OUR TEAM
Corey Hamilton Kilgore's passion for rural stems from family with rural roots and childhood experiences growing up in rural Texas. As the Executive Director of MHCH, the majority of her focus has been on programs that create educational and research opportunities for nursing students, educators and researchers who are interested in rural practice. During her time with MHCH she has learned to appreciate the similarities in rural people and communities regardless of geography or location. The most fulfilling aspect of her role is having the opportunity to watch people grow, develop, and reach their full potential.
Corey has been leading MHCH since 2009 building strong, collaborative partnerships that have resulted in quality programming for rural and remote nursing nationally and internationally. She is an Organizational Development Specialist who, prior to MHCH, spent years working for, and consulting with, Fortune 500 companies from various industries. She received her BS in Psychology from Texas A&M University and her MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Lamar University.
board of directors
Christine Hamilton
Christine Hamilton co-founded the MHCH Foundation as a means of giving back to rural areas. She has a passion for rural because she grew up in a small town in central South Dakota and her family’s business was farming and ranching. She developed a love of the land and the people there.
Since 1994, Christine has been managing the farming and ranching business in South Dakota and has invested in other business development opportunities, as well as serving on several boards for companies and organizations in agriculture and banking.
Christine loves to facilitate opportunities for growth and vitality, from educational opportunities to innovation in business, and travel. She has an AB degree from Smith College and an MBA from the University of Arizona.
Jeff Muchow
It is an honor to serve on the MHCH Foundation Board of Directors. Growing up on a farm in eastern South Dakota, my interest in sustaining rural communities relates well with the MHCH mission. Technology advancements have enabled rural communities to participate in opportunities that would not have been possible in the past and, as a Board member, I enjoy supporting the Foundation as it leverages innovative strategies to create rural education and development opportunities for rural people and communities.
Prior to my retirement, and following my service as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force, I spent 38 years building my career in the food and agriculture industries. Today, my wife and I enjoy traveling, hiking, and providing guidance and support to children who are aging out of foster care by helping them transition to higher education or pursuing careers that fit their interests and passion.
Lorin brass
Lorin is a native of rural southeastern South Dakota. He received his BS in Metallurgical Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and MS in Material Science and Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Following graduation, Lorin joined Shell Oil Company as a Research Engineer at Shell Development Company in 1977. He progressed through a variety of technical and business assignments in Shell Oil’s Exploration and Production divisions in Texas, California, and Louisiana, holding positions in Corporate Planning and as Vice President, Operations for Shell Services Company. In 1997, he and his family moved to The Hague, The Netherlands, where he became CEO of Shell Services International. Once the company was up and running, he moved into Shell International Exploration & Production and was appointed Director of Global Business Development in January 2000, responsible for oil and gas property acquisitions and divestments around the world. In 2005 he became Senior Advisor of Business Development for all Shell-related activities with particular emphasis on corporate acquisitions and divestments globally. Lorin retired from Shell in June 2006 after nearly 30 years of service and returned to South Dakota near Lennox in the Black Hills with his wife, Mary, and their three daughters. He remains involved with regional non-profits, including the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Foundation. He enjoys collecting and restoring antique tractors and operates a small farming operation.
Mary (rausch) brass
Mary (Rausch) Brass, a native of South Dakota, earned a BS degree in Civil Engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines. She was employed as a structural engineer with Brown & Root, Inc until choosing to pursue a full-time career raising her three daughters. Mary and her family have lived in Houston, TX, New Orleans, LA, Bakersfield, CA, and The Hague, The Netherlands. She and her husband, Lorin, are now retired and live in Lennox, South Dakota. Mary serves her community as an active member of her parish, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the Lennox Area Historical Society, the Newman Center at SDSM&T, the MHCH Foundation, and the Brass Family Foundation.
edward hamilton
Dr. Edward Hamilton has a BS Veterinary Science, DVM (cum laude), MAgr Economics, Professor Emeritus, and is a former Extension Entrepreneur Coordinator, Livestock Production Analyst, Department of Veterinary Science, SDSU. He has 15 years private practice experience and 15 years of university teaching/extension experience. Dr. Hamilton’s primary area of expertise is in the integration of health, production, and financial records for production agricultural. He played a key role in the development of Standardized Performance Analysis (SPA) which is a business analysis tool for production agriculture and has served as a past president of the Farm Financial Standards Council. Dr. Hamilton has extensive experience with entrepreneurship and business development in rural areas, particularly in the area of establishing value-added projects for crops and livestock. He has owned and operated several businesses over the years to include two veterinary clinics, a maintenance and service company, and is a co-founder of a biotech company which he took public in 2021.