Staff
Nicole Gordon
Nicole Gordon serves Central South Dakota Enhancement District staff as our Executive Director.
Nicole has lived in South Dakota her entire life, living in various communities across the state, including Vermillion, Brookings, Sioux Falls and Custer. She has made Pierre her permanent home for the last 12 years. Nicole, her husband and three children are very active in the local hockey association and enjoy golfing, camping, and boating in the summer.
Nicole graduated with a BA of Science in Finance and has spent most of her professional career in the banking industry, most recently as a financial analyst in Agricultural Lending. She is passionately involved in the community, serving on many boards and committees. She is past-president of Oahe Days Music and Arts Festival and serves as the President of the Capital Area United Way. Nicole has previously served on the South Dakota Bankers Association Legislative and foundations committees, along with serving the local food bank and domestic violence shelter. She is an alumnus of the Leadership Pierre Program and has won various awards including the “Pierre Pride” and “Charles H Burke Community Leadership” awards.
“I look forward to this opportunity to build relationships with our members and collaborate our efforts to create economic growth in our communities.”
Paul Mehlhaff
Paul Mehlhaff is the Project Administrator for Central South Dakota Enhancement District. He brings a wealth of experience in fiscal management of federal programs to the CSDED office. Paul previously worked in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development under the Daugaard administration. He held the position of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Manager for 7 years. While at GOED, Paul also worked with the SD Arts Council as their grant administrator. He was the fiscal accountant for the State Energy Program, and managed the Ethanol Infrastructure program for the State of South Dakota.
Paul hails from Eureka, South Dakota and attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion after graduation. In his spare time, Paul enjoys spending time with his family, riding motorcycles in the Black Hills, playing golf, bowling, or getting out on the Missouri River to wet a line now and then.
Sadie Goodman
Sadie Goodman is our Community Development Specialist for Central South Dakota Enhancement District. Sadie earned a BS in Elementary Education from Dakota State University. From there, she moved back to Pierre and worked as a freshman English teacher at T.F. Riggs High School for five years. In 2021, she began working at Fischer Rounds and Associates as an account manager prior to joining the CSDED team. Sadie is passionate about helping others thrive through problem solving, encouragement, and hard work. She loves learning new things and meeting new people.
Sadie was born and raised in Pierre, where she now enjoys raising three children with her husband, Allen Goodman. The Goodman’s are avid Governor, Post 8, and Jackrabbit fans. They enjoy camping, traveling, boating, and cookouts with friends.
Malinda Hetzel
Malinda Hetzel comes to our office out of Spearfish where she worked as a Youth Ministry Director and a store manager. Malinda considers herself to be a lifelong learner and loves a good book, learning about various projects and tackling new challenges. In her spare time you can find Malinda on a Pickleball court, hanging out with her nieces and nephews, learning a new craft or leading the youth group at her church. Malinda grew up on a farm in northwest Wyoming before beginning her education and travels. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree from the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota. From there she has seen many parts of the America’s. Malinda hopes to continue checking places to visit off her bucket list. Malinda is our Office Manager and Governor’s House Sales Representative. She enjoys the challenge these roles bring and the joy of assisting others achieve their goals.