A recap of recent events and happenings in the administration of Gov. Armstrong and Lt. Gov. Strinden





The Scope
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*October 3, 2025*

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roaming bison

Gov. Armstrong and Lt. Gov. Strinden pose for a photo with representatives of agencies recognized with the Roaming Bison Award for the October 2024 wildfire response.

Armstrong, Strinden present 2025 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Public Service

Gov. Kelly Armstrong and Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden presented the 2025 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Public Service, recognizing teams across state government for their exceptional efforts to serve citizens and meet a variety of challenges.

This year’s awards recognized team efforts, both within individual agencies and among agencies inside and outside of state government. More than 300 nominations were submitted by state employees.

“Our state agencies continue to deliver world-class service in collaboration with each other and our local, tribal and federal partners,” Armstrong said. “This year’s awards highlight teams that went above and beyond in serving our citizens and making North Dakota an even better place to live, work and raise a family. Congratulations to all the award recipients and nominees, and thanks to everyone who nominated their colleagues for their outstanding work.”

Armstrong and Strinden presented the awards during a ceremony in the Capitol’s Memorial Hall.

Following are the award categories, descriptions and recipients:

*Triple-Play Award:* Recognizes a high-performing team that flawlessly executed a complex, multi-stage project with precision, speed and without errors.


* Recipient:* NDPERS Retirement Plan Transition Team, *for* *implementing a major policy change by transitioning the retirement plan for new state employee hires from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan within a challenging 18-month timeline.

*Prairie Pheasant Flush Award:* Honors a sharp, fast-moving team that spotted a challenge, coordinated their strike and delivered a timely solution before it became a crisis.


* Recipient:* Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and Center for Distance Education (CDE) for Choice-Ready Framework for Military Readiness, *for* *engaging the National Guard to swiftly develop curriculum and create a first-in-the-nation, comprehensive military pathway program after data revealed too few students were meeting military readiness benchmarks under the state’s choice-ready framework for K-12 education.

*Backbone Collaboration Award:* Celebrates a resilient team that tackled the tough, behind-the-scenes work to strengthen North Dakota’s infrastructure, energy or economy through grit and cross-agency collaboration.


* Recipient:* North Dakota Parks and Recreation’s Little Missouri State Park Trail Restoration Team, *for the demanding, often dangerous work of restoring over 5 miles of abandoned and impassable trails to strengthen the park’s infrastructure, increase public confidence and ensure future generations can experience the park’s beauty.

*Strength from the Soil Award:* Awards a team that advanced agriculture or natural resources innovation in North Dakota through cross-agency or cross-community involvement.


* Recipient:* North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s State Wildlife Management Area (WMA) District Managers, *for their innovative approach in building partnerships with local livestock producers and implementing managed grazing systems to help restore prairie landscapes, improve nesting cover for upland birds and enhance forage diversity for deer and other big game.

*Roaming Bison Award:* Recognizes an exceptional team whose innovation, teamwork and citizen focus set the standard for public service in North Dakota.


* Recipient:* October Wildfire Unified Command, *for coordinating the remarkable efforts of more than 15 agencies that worked tirelessly to protect North Dakota residents and communities from historic wildfires that burned over 118,000 acres and caused millions of dollars in damage in October 2024.

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mha1
*Armstrong, Strinden stress importance of state-tribal partnerships in meeting with MHA Nation *

Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden and state agency representatives met with leaders and members of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara (MHA) Nation, discussing challenges, opportunities, and shared priorities for state-tribal relations.

The daylong visit was part of the governor’s commitment to strengthen state-tribal partnerships and visit all five tribal nations in North Dakota during his first year in office. Armstrong met with Turtle Mountain officials [ [link removed] ] in July and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate [ [link removed] ] last month.

Armstrong thanked MHA Nation Chairman Mark Fox for hosting the state delegation and for his commitment to true collaboration between the state and tribes.

“Our goal with these events isn’t just to be here and show that we’re here. Our goal is to find action items … and build up those partnerships and find a way that we can add value,” Armstrong said. “We want to make progress. We want to figure out where we can work together.”

Fox highlighted the tribes’ recent investment in infrastructure and economic development as foundational to tribal members’ prosperity. He noted MHA Nation accounts for about 3% of total U.S. oil production and has plans for gas capture, power generation and other projects.

