South Dakota Democratic Party Chair, Cheryl Chapman

Cheryl Chapman is the South Dakota Democratic Party Chair, elected in May 2009.  She is a professional engineer and owns her own company Matrix Consulting, which specializes in all aspects of environmental planning.

Cheryl has a long political career, holding many appointed and elected posts, including:

• Pennington County Commissioner (1987-1994)
• State Democratic Party Treasurer (1988-1992)
• Delegate, 1992 Democratic National Convention
• Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Environment (1994-1997)
• Pennington County Democratic Party Chair (2007-2009)
• Delegate, 2008 Democratic National Convention
• State Democratic Party Vice Chair (2008-2009)

Cheryl holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from South Dakota State University and B.S. degrees in Civil Engineering and Mathematics and a Doctorate of Public Service from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. She was awarded the Distinguished Public Service Award from the Secretary of the Navy during her tenure with the Department.

In the past few years she has been President of the Girls Scouts—Dakota Horizons;  Chair, Western Dakota Tech Foundation Board;  Chair, South Dakota Rural Enterprise;  Chair, Calvary Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, Treasurer of Lifeways, member of the Black Hills Workshop Foundation, and member of the South Dakota School of Mines University Advisory Board.

Cheryl is married to Rapid City Alderman Malcom Chapman. They have three children, Lesley Kandaras, Michael Kandaras and Alex Chapman.