Aaron and his wife Cindy are full time farmers raising durum, spring wheat, canola, flax, barley, corn, and alfalfa. More importantly, they raised their family on the values of country life. Aaron served in the North Dakota State Senate for twenty years. Most recently, he was the State Executive Director of USDA Farm Service Agency for North Dakota. His understanding and expertise in agriculture policy is recognized and sought by commodity groups, farm organizations, and members of both political parties.
Jason Matthews is an adjunct political science instructor at Bismarck State College and an instructor for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). He is co-host with Tyler Axness of the podcast, “What the Hell Happened This Week?”
Tessa Gould has nearly three decades of campaign, communications and policy experience, much of that time spent focused on the Dakotas. She has served on the staff of two U.S. Senators, four Members of Congress and has managed eight campaigns in fly over country. Gould has been named one of the top “500 influencers in American Politics” and a “Top Influencer by State” for several years running by Campaigns and Elections Magazine. We took a staff vote and decided she was qualified to write for NDxPlains. Gould grew up in Jamestown, played sports, did lots of fun stuff and attended college there. That’s where her love of the color orange began. She currently serves as Executive Director of the One Country Project and is a partner at a Washington DC based lobbying and public affairs firm. She spends time with her English bulldog, Sully, in DC, ND, MN and hockey rinks and baseball stadiums around the country.