Brent Sanford, a notable figure in higher education and former lieutenant governor of North Dakota, has been appointed as a Commissioner to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). WICHE is an interstate compact addressing the higher education and workforce needs of 15 Western states, along with U.S. Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States.
Sanford will join state Sen. Kyle Davison and North Dakota State Board of Higher Education member Danita Bye in representing North Dakota on the WICHE Commission. The commission consists of 48 members appointed by state governors or leaders from the freely associated states. It directs WICHE’s activities to ensure the implementation of the Western Regional Educational Compact since its inception in 1953.
“Brent Sanford’s background — from mayor during an oil boom to lieutenant governor and interim leader of North Dakota’s public postsecondary institutions — demonstrates his financial expertise, public service, and community values,” said WICHE President Demarée Michelau. “His thoughtful, balanced perspective will serve North Dakota and beyond well as the Commission works on postsecondary education and workforce development issues facing the region.”
Sanford is a lifelong resident of North Dakota, originally from Watford City, now residing in Bismarck with his family. He graduated summa cum laude with a degree in accounting from the University of North Dakota in 1994 and is a certified public accountant. His early career included work at Eide Bailly LLP as an auditor and consultant before he became chief financial officer at Transwest Trucks in Denver, Colorado. In 2004, he returned to Watford City to manage his family’s car dealership.
He was elected to the Watford City Council in 2006 and became mayor in 2010 during rapid growth spurred by the Bakken oil boom. In 2016, he was elected lieutenant governor alongside Gov. Doug Burgum, serving until re-elected in 2020. During this period, he chaired several state boards including the State Investment Board and State Water Commission.
After resigning in 2023, Sanford founded Sanford Consulting LLC focusing on workforce and energy strategies. Earlier this year, he was named interim president of Bismarck State College before becoming interim chancellor of the North Dakota University System.
“It is an honor to represent North Dakota on the WICHE Commission,” Sanford stated. “I look forward to working with partners across the West to make higher education more accessible and better aligned with workforce needs so more students and communities in the region have opportunities to thrive.”