Cheryal Lee Hills

Cheryal joined Region Five Development Commission (R5DC) in 2006 and has a national reputation as an action-oriented leader who nurtures authentic investment relationships that spur equitable economic ecosystems and honor environmental stewardship commitments in rural Central Minnesota communities. Cheryal provides oversight of seven lending programs and community development planning in areas of transportation, workforce development, climate mitigation, food value chains and arts/culture. In August 2022, she was appointed to serve as a member of the USDA Equity Commission (EC) subcommittee on Rural Community Economic Development (RCED). She started a rural regional Welcoming Communities program in 2018, upon becoming a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assessments to improve rural regional cultural competency.

In 2023 R5DC became of 12 Regional Food Business Centers, with 35 diverse partner organizations serving Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.