U.S. Senator taps Milbank native to be next chief of staff

Communications director takes over as chief of staff in Rounds office

U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds is reshuffling some office staff.

The second-term senator and former South Dakota governor earlier this month selected longtime staffer Dezmond Ward to serve as his next chief of staff.

Ward, 28, is a Milbank native who has worked in Rounds' office since 2018, first as an intern before moving up the ranks. He most recently served as the Communications Director for the Rounds office.

"Dezmond has been a trusted member of my team for almost six years," Rounds said in a statement provided to The Dakota Scout. "No matter the role, Dezmond has proven to have a strong work ethic and knowledge of issues both in South Dakota and in D.C. I am excited to have him lead my team and see his impact in this new role.”

NEWS: Striking a balance: Rounds, Griffiths say America must advance AI capabilities while curbing abuse

A graduate of Concordia College in Minnesota, Ward has also served as a legislative correspondent, staff assistant and a field representative while working for Rounds.

His promotion follows the departure of Rounds’ former chief of staff, Kyle Chase, who is leaving the post to take a private sector job here at home in South Dakota. Chase has served as chief of staff since last December and deputy chief of staff for a year prior to that.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the citizens of South Dakota in this new capacity,” Ward said. “I’m excited to lead our great team that is service-oriented and focused on getting results. I look forward to the challenges ahead as we continue to work to bring South Dakota values to a broken Washington D.C.”

Ward begins in his new role immediately.