Meet Fedora

Fedora Sutton-Butler has been a proud member of the Brookings community for 34 years. Fedora and husband Eugene made their home here with their two children in 1990. Committed to her family, her community, and her profession, she quickly became a fierce contributor to the vibrancy and betterment of Brookings  while continuing her work in science and education.
Dr. Sutton received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Howard University in Washington, D.C. Her postdoctoral training was in Neuromolecular Biology at the California Institute of Technology. Before moving to Brookings, Dr. Sutton worked as a staff fellow at the NIH Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute under the guidance of Nobel Laureate Marshall Nirenberg.
Upon settling in Brookings, Dr. Sutton joined South Dakota State University (SDSU), where she received joint appointments in the Departments of Biology and Plant Science. She taught Molecular Biology and Genetics while expanding her research to include plant biology. Her dedication to education and research led her to rise to Full Professor in Molecular Biology. She played a pivotal role in starting the Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics programs and developing the Functional Genomics Core Facility.
Upon her retirement, she was honored with the title of Professor Emerita in Molecular Biology.
In 2004 and 2005, Dr. Sutton served as a Program Director at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO), Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI), Plant Genome Research Program. She was awarded a Certificate for Distinguished Service at the end of her term at NSF.
Dr. Sutton co-founded the nonprofit organization Science Visions Inc. (SVI) with members of the Brookings community. Initially, SVI focused on providing science education for youth and the elderly. In 2010, SVI expanded to include research. Upon retiring from SDSU, Dr. Sutton took on the roles of Chief Research Officer and Chief Executive Officer of SVI. In 2015, she earned professional certification in Genetics and Genomics from Stanford University. Collaborating with the National Cancer Institute’s efforts to address cancer health disparities, Dr. Sutton shifted her research focus to colorectal and prostate cancers. She is a member of the African Caribbean Cancer Consortium (AC3) and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).
Also, in her retirement, Dr. Sutton has given her time to several endeavors to better her community, and to volunteering as a teacher for children and adults. She is now ready and excited to serve District 7 asYOUR representative in the South Dakota House of Representatives!