The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) is proud to showcase Jennifer Pelowski, Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) with Wakonda Heritage Manor, located in Wakonda, South Dakota in this weeks Rural Healthcare – Expanding the Workforce Pipeline video campaign.
About the Campaign:
This campaign is part of SDAHO’s broader workforce development grant initiative, designed to help member facilities recruit and retain health care professionals. In 2023, SDAHO received the Rural Network Development Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), leading to the formation of the South Dakota Rural Workforce Network (SDRWN), a collaboration among health care organizations and community partners across the state.
As part of this initiative, a video series was created featuring SDRWN members. The series highlights real health care professionals in South Dakota, providing valuable insight into their roles, skills, training, and educational journeys.
The campaign specifically targets:
- Second-career individuals
- High school students exploring healthcare careers
Featured Professional:
Jennifer Pelowski is a Licensed Practical Nurse at Wakonda Heritage Manor in the rural community of Wakonda, South Dakota. Her journey into health care was shaped by hands-on experience across multiple departments before she made the pivotal decision to return to school and pursue nursing full-time. Embracing a rural lifestyle has proven to be both fulfilling and practical.
Jennifer challenges the common misconceptions about living and working in a small town, emphasizing the many benefits: no long commutes, flexible schedules, and peace of mind during inclement weather. She is a strong advocate for the advantages of rural health care settings.
Balancing work, school, and family life wasn’t easy, but Jennifer attributes her success to the unwavering support of her family, friends, and coworkers. Their encouragement helped her navigate the demands of education, parenthood, and professional growth simultaneously.
Today, Jennifer finds great joy in caring for the residents of Wakonda Heritage Manor. She treasures the meaningful relationships she’s built with residents and their families, and finds purpose in being a trusted part of their lives and community.
Full Video featuring Jennifer Pelowski:
Watch More:
Additional videos can be found on the South Dakota Health Care Workforce Resource Center Webpage at: https://sdworkforce.com/expanding-the-workforce-pipeline/
Throughout June and July 2025, SDAHO will share additional articles and videos showcasing more SDRWN members sharing their own professional health care journey.
To stay updated on video releases, follow campaign efforts or explore tools and resources, visit the South Dakota Health Care Workforce Resource Center website at sdworkforce.com or contact: Lindsay Stroman at Lindsay.Stroman@sdaho.org.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,150,097 with 0% percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