“We’re proud that you took the time to come here, government to government, and to sit down and talk about very important issues that impact all of us,” Fox said. “What we do impacts the state. What the state does impacts us.”

Armstrong and Strinden began the visit by joining Fox on a tour of MHA’s new NG2 Greenhouse, which encompasses over 141,000 square feet and will produce up to 1.8 million pounds of fresh produce a year including lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries and cabbage. Fox highlighted the tribes’ progress toward self-sustainability, saying, “We’re building our future with our own initiative, with our own strength.”

At 4 Bears Casino in New Town, Armstrong, Strinden and several Cabinet leaders met with tribal leaders, state legislators and others to discuss challenges and opportunities including economic development, gaming, public safety jurisdiction, emergency management and substance abuse treatment and recovery.

The day also included tours of the tribe’s emergency operations center, Elbowoods Memorial Health Center campus and tribal headquarters.

The North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission is facilitating the visits to introduce the new administration to tribal nations and build stronger relationships and effective partnerships.

Strinden noted the state and MHA Nation have shared priorities including education, workforce development, health care and strong communities.

“MHA has a strong presence in energy, gaming and agribusiness, which contribute to the economic strength of ND, and we commend the Nation’s ongoing investments in infrastructure, health care and cultural revitalization,” she said.

State agencies represented included the Department of Emergency Services, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Public Instruction, Department of Water Resources, Information Technology Department, North Dakota National Guard, North Dakota Council on the Arts, Department of Commerce, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of Mineral Resources, North Dakota Highway Patrol, North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission, Department of Transportation, Game and Fish Department, and the Governor’s Office.

The MHA Nation, also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes, is located on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in west-central North Dakota and consists of over 1 million acres in McLean, Mountrail, Dunn, McKenzie, Mercer and Ward counties.

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Math and reading interventionist Frannie Tunseth named 2026 North Dakota Teacher of the Year
Teacher of the Year

Frannie Tunseth, a reading and mathematics teacher at Mayville-Portland-Clifford-Galesburg Public School in Mayville, is North Dakota’s Teacher of the Year for 2026, Gov. Armstrong and state School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said in a joint announcement.

Tunseth is a math and reading interventionist in grades four through eight. She provides extra help and instruction for students who are struggling with those subjects. She has worked as a teacher and elementary school principal during her 11-year education career and was recognized as the Griggs County Teacher of the Year in 2022.

“Many of the students I work with have experienced repeated challenges in school, which can lead to disengagement and a belief that they are not capable,” Tunseth said in her Teacher of the Year application. “My core belief is that all kids can experience success every single day, and it's my responsibility to create the conditions for that success.”

Tunseth begins her stint as Teacher of the Year on Jan. 1. She will succeed Kendall Bergrud, a mathematics teacher at Wachter Middle School in Bismarck.

Her award was announced at a state Capitol ceremony held to celebrate the four finalists for the honor. Aside from Tunseth, they were Emily Dawes, a literacy specialist at Lake Agassiz Elementary School in Grand Forks; Hannah Sagvold, a business education teacher at Lisbon Public School; and Leah Wheeling, a sixth-grade teacher of physical education and digital literacy at Simle Middle School in Bismarck.

“We’re fortunate in North Dakota to have teachers like Mrs. Tunseth who care deeply and go the extra mile to create a bright future for our children,” Armstrong said. “Her commitment to helping every student succeed no matter how big the obstacle is an inspiration for educators everywhere, and we congratulate her on this deserving honor as Teacher of the Year.”

“Mrs. Tunseth’s teaching style is inspirational. When a student is having difficulties, she is able to transform their outlook on education. Her love and dedication for teaching and her students are evident,” Baesler said. “She works hard to bring parents and families into her classroom instruction, because she knows that family involvement is a key part of student success.”

“Mrs. Tunseth will be an excellent representative for the outstanding North Dakota teachers that we have in our classrooms across North Dakota,” Baesler said.

Tunseth began her teaching career in 2014 at the University of North Dakota, where she was a resident kindergarten teacher while pursuing graduate studies full time. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UND and is studying for a Ph.D. in teaching and leading. She is on track to receive her doctorate from UND in May 2027.

At the start of her career, Tunseth taught first grade in Thief River Falls, Minn., before moving to positions in Grand Forks as a kindergarten teacher and Hillsboro as a fourth-grade instructor. In 2020, she began a three-year stint as an elementary principal in the Griggs County Central school district in Cooperstown.

