Kristi Noem

Kristi Noem
Official portrait, 2023
33rd Governor of South Dakota
Incumbent
Assumed office January 5, 2019
Lieutenant	Larry Rhoden
Preceded by	Dennis Daugaard
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota's at-large district
In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
Succeeded by	Dusty Johnson
Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from the 6th district
In office January 9, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Art Fryslie
Succeeded by	Burt Tulson
Personal details
Born	Kristi Lynn Arnold (1971-11-30) November 30, 1971 (age 52) Watertown, South Dakota, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Bryon Noem ​ (m. 1992)​
Children	3
Residence	Governor's Residence
Alma mater	South Dakota State University (BA)
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Kristi Lynn Noem (/noʊm/ NOHM;^[1] née Arnold; born November 30, 1971) is an American politician who has served since 2019 as the 33rd governor of South Dakota. A member of the Republican Party, she was the U.S. representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district from 2011 to 2019, and a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives for the 6th district from 2007 to 2011.

First elected governor in 2018, Noem is South Dakota's first female governor. During the 2018 election, she was endorsed by President Donald Trump. As governor, Noem rose to national prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic over her refusal to issue a statewide mandate to wear face masks.

Living in rural South Dakota, Noem is also a farmer and a rancher. She published her first autobiography, Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland, in 2022. Her second, No Going Back (2024), ignited controversy over her killing of a family dog.