Jane Chu Thompson lived in Sioux Falls during the late 1980s while her late husband, the Rev. Jim Thompson, served as associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church. During her time in the city, she was a active participant in the church choir, played the flute, and sold her artwork at the Sidewalk Arts Festival downtown. Thompson holds advanced degrees in music, business administration, and philanthropic studies. After her time in Sioux Falls, she became president and CEO of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. in 2014 she was appointed by President Obama as the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, a position she held until 2018. Thompson continues to exhibit and sell her art today.