Former Thune chief of staff joining Sanford Health leadership team

Ryan Nelson, Nathan Peterson, among additions to health system

The longtime chief of staff for Sen. John Thune is leaving the office to join Sanford Health, Sanford’s President and CEO Bill Gassen announced Tuesday.

Ryan Nelson will join the health system as senior executive advisor to the CEO. He joins Sanford after a 28-year career with Thune that started when Thune represented the state in the U.S. House of Representatives. Nelson was with Thune during his long march from the House to the Senate leadership. That culminated last November when the GOP caucus in the Senate voted to make Thune its party leader.

“In his new role, Ryan serves as a strategic partner to me and my executive leadership team,” Gassen said in an email to his leadership team. “He is responsible for providing counsel on key matters, aligning the activities of my office with our system priorities and ensuring we are focusing our time and energy on what matters most - our patients, our people and our communities.”