SURF Foundation board of directors grows with addition of new members
Board welcomes three new members, elects new chairperson, member emeritus
The mission of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) is to advance world class science and inspire learning across generations. The SURF Foundation and its board of directors support that long-term vision by building upon strong relationships within the community and opening doors for public contributions.
In June, the SURF Foundation’s board elected a new chairperson, elected a member emeritus and welcomed three new members.
Members Olson, Dykhouse elected to new positions
On June 7, the board elected Julie Olson, a board member since September 2021, to the position of board chairperson. To Olson, whose father and grandfather worked at Homestake Gold Mine, this facility’s connection to surrounding communities runs deep.
“This facility is really a huge part of our community, and it continues to provide for families as it once did for mine,” Olson said. “Serving on this board is my way of giving back to what this place provided for me and my family. I’m extremely passionate about the mission of science, of understanding more about the universe and how we connect with it.”
After guiding the Foundation through its formation and initial years, board member Dana Dykhouse was elected to the position of board member emeritus.
Gollofon, Stash and Varland welcomed to the board
On June 16, three new members, Adam Gollofon, Sandra Stash and Justin Varland, were welcomed to the board.
“Every new member brings expertise from different fields of work and is deeply passionate about SURF’s mission and vision,” Olson said. “We are excited to have a robust, diverse board. This makes our work a passionate, collaborative effort.”
Golofon has two decades of professional engineering experience, working on projects throughout the United States and in North Africa. Golofon is a graduate of Montana Tech, where he maintains an active advisory board role, and serves on several non-profit boards in various leadership positions.
Stash has more than 35 years of international executive and non-executive board experience in both the energy and hard rock mining industries. With a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from Colorado School of Mines, she pursued business and operations roles on six continents. Stash currently serves on a number of boards and is a non-executive director and chair of the Safety and Sustainability Committee of Diversified Energy Company.
Varland has two decades of sales leadership and business experience in global technology leading companies. Varland holds a bachelor’s degree from Black Hills State University and has been active on multiple advisory boards and committees with charitable organizations.
Gollofon, Stash and Varland will join current members Julie Olson, Fred Romkema, Beth Massa, Linn Evans, Chris Fall, Aurelia S. Giacometto, Barbara Szczerbinska, Bob Wilson, Casey Peterson (ex officio) and Dana Dykhouse, board member emeritus.
The board now consists of 12 members; bylaws state that a total of 24 seats may be created.
“As the SURF Foundation matures, we continue to grow our board of directors,” said Staci Miller, director of the SURF Foundation. “This ensures that there is a diverse, wide range of experience and a nationwide network. I'm excited about the opportunity for growth and to see the passion that this board of directors has for our mission and propelling that mission forward.”
With inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) at the forefront of the SURF Foundation’s work, the diverse expertise of the Board ensures that conversations and solutions come from many different perspectives.
More about the SURF Foundation
The SURF Foundation invites support for the advancement of underground science and its global impacts. To learn more or make a donation, visit the SURF Foundation website.
SURF is operated by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA) with funding from the Department of Energy. Our mission is to advance world class science and inspire learning across generations. Established in 2019, the SURF Foundation supports that mission by building upon strong relationships within the community and opening doors for public contributions. Visit Sanford Lab at www.SanfordLab.org.