For Karla Trautman, it has always been about the people. As she prepares to retire after 37 years with SDSU Extension, Trautman said that focus on people has remained constant.
“The premise of extension has always been about the relationships we create with people,” Trautman said. “I’ve always been a people person and have been interested in helping make an impact.”
Staying focused on SDSU’s land-grant mission and the people it serves – from her employees and colleagues to the clientele served by SDSU Extension – has helped Trautman stay energized and passionate about her work. As extension works to meet the needs of South Dakotans, Trautman said it has changed and adapted in response to those needs.
“The mission is what makes extension strong, because it exists to solve problems,” she said. “Clientele have a need, but how we serve them in answering those questions is what will make them feel like we care.”
Trautman grew up on a family farm near Jackson, Minnesota. Her love of extension started young, as she participated in 4-H growing up and was solidified after two summer college internships. That led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree from SDSU in home economics extension, with a minor in child development.
“I had always dreamed of doing extension work,” she said. “I love that there’s not any one day that’s like the previous one. I’ve gone 37 years and there’s not any day that’s like the last.”
She officially started her career with SDSU Extension in February 1988 as the home economist extension agent for Deuel County. After a few years, her role changed as the organization did, and she began doing 4-H youth development work for a cluster of counties, including Deuel, Clark, Hamlin, Codington, Roberts and Grant.
A few years later, Trautman was asked to relocate to the SDSU campus in Brookings for a “short, 18-month” role as the interim FCS and 4-H Youth Development program leader. Eventually, she was hired to take on that role permanently and in 2003 she earned her master’s degree in adult and higher education.
In 2004, Trautman was tasked with creating a new programming area for SDSU Extension in Community Development. She served as program director for Community Vitality until 2011 when she was appointed as Associate Director of Extension. In 2016, she was named the interim director and took on the role officially in 2019. Her impressive career will conclude in June 2025.
“Eighteen months turned into 25 years on campus,” Trautman said with a smile.
Along the way, Trautman has filled in various other positions as needed. Over the course of her career, Trautman has helped steer extension through several large changes, including a state-wide reorganization that started in 2010, which then-College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences Dean Barry Dunn asked Trautman to help lead.
The effort required revamping the 100-year-old extension model, which included switching from having extension agents in each county to having hubs located in strategic regions throughout the state. By utilizing her experience in community development and leadership, Trautman helped to bring various voices to the project to find solutions that worked for everyone.
“We had to ask, ‘how do we envision we can do this work in a different way? I’m very honored that I was asked to help provide leadership with that re-organization, and grateful to all the people who served leadership roles,” Trautman said.
She has also overseen massive shifts in technology and communications. As demographics, technology and other social norms shifted, so did extension. Through it all, Trautman learned how to thrive in an ever-changing environment and maintained her people-centric focus to fulfill extension’s mission. Things like technology, for example, provide an opportunity to build relationships and provide important, non-biased information in a different way.
“In 2011, we learned we could do both face-to-face and virtual programs,” Trautman said. “People take advantage of both.”
One of Trautman’s career highlights was helping to lead the Horizons program, which laid the foundation for SDSU Extension’s community development work. Over three rounds that each lasted 18 months, SDSU Extension worked with 38 South Dakota communities through Horizons, which challenged rural community members to address poverty and leadership development.
“The Horizons project really benefited this state,” Trautman said. “It was a monumental experience, not just for us but for the communities who participated, to see what community development could look like.”
After more than three decades, Trautman said it felt like the right time to find a new creative path. She said the system has a strong team in place, and she is confident that the future is bright for SDSU Extension. For herself, she’s excited to spend time with her husband, children and three grandchildren. She’s also looking forward to having more personal time for things like gardening, golfing, traveling and volunteering in the community.
“It’s time for Karla to go find a different adventure,” she said. “It’s been a fun run. I’ve had a really great career.”
