March 17, 2020

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Joe Kippley, senior director of strategic partnerships at Sanford Imagenetics.

Name: Joe Kippley

Age: 35

Hometown: Brookings

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

After my wife had served five years on active duty in the Air Force, we thought settling down close to family would be a better fit for us than moving to a new Air Force Base every couple years.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

The combination of the quality of life for raising a young family and professional opportunities for both my wife and myself.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

I enjoy working with other organizations that share a vision with Sanford and finding a partnership that makes both organizations stronger.

How did you get connected to your field?

I had a legal internship with Sanford back in 2008. I kept in touch with some people at Sanford while I worked in health care administration in the St. Louis area and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. The timing was perfect when we decided to move back to Sioux Falls because the Imagenetics program was just ramping up and in need of a health care administrator with a legal background.

Describe Sanford Imagenetics in three words.

Genetics personalizing medicine.

What’s your favorite way to give back to your community?

I love serving on the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire. It is an organization that is partnering with other like-minded groups in town to transform how we can serve, transport, feed, educate and care for our community’s kids.

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

Chick-fil-A. (Note: Kippley’s wish came true shortly after he completed his Q&A.)

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Professionally, I hope to be working in a similar capacity at Sanford, working on additional collaborations that improve health care delivery in the genetics field and beyond. Personally, I have two daughters, a 2-year-old and a 5-month-old, so I hope to be busy with their activities and education. I also want to continue to get more involved in the community to make it an even better place for my family.