Burgum appoints Stanley woman to fill Higher Ed board position

Gov. Doug Burgum today appointed business consultant Danita Bye of Stanley to the state Board of Higher Education.

Bye has been a leadership and sales development consultant since 1997 for small- to medium-sized businesses in the science, technology, engineering, manufacturing and medical device industries. She previously worked as an investor and sales manager for Micro-Tech, a medical device manufacturer, and in sales and sales management for Xerox Corp.

“Danita’s passion for education, deep understanding of the business sector and thoughtful insights into the new generation of learners will help the State Board of Higher Education and all North Dakota campuses respond to the COVID-19 crisis and the unstoppable forces impacting higher education: economics, demographics, culture and technology,” Burgum said. “We’re deeply grateful to her and all of the qualified candidates who expressed their intense passion for higher education in North Dakota.”

Bye will serve out the unexpired term of former board member Dan Traynor, who resigned in January after the U.S. Senate confirmed him for a North Dakota federal district judgeship. The term runs until June 30, 2022. Bye’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the North Dakota Senate, but she will begin serving on the board immediately. Burgum expressed his gratitude for Traynor’s service on the board.

Bye earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology from the University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) and a master’s degree in transformational leadership from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn. She currently serves on the board of directors for the North Dakota Petroleum Council and The Triple T Inc., an oil and gas company. She previously served on the North Dakota Economic Development Foundation board, the Innovate ND board and the University of Sioux Falls Board of Trustees.
The Board of Higher Education has eight voting members appointed by the governor, including one student member, and two non-voting members who represent the North Dakota University System’s faculty and staff. The board oversees the system’s 11 public colleges and universities.