Peterson elected to two cooperative boards

North Dakota Living Editor Cally (Musland) Peterson was elected to two boards — the National Electric Cooperatives Statewide Editors Association (SEA) and the North Dakota News Cooperative (NDNC). She will represent electric cooperatives in both roles.

At its March 3, 2024, meeting in San Antonio, Texas, the SEA elected Peterson its secretary-treasurer. SEA supports electric cooperative statewide consumer publications and the people who produce them. She will serve a two-year term, followed by a customary two-year term as vice president and two-year term as president. She hopes to build on the recent work of SEA to elevate the profile of member publications both within the electric cooperative network and to external stakeholders.

NDNC, a three-year-old nonprofit whose mission includes providing in-depth reporting about North Dakota to North Dakotans, named Peterson to its board on March 8, 2024. She replaces former Bank of North Dakota President Eric Hardmeyer, who died last month.

NDNC Co-Chair Jill Denning Gackle said Peterson brings a wealth of communications experience to the nonprofit.

“In this era of misinformation and disinformation, she cares deeply about journalism and news literacy in the state,” Gackle said.

Peterson says local journalism has never been more important in rural America. She looks forward to working with both organizations in a board director capacity.

“Living in rural North Dakota and working for rural electric cooperatives, I feel a tremendous responsibility to tell the stories of rural people and rural progress, while providing visibility to quality-of-life issues in rural America,” Peterson said.

NDAREC is the statewide trade association for 17 electric distribution cooperatives and five generation and transmission cooperatives operating in North Dakota. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to nearly 250,000 North Dakotans. NDAREC services include legislative advocacy, lineworker safety training, professional development, cooperative business development and communication services, including publication of the North Dakota Living magazine.