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Junior Achievement of South Dakota (JA) is thrilled to share that Kayla Eitreim, President & CEO, has been named a Junior Achievement MVP (Model of Values Professional) Award recipient by Junior Achievement USA!
This national honor recognizes leaders who demonstrate unwavering commitment to the JA mission and exemplify the organization’s core values of passion, collaboration, and adaptability. For those of us who work alongside Kayla every day, this recognition comes as no surprise.
Kayla’s journey with Junior Achievement began in 2006. Since then, her leadership has shaped JA of South Dakota into a thriving, statewide organization committed to student impact. She’s known for her drive, vision, and her ability to bring bold ideas to life – most notably, her determination to launch JA Finance Park Mobile in South Dakota. After nearly two decades of dreaming, planning, and advocating, that dream became a reality in 2025.
Kayla’s leadership extends beyond innovation. She creates a culture where people feel supported, valued, and empowered. From volunteers and educators to donors, board members, and staff, she leads with heart and purpose. Internally, Kayla has cultivated a workplace culture rooted in flexibility, professional growth, and mutual respect. She brings people together through trust, teamwork, and a steady focus on doing what’s best for students.
JA State Board Past Chair Nathan Sanderson put it best:
“No one exemplifies Passion for the Mission of Junior Achievement more than Kayla Eitreim! It’s not just that Kayla has helped South Dakota kids for nearly 20 years, or that she has built a tremendously strong team for JA of South Dakota. Kayla’s continuing push for innovation ensures that the underlying values of JA are transferred to young people in fresh, exciting ways. She has been a diligent advocate for bringing JA Finance Park to our state; over the course of several years she laid the groundwork, found the funding, guided the setup, and completed the implementation of this new, highly successful component of JA in South Dakota (that she calls a ‘fun adventure!’). We’re blessed to have her leadership as she works tirelessly to prepare young people in South Dakota to succeed in the 21st century.”
Please join us in congratulating Kayla on this well-deserved national recognition. We’re honored to work under her leadership—and inspired by her unwavering commitment to preparing South Dakota’s students for bright futures.
About Junior Achievement USA® (JA)
Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to equipping young people with the knowledge and skills they need for economic success, future planning, and informed decision-making. JA’s hands-on learning experiences, delivered by corporate and community volunteers, provide students from kindergarten through high school with essential skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Annually, JA impacts over 4.4 million students in 99 U.S. markets, contributing to the 12.5 million students served globally by JA Worldwide. For more information, visit www.ja.org.
About Junior Achievement of South Dakota (JASD)
Junior Achievement of South Dakota (JA), founded in 1968, inspires and prepares young people to succeed in a global economy. JA provides hands-on experiences to over 55,000 students across South Dakota. JA experiences are delivered by community volunteers who educate students about money, careers, and business ownership while sharing their personal and professional experiences to help prepare students to be successful after graduation.
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