma technique, Fogg layers found objects, historic documents, and traditional materials to create powerful visual narratives grounded in Nakota knowledge. Influenced by Native art pioneers Oscar Howe and Donald F. Montileaux, his work is exhibited nationwide.

Across disciplines, his work carries a singular message: Native people are not relics of the past, but vital contributors to the present and future. Through art, music, and storytelling, Jerry Fogg invites audiences to listen, reflect, and recognize that Indigenous nations are and have always been still standing.

Mr. Fogg will join us for the entirety duration of the conference and facilitate an opening prayer, drum circle, provide a session on his art medium at a local gallery, lead a smudging ceremony, conduct work on one of his art pieces, and provide a display and sales of his artistry.