Gov. Rhoden poaches South Dakota's next prison chief from Iowa DOC

Leadership shakeup within SD Department of Corrections comes ahead of $650M prison construction, recidivism reforms

Gov. Larry Rhoden has tapped an Iowa corrections official to lead South Dakota’s prison system through construction of a $650 million complex and demands to reform recidivism and rehabilitation.

The governor’s office on Monday announced that Iowa Corrections administrator Nick Lamb will join Rhoden’s cabinet as head of the South Dakota Department of Corrections next month.

The 31-year veteran of the corrections industry succeeds outgoing Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko, who submitted her resignation to Rhoden last month amid lawmaker demands for a leadership change. That decision came just days ahead of the Legislature’s long-anticipated approval of a new men’s prison in Sioux Falls.

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