Submitted Photo DKG members from North Dakota’s organization taking part in this year’s DKG International Convention are, from left, Tonya Hunskor, state presiden; Sherry Heaton, state second vice president; Lisa Olson, northwest regional director for DKG Society International; Brenda Seehafer, state treasurer; Norma Theis, state first vice president. Photo from Lisa Olson

Lisa Olson of Minot was elected to the DKG Society International Administrative Board as its northwest regional director. Olson is the first DKG member from North Dakota to serve on the administrative board.

DKG is an honorary education organization for women..

There are DKG chapters across 17 different countries worldwide. In North Dakota there are nine chapters, including one in Minot.

The DKG organization, formerly called “Delta Kappa Gamma,” is nearly 100 years old and was founded by 12 women in Austin, Texas, who felt they couldn’t live up to their potential because of societies devaluation of women. According to DKG, the mission of the organization is to promote professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.

DKG awards annual scholarships to women who are working on their Master’s degrees or doctorates.

“Locally we have a scholarship at Minot State for women who are education majors. So even locally we give out money each year,” Olson said.

DKG also hosts state and national conferences and conventions, which include training opportunities, information sessions, keynote speakers and more.

“We try to look at things that are of interest to teachers in the classroom, things that are impacting education right now. We’ve certainly talked about diversity among our students and among our teaching faculty. We’ve talked about mental health and bullying,” Olson said. “We also try to teach some of the basic skills of leadership and how to lead a group, whether it’s a group of students or a group of adults.”.

Each member state hosts one conference a year in the spring. North Dakota’s DKG state conference is typically held in June. The international DKG conference is held in July.

Additionally, DKG sometimes partners with other organizations such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to help build schools for girls in developing nations abroad.

Olson has served as the North Dakota president of DKG three separate times. At the international level, Olson has chaired one of DKG’s international committees.

“Personally I’ve been able to use that training, whether it be in DKG or while I was an active educator or while sitting on Minot City Council,” Olson said.

Olson’s leadership history with the organization is why she believes DKG’s international president at the time, Becky Sadowski, encouraged her to apply for the northwest regional director position.

The electoral process for the position started with a self-nomination application requiring three references from other DKG leaders. A nominating committee met and determined individuals who would move forward with the election. The election took place in July.

“So as part of this position, I will oversee leadership training and other opportunities for the DKG leaders from 16 U.S. states and Canadian provinces,” Olson said.

These states and provinces are Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Iowa, Manitoba, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Olson will meet virtually with the DKG presidents from those states and provinces on a monthly basis and will also visit some locations in person to be part of the state conferences and conventions.

Olson’s term as DKG’s northwest regional director is two years.

Olson also currently serves on Minot City Council and said it’s important to keep a balance between the two positions.

“I keep a really good calendar but I think a lot of what I do in both positions is similar. I’m meeting with people, I’m listening to people and hopefully, I’m finding ways to help people,” she said.

Olson said in the past when she served as city council president, she presented recommendations to support the Minot Public School District, including a lean city council budget to encourage voters to pass the bond measure for the new high school.

“My history is as an educator. I taught for 30 years. Obviously, anything I can do to support public schools, I’m going to do that,” Olson said.

“I think DKG’s leadership opportunities have helped me in whatever job I’m doing,” she said. “Now I want to be able to share that training with other women educators who are interested in pursuing some leadership roles, whether it’s in their school or in an organization or business.”

There are around 100 members in the local Minot DKG chapter, but Olson said there’s always room for more.

“In a nutshell, any woman who teaches anyone anything and gets paid to do so is eligible for DKG membership,” Olson said.

Olson clarified the definition of “woman” the organization uses is inclusive of transgender women as well.

“So we often see classroom teachers or college professors but it can be a corporate trainer. It can be a music teacher. It can be a paid church youth leader, as long as they’re a woman and they’re teaching someone and they’re being paid to do it,” Olson said. Additional members have been librarians, museum directors, daycare teachers and yoga instructors.