Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Kristi Noem

Discover the career path of Kristi Noem, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Kristi Noem is an American politician who has served as the 8th United States Secretary of Homeland Security since 2025. A Republican, she previously served as the 33rd Governor of South Dakota from 2019 to 2025. Before becoming governor, Noem represented South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2006: Elected to South Dakota House of Representatives

In 2006, Kristi Noem won a seat as a Republican in the South Dakota House of Representatives, representing the 6th district.

2007: South Dakota House of Representatives

In 2007, Kristi Noem began her political career in the South Dakota House of Representatives.

2007: Served in South Dakota House

In 2007, Kristi Noem began serving in South Dakota House of Representatives.

2008: Re-elected to South Dakota House of Representatives

In 2008, Kristi Noem was re-elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives.

2009: Vice Chair of Agriculture Land Assessment Advisory Task Force

In 2009, Kristi Noem served as vice chair of the Agriculture Land Assessment Advisory Task Force.

2010: End of Term in South Dakota House

In 2010, Kristi Noem finished serving in the South Dakota House of Representatives.

2010: Supported Keystone XL Pipeline

In 2010, Kristi Noem supported the Keystone XL Pipeline.

2010: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives

In 2010, Kristi Noem won the election for South Dakota's at-large seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating incumbent Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.

March 8, 2011: Formation of KRISTI PAC

On March 8, 2011, Kristi Noem announced the formation of a leadership political action committee, KRISTI PAC.

March 2011: Named Regional Director for NRCC

In March 2011, Republican Representative Pete Sessions of Texas named Kristi Noem one of the 12 regional directors for the National Republican Congressional Committee during the 2012 election campaign.

2011: U.S. House of Representatives

In 2011, Kristi Noem represented South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

2011: Debt Ceiling Vote

In 2011, Kristi Noem voted for S. 365, The Budget Control Act of 2011, which allowed Obama to raise the debt ceiling in exchange for spending cuts.

2012: Bachelor of Arts Degree

In 2012, Kristi Noem obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from South Dakota State University while serving as a U.S. Representative.

2012: Campaign for NRCC

In 2012, Kristi Noem was a regional director for the National Republican Congressional Committee during the election campaign.

2013: House Armed Services Committee

From 2013, Kristi Noem served on the House Armed Services Committee.

2014: Worked on National Defense Authorization Act

In 2014, Kristi Noem worked on the National Defense Authorization Act.

2015: House Armed Services Committee

Until 2015, Kristi Noem served on the House Armed Services Committee.

November 2016: Announced Run for Governor

In November 2016, Kristi Noem announced she would run for governor of South Dakota in 2018 rather than seek reelection to Congress.

2017: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

In 2017, Kristi Noem was on the conference committee that negotiated the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

2018: Online sales tax bill

In 2018, Kristi Noem pitched the idea of attaching her online sales tax bill to the government funding package.

2018: First Female Governor of South Dakota

In 2018, Kristi Noem was elected as the first female governor of South Dakota with the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

2018: Government Transparency Platform

While running for governor in 2018, Kristi Noem made government transparency part of her platform.

January 5, 2019: Sworn in as Governor

On January 5, 2019, Kristi Noem was sworn in as governor of South Dakota, becoming the first woman in that office in the state.

2019: Consented to South Dakota's participation in U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program

In 2019, Kristi Noem consented to South Dakota's participation in the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program following a Trump executive order that allowed state and local governments to opt out.

2019: Governor of South Dakota

In 2019, Kristi Noem served as the 33rd governor of South Dakota.

2019: End of Term in Congress

In 2019, Kristi Noem's service in Congress ended.

August 2020: Speech at Republican National Convention

In August 2020, Noem was rewarded for her COVID-19 response with a speech at the Republican National Convention, which elevated her national profile and was called a "defining moment in her political career".

June 2021: Deployment of National Guard to Texas border

In June 2021, Noem announced that she was sending members of the South Dakota National Guard to Texas's border with Mexico, with funding donated by Tennessee billionaire Willis Johnson.

July 2021: Department of Corrections changes

In July 2021, Noem placed Secretary of the Department of Corrections Mike Liedholt on administrative leave and fired South Dakota State Penitentiary Warden Darin Young and Deputy Warden Jennifer Dreiske. Later that month, she ended the prison's mask mandate.

August 2021: Review of Department of Corrections

In August 2021, Noem announced that the CGL Group was hired to review the Department of Corrections operations for $166,410. At the same time, the director of the prison work program was fired, and two other DOC employees relieved of their duties.