Administration | Sitting Bull College

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Administration

Dr. Tomi Kay Phillips, President

EED., University of Mary
M.S., University of North Dakota
President Phillips
President Phillips

B.S., University of Mary

Dr. Tomi Kay Phillips has been named the new President of Sitting Bull College (SBC). Dr. Phillips took the helm on January 1, 2024. She will begin a mentoring period on August 1, 2023 with current president, Dr. Laurel Vermillion until Dr. Vermillion’s retirement on January 1, 2024.

Dr. Phillips is an US Army Veteran, and a Bush Fellow. She has a Bachelor of Science in  Elementary Education from the University of Mary and a Master of Science in Education Leadership from the University Of North Dakota. She received her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of Mary.

Dr. Tomi Kay’s Lakota name is Cante Wakan Win. She is Hunkpapa and Minnecoujou Lakota. Her mother is Maxine Claymore Phillips and her father is the late Duane Phillips. Her maternal grandparents are Sam Claymore and Leona Many Wounds Claymore. Dr. Phillips life partner is John Montclair and she has two daughters, Sondi and Regan, three sons, Trevor, Sam, and Alex and one grandson, Cruz Montclair.

Sitting Bull College’s new president has lived on Standing Rock for the majority of her life. She is an educator with over 28 years of experience with 18 of those years as an administrator. Her teaching experience include teaching in an inner-city school system, in rural, public and tribal school. Her administrator experience includes working in the public-school system, BIE and Tribal Grant school system and a private school on Standing Rock.

After the many years as a teacher and school administrator, Dr. Phillips said she understood fully the importance of how education can offer more choices for not only children but the citizens of Standing Rock. She plans to be a voice for education at Sitting Bull College for the Standing Rock Nation. She wants our children to see people who look like them be successful and inspire them to do well in whatever they choose in life.

Contact Info:
Phone: (701) 854-8050
Fax: (701) 854-2013
Email: tomi.phillips@dbctl.com
 

Dr. Koreen Ressler, Vice President

Ph.D., Capella University
Vice President Ressler

M.M., University of Mary
B.S., Moorhead State University

Koreen Ressler is currently the Vice President of Operations at Sitting Bull College. She began her employment with Sitting Bull College in January of 1996 as Vocational Director, and then the Dean of Academics before moving to Vice President. Prior to that she was employed with Fort Berthold Community College, New Town, North Dakota from 1982 to 1995. During her employment at Fort Berthold she served as the Business Faculty and for the last four years as Acting Academic Dean.

During her employment with the Tribal Colleges she has served as chairperson and member of various committees. These include curriculum development, student life, faculty development, assessment, finance, facilities, and accrediation. She serves as the Higher Learning Commission Accreditation Liaison Officer for SBC and has been a Higher Learning Commission Peer Evaluator for over ten years.  She is a certified Vocational Education Instructor/Administrator in the State of North Dakota. Throughout her career in higher education, Ressler has also served on the North Dakota Tech-Prep Council, State Vocational Education Curriculum Committee and panel for evaluation process of Vocational Programs for the State of North Dakota. In additions, Ressler has oversight for various grants including Department of Education Title III and Native American Career and Technical Education.

She participated in the North Dakota Bush Fulbright Faculty Exchange Program in the summer of 1990. Also, in 1992-93 she was named the first time Fort Berthold Community College recipient of the Golden Apple award for Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

Contact Info:
Phone: (701) 854-8001
Fax: (701) 854-8197
Email: koreen.ressler@dbctl.com

Dr. Lindsey Helm, Dean of Academics

EED., Walden University
M.S., Walden University
B.S., Presentation College
A.S., Presentation College
A.S., Lake Area Technical College
 
Lindsey Helm is currently the Dean of Academics at Sitting Bull College. She began her employment with Sitting Bull College in July of 2020 as Director of the Division of Nursing and then in October 2023 began as the Dean of Academics. Prior to that she was employed with Presentation College in Aberdeen, South Dakota from 2010-2021.  During her employment at Presentation College, she served as Nursing Faculty and as Nursing Program Director. She graduated with an Associate of Science, Medical Assisting, Lake Area Technical College; Bachelor of Science, Nursing, Presentation College; Master of Science, Nursing Education and received her Doctor of Educator, College Teaching and Learning from Walden University.
 
During her employment with both colleges, she has served a nursing faculty and as chairperson and member of various committees. These include curriculum development, technology development, faculty development, assessment, simulation, facilities, and accreditation.  She is a certified Vocational Education Instructor in the State of North Dakota. Throughout her career in higher education, Dr. Helm has also served on the Nursing Education Deans and Directors of SD and the College and University Nursing Educations Administrators of ND. Dr. Helm continues to practice nursing as a Registered Nurse with Mobridge Regional Hospital.
 
Contact Info:
Phone: (701) 854-8044
Fax: (701) 854-8197
Email: lindsey.helm@dbctl.com

Sami Claymore Gates, Dean of Students

B.S., Sitting Bull College
A.S., Sitting Bull College
Dean Claymore Gates


Sami Claymore Gates is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She is a lifelong resident of Standing Rock and reside in the Kenel District. Ms. Glaymore Gates is a proud graduate of Sitting Bull College. She graduated with an Assoicate of Science degree in Business Administration in 2009, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2011 and is currently enrolled in the MBA program at Sitting Bull College.

Ms. Claymore Gates served on the Sitting Bull College Board Of Trustees from 2013-2021. Previously, she was employed with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe for a total of twenty-eight years. Twenty-three of those years she was employed with the Tribal Gaming Department which consisted of regulation, back-ground investigations, and drug testing. Some of her other experience include working for the Standing Rock Head Start Program, a member of the Head Start Policy Council, Office Manager, and Employment Adjudicator/Policy Development Specialist for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Human Resource Department.  

Contact Info:
Phone: (701) 854-8017
Fax: (701) 854-3403
Email: sami.claymore@dbctl.com
 
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