Enquist for House
About Emelia
Emelia's family has lived in Grant County since South Dakota's earliest days. She is proud of the resilience of her Swedish, Norwegian, and Polish immigrant ancestors to make new lives in their new home.
Emelia is the minister for three rural Lutheran churches across Grant and Deuel Counties. She loves her work and considers representing District 4 in the state legislature another way to serve her people.
In 2014, Emelia received her bachelor of arts degree in advertising and public relations, with a minor in music, from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri.
She studied political science, language, and pop culture during a semester abroad at Linnaeus University in Växjö, Sweden. Closer to home, she spent a college summer doing Spanish translation at Valley Queen Cheese in Milbank.
Through the magic of the internet, Emelia is currently a graduate student with Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is on track to receive a master of arts degree in systematic theology.
Emelia worked for 10 years in nonprofit public relations, digital advertising, public health marketing, and university communications across the Midwest and western United States.
Emelia returned to Grant County from Las Vegas in 2022. She worked as a writer for the Grant County Review through spring 2024, earning the South Dakota NewsMedia Association's 2023 Outstanding Young Journalist for a Weekly Publication Award.
Emelia has served on the boards of the Springfield Little Theatre in Springfield, Missouri, and the Young Democrats of South Dakota. She is a member of the Sutton Leadership Institute's 2025 cohort.
Priorities
Economic Development
Encouraging business creation and growth in northeastern South Dakota
Support for Families
Working to make education, childcare, housing, and healthcare stronger and more accessible for everyone
Rural Resources
Listening to the concerns in rural communities (a.k.a. all of District 4) and representing them with vigor in Pierre
Values
Common Sense
South Dakotans are reasonable, responsible people. Let's expect a baseline of functionality from one another (because we often live up to the expectation somebody sets for us!).
Integrity
If I don't know, I'll tell you that I don't know, and then I'll find out. You can expect honesty about my work, and I'll expect your honesty as well. I mean, we probably know each other. Why pretend?
Cooperation
I'll gladly work across the aisle with my Republican colleagues to get things done for South Dakotans. The legislative session is too short for hyper-partisan malarkey.
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