Family: Married to Kerry O’Dea for 8 lovely years.  One dog, Porter, and things are even crazier as we enjoy life with our newborn son Liam

Birth date: April 18, 1978

Birthplace: Aberdeen, SD

Hometown: Spearfish, SD

Education

B.S. Botany University of Wyoming 2000

M.S. coursework Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management 2000-2002

Teaching certification, Black Hills State University 2004

M.S. K-12 Administration, University of South Dakota anticipated May 2011

Professional Experience

Lead Teacher Belle Fourche Alternative High School

Middle and high school science teacher

Middle School football coach

Certified basketball referee

Community organizer

Sales Consultant

Organizations

Chairman of the Board for Hills Horizon

Member of Hills Horizon Spearfish Community Garden and Farmer’s Market committees

Post 32 Legion baseball board member

Toastmasters International

National Wild Turkey Federation supporter

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation supporter

Hobbies and Interests

Hunting and fishing

Running

Hiking and camping

Gardening and local food production

Spending time with family and friends

I’m a 4th generation South Dakotan as my great-grandfather Slim Horman homestead on the plains north of Belle Fourche.  I was born to Bill and Penny O’Dea on April 18th, 1978 in Aberdeen.  We moved back to Belle Fourche in the summer between my 1st and 2nd grade years and I graduated from high school there in 1996.  After graduation, I attended the University of Wyoming, where I met my beautiful wife Kerry.  I earned a B.S. in botany in 2000.  I attended graduate school until 2002, but realized my heart lied in teaching and public service so I entered the Teach Dakota program and moved to Mission, SD to teach science.

We spent three great and challenging years in Mission.  While there I earned my teaching certification from Black Hills State University.  Ready for a new challenge and enticed by the big city lights we moved to Denver where I worked with communities to develop plans to prepare for wildfires and to reduce the risks to residents and property.  City life was no match for time spent with family and the beauty and quality of life of the Black Hills, so after only a year we moved to Spearfish.

We are truly thankful for the clear skies and wide open spaces of South Dakota.  I’m currently working as the lead teacher at the Belle Fourche Alternative High School and a middle school football coach. I’m also working on my M.S. in K-12 administration from the University of South Dakota.  We have a crazy black lab named Porter, and things are going to get even crazier with the arrival of our son any day now.