In 2023, she moved to her current position as an interventionist in reading and mathematics at Mayville-Portland-Cllifford-Galesburg.

The process of selecting the 2026 Teacher of the Year began last spring, when Baesler invited nominations for County Teachers of the Year. Forty-eight North Dakota educators were subsequently honored as Teachers of the Year from their respective counties.

The four state Teachers of the Year finalists were picked from among those 48 educators, including Tunseth, who was honored as the Traill County Teacher of the Year.

The state Teacher of the Year was chosen by an eight-member screening committee of education stakeholders, who reviewed their applications and interviewed the finalists. The process is outlined in North Dakota law, NDCC 15.1-02-21 [ [link removed] ].

Tunseth’s selection means she will be considered for National Teacher of the Year, which will be announced in the spring of 2026. The Council of Chief State School Officers, which represents state education interests in Washington, D.C., supervises the selection process. Baesler is a former president of the CCSSO’s board of directors.

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workforce summit
*ND hosts inaugural Governor’s Workforce Summit to advance statewide workforce strategy*

More than 100 workforce leaders from across North Dakota gathered at the Bismarck State College Advanced Technology Center for the inaugural Governor’s Workforce Summit, a first-of-its-kind event convened by the North Dakota Department of Commerce and hosted by Gov. Armstrong.

The summit marked a pivotal moment in the state’s commitment to strengthening its workforce ecosystem. With more than 80 workforce development programs currently in place, the event served as a launchpad for deeper collaboration, strategic alignment and innovation in workforce readiness.

Armstrong opened the summit with a fireside chat outlining his vision for a unified, responsive workforce system. He emphasized the importance of aligning state efforts to meet the needs of both employers and job seekers in a rapidly evolving labor market.

“North Dakota’s future depends on our ability to adapt, collaborate and lead,” Armstrong said. “This summit is about more than programs, it’s about people. We’re building a skilled workforce that fuels North Dakota’s economy and ensures every North Dakotan can thrive.”

The morning continued with a panel discussion, “Actioning Our Shared Vision,” moderated by Commerce Deputy Commissioner and Workforce Director Katie Ralston Howe. Subcabinet leaders shared how their agencies are aligning efforts to implement strategic workforce priorities and strengthen cross-sector collaboration.

“We’re breaking down silos and building bridges,” Ralston Howe said. “This summit is a catalyst for aligning our efforts and creating a unified vision for workforce development that meets the needs of both employers and job seekers.”

Attendees participated in round table discussions focused on in-demand occupations, future-ready skills and innovative approaches to workforce engagement. The summit also highlighted success stories from across the state and encouraged leaders to share ideas and forge new partnerships.

“This was one of the most energizing workforce events I’ve ever attended,” said University of North Dakota Executive Director of Economic Development Cortnee Jensen. “It’s clear that North Dakota is serious about leading the nation in workforce innovation. For higher education, we must align with industry needs, drive innovation, and help shape a shared vision for the future of work.”

The event concluded with a closing keynote from Glenn Davidson, chief of staff to the president at Marymount University, who shared insights on national workforce trends and the importance of aligning education with evolving labor market needs.

For more information about North Dakota’s workforce initiatives, visit [link removed] [ [link removed] ].

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*IN OTHER NEWS*

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hunt

Lt. Gov. Strinden joined a panel at the Hunt Institute's Early Childhood Leadership Summit, discussing bipartisan efforts that led to investments in quality early childhood experiences in North Dakota.



readiness center ________________________________________________________________________

Gov. Armstrong attended the North Dakota National Guard's grand opening of the Readiness Center in Dickinson. The facility is more than double the size of the existing facility..



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hostfest

First Lady Kjersti Armstrong spoke at the Norsk Hostfest Reception in Minot. Gov. Armstrong and the first lady also met with the Norwegian Ambassador Anniken Huitfeldt during the event. 



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honor flight

Gov. Armstrong, First Lady Kjersti and Lt. Gov. Strinden joined other elected leaders in welcoming home veterans from the Western ND Honor Flight. 



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Gov. Armstrong receives the Library Champion award.

Gov. Armstrong received the 2025 Library Champion Award from the North Dakota Library Association. The ceremony at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks was part of a tri-conference between the NDLA, the South Dakota Library Association and the Mountain Plains Library Association.  









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