Blake Evermon to deliver Fall Doctoral Residency keynote at DSU
October 21, 2026
MADISON, S.D. — Dakota State University will welcome Dr. Blake Evermon as keynote speaker for its Fall Doctoral Residency Dinner on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The dinner, which brings doctoral students together on campus, begins at 6 p.m. in the Heartland Captains Club at the Beacom PREMIER Complex.
Fall Doctoral Residency keynote speaker Dr. Blake Evermon.
Evermon's career offers a compelling example of how doctoral education can open unexpected doors. With a Doctor of Public Administration (DPA), he now leads artificial intelligence and automation initiatives for a global organization, applying his expertise in governance, policy, and organizational decision-making to some of today's most complex technological challenges. His journey illustrates how advanced education can shape a career in ways that extend far beyond the discipline in which a degree was earned.
During his keynote, Evermon will share his unconventional path to earning a doctorate, the challenges he overcame, and how the experience influenced his professional journey. His message to DSU's doctoral students will emphasize perseverance, the value of interdisciplinary thinking, and the opportunities that can emerge from completing a doctorate, even when the path forward is not always clear.
"Doctoral education is an extraordinary undertaking that requires persistence, sacrifice, and a commitment to a long-term goal," said Mark Hawkes, dean of Graduate Studies. "Blake's journey demonstrates that there is no single path to earning a doctorate. I believe his experiences will resonate with our students as they navigate their own challenges, and I hope his story reminds them why their work matters and why completing this journey is worth the effort."
Evermon serves as the Automation Leader within GHD's Delivery Transformation team, where he leads enterprise artificial intelligence and automation initiatives across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. His work focuses on helping organizations connect technology investments to measurable business outcomes while aligning technology, operations, and strategy.
He began his professional career as an intelligence analyst with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), supporting cyber-enabled investigations and intelligence operations. With more than 15 years of experience across the public infrastructure, energy, and technology sectors, he has advised major digital transformation initiatives, including Port Houston's enterprise resource planning modernization.
In addition to his industry leadership, Evermon serves as an adjunct professor at Missouri State University, where he teaches graduate courses in policy analysis and the policy process. His academic research has included fieldwork in Jordan, Israel, Palestine, and Egypt, examining governance, public sector decision-making, and program evaluation.
Evermon earned his Doctor of Public Administration from the University of Illinois Springfield and holds master's degrees in Public Administration and International Affairs from Missouri State University.
His keynote will encourage DSU doctoral students and candidates to look beyond the immediate challenges of coursework and research and consider the broader possibilities their education may create. His experience demonstrates that the value of a doctorate extends beyond specialized knowledge to the ability to think critically, navigate complexity, and lead meaningful change.