Past Experience Shape Professional Journey

Written by: Michael Frye, USDA Rural Development

Our past experiences often intertwine to shape our professional journeys. For USDA Rural Development State Director Nikki Gronli , she’s reminded of the diverse paths she’s navigated that prepared her for this role.

“My journey to RD began in the broadband industry, where I wore many hats, from marketing to communications,” said Nikki. “This role wasn't just a job; it was a crucible of growth that empowered me to master public speaking and educate others on crucial issues like cybersecurity.”

Nikki worked closely with the CEO and learned the art of communication, crafting speeches and correspondence that truly captured his voice and vision.

“I dove into strategic initiatives, customer experience, disaster planning, and beyond. These experiences were not just tasks; they were opportunities that ignited my passion for problem-solving and elevated my understanding of leadership.”

Nikki also spent time in a marketing agency where she experienced complex challenges and collaborated with team members to devise innovative solutions. These experiences helped shape her leadership style with USDA Rural Development.

“Every challenge—internal or external—becomes an opportunity for growth and learning. Being part of a solution is not just impactful. It’s a source of pride, reinforcing my belief in the importance of treating everyone with dignity and respect,” said Nikki.

Throughout her time with Rural Development, Nikki has continued to share a valuable lesson: be a lifelong learner. Nikki reflected back on a time when the internet was just emerging.

“The internet was really just becoming a thing during my time in college. As technology evolved, so did I,” Nikki said.? “Staying current and relevant in this fast-paced world isn’t just a necessity; it's an exhilarating challenge that I wholeheartedly embrace. Having the desire to continue to learn and the desire to make sure those around me are also embracing that growth mindset is extremely important to me.”

Nikki has put a microscope on Rural Development, looking for opportunities to improve the way we do our work every day.

“You can accomplish so much without even having to go outside of your office. We have reviewed standard operating procedures to look for efficiencies. We have started using technology in a way that we weren't previously, like getting customer inquiries to a single inbox to improve efficiencies, standardizing our messaging to our customers. These simple, yet often overlooked changes have greatly improved internal and external relationships and saved countless hours wasted on redundant tasks.”

Nikki’s work within South Dakota didn’t go unnoticed. In June of 2024 Nikki was called to join Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden in Washington, D.C., as a ‘State Director in Residence,’ where her creative communications skills were put to use.

“I spent three weeks in office really working directly with the team in the Under Secretary’s office looking at their process and how they work and function,” said Nikki. “I focused on things we needed to change like making improvements in the messages that were coming out of the Under Secretary's office, or working on speeches. I wanted to make sure we didn’t just talk numbers. We needed to tell the story of those people directly impacted by the work we do.”

Those changes resulted in huge results. Local media engagements increased, conversations in social media saw a jump. People were becoming more aware of the impact Rural Development has on rural America.

Nikki shared that during her time at Rural Development, she’s heard countless times that people just didn’t know all the ways we can assist rural communities, businesses and homeowners. It’s why she feels outreach and telling the stories is so important to the work we do.

“When they hear about the fact that we were able to help with a mobile clinic for one of the Tribes and explain what that mobile clinic does, how it's impacting people in that area, it becomes more tangible to them. They can see it, they can imagine it for their community,” said Nikki. “Rather than just going out and talking about the program and that it's a grant or a loan, I instead always brought that impact. That story.? We've got such passionate people on our staff, and they allowed me to be able to take their stories and the work they're doing and elevate it.”

As Nikki’s time as the State Director for South Dakota comes to a close, she offers advice for the next class of State Directors.

“Engage with your team members, hear about their day-to-day work. We have some great team members who've been doing this work for 25 or 30 years, and they can talk about the communities and what it means to those communities and how it has helped create jobs, sustain communities, or gives people access to clean drinking water,” Nikki said. “Hearing their stories will really solidify for you the passion for the work you’ve been tasked to take on.”Nikki reflected back on her time with Rural Development and the projects that have become reality because of the work we do and the people we work alongside.

“One project that really stands out is the Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health System project. That facility will be here to serve rural South Dakotans for decades, and I got to be a part of that,” said Nikki. “I lost my niece to suicide. I personally know the importance of having these services close to home, and it’s because of Rural Development and our partners that people will soon have access to the care they so desperately need.”

To many, our programs might appear as just loans or grants, but the reality is much deeper. Rural Development stands with these vibrant rural communities, dedicated to making a lasting difference. We are witnessing a remarkable resurgence in Rural America, and our initiatives are here to fuel that growth, ensuring we build resilient economies that thrive for generations to come. Nikki takes immense pride in the work our team does, driven by a genuine love for rural life and its people. Together, we are not just preserving our way of life; we are revitalizing it, ensuring that the spirit of rural America is not only here to stay but ready to flourish.