Board of Directors

Tamara Thompson graduated from Boise State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management and a Minor in Business Administration.  Fun fact, Tamara was the fifth female to graduate with a Construction Management degree from Boise State University.

Tamara is the Director of Client Services with The Land Group, Inc. in Eagle, Idaho.  Tamara has drawn from her background in construction management to aid clients in navigating the often complex and lengthy real estate development process.  She is involved in all aspects of real estate development including assisting clients with due diligence investigation, project definition and vision, regulatory agency approvals, zoning, platting, neighborhood and community outreach, public hearing representation and presentation, and general project management.  Tamara’s creativity and collaborative leadership style builds long lasting relationships and repeat clients.

Tamara has served as a Board of Director for the Boise State Alumni Association since 2013.  She chairs the Homecoming Committee organizing alumni involvement in the festivities of Homecoming week.  She is a season ticket holder and regularly attend Boise State football and basketball games.

Tamara lives in Boise with her husband, DJ (an Idaho Vandal Alum but Boise State fan) and their two active sons.  Tamara enjoys watching her boys compete in basketball and lacrosse, and camping with friends and family as many weekends as possible throughout the summer.

Abbie was born and raised in the Boise area and graduated from BSU in 2016 with a BBA in Accountancy. She currently works as an Audit Senior Associate at Eide Bailly LLP, a regional CPA and accounting firm. In her free time, she enjoys camping, hiking, and exploring Boise and the surrounding areas.

I’m a fifth generation Idahoan, born and raised in the Treasure Valley, graduating from Kuna High School. I followed that up with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Boise State University in ’03 and earned a Master of Science in Sport Administration from University of Northern Colorado in ’07.

In addition to my role with the Boise State Alumni Board, I’m active in the community, volunteering with organizations that emphasize education.

I work in the financial services industry as a commercial banker with Heritage Bank. I help people navigate the complexities of the banking industry.

I currently reside in Meridian and am the proud parent of sixth generation Idahoans Adelaide and August. Most of my free time is spent with my family, but in my other free time I like to read, watch documentaries, workout, snowbike, and get outdoors as much as possible.

Kenny graduated from Boise State in 2006 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Information Systems and minors in Computer Science and Mathematics. He lives in Nampa with his wife and two teenage boys. Kenny spends his career as an certified implementation consultant working with Oracle applications in finance and project management. He helps companies maximize the investment of an enterprise system through business requirements and configurations.
In his free time he is found outdoors hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking. He volunteers with Boy Scouts of America as a Scoutmaster and has a troop of twenty five boys that keep him on his toes. He also is starting to learn the guitar.
Kenny enjoys giving back to the University through volunteer work and engaging with other alumni. He joined the Alumni Board in 2015 and has been involved with the planning of board meetings, is the committee chair for the Orientation and Mentor sub-committee, is a member of the executive committee since 2017 and continues to work on getting the board more social through activities to bring board members together.

Family and Education

Galen grew up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, graduating from Coeur d’Alene High School in 1981. After attending a year at North Idaho College, he transferred to Boise State University, where he graduated with a BA in Political Science in 1985.

Next, Galen attended graduate school at the University of Minnesota where he earned a Masters of Arts in Public Affairs with an emphasis on economic development. When he graduated in 1987, the State of Idaho had a newly created Department of Commerce, and Galen joined the Department as a Rural Development Specialist. During his three years as a public servant, Galen created Idaho’s Gem Community Program.

In 1990, Galen moved from Boise to Seattle to attend graduate school and law school at the University of Washington. He completed coursework for a Ph.D. in Geography (ABD) and then completed law school in 1995. During law school, Galen married his classmate, Miyoung. Following law school, they moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington, and raised three sons, Peter, Jackson, and Thomas. Peter and Jack are both students at Boise State and Thomas is a junior in high school. Miyoung put aside the practice of law and is now an Emergency Room Registered Nurse at Harrison Hospital in Bremerton, Washington.

Galen and Miyoung moved to Boise in 2022.

Career

Galen is the Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Affairs for Green Diamond Resource Company, which owns and manages over 1.3 million acres of working forest lands in California, Oregon, and Washington. Green Diamond is a part of a privately-held, family-owned company established in 1890. Green Diamond Management Company, a subsidiary, manages another 500,000 acres in six southern states.

Galen serves as a member of the Operating Committee for the National Association of Forest Owners, and he is a member of the legal committees for the California Forestry Association, the Oregon Forest & Industries Council, and the Washington Forest Protection Association. Galen has authored articles and papers on topics such as the Endangered Species Act, private access across federal lands, and rural development.

Before he joined Green Diamond in 2004, he was a partner in the Environment and Natural Resources Practice Group of Perkins Coie LLP, where he provided legal advice and litigation services to a variety of clients including forest products companies, agricultural interests, the building industry, and public works agencies.

Other Interests

In addition to serving on the Board of the Boise State University Alumni Association, Galen is a council member for Port Madison Lutheran Church and a trustee for Martha & Mary, a nonprofit corporation that has been providing care for children, disabled adults, and seniors for more than a century.

Galen enjoys the first cup of coffee in the morning, riding dirt bikes with his boys and reading next to the wood stove with snoring Boston terriers.

Jim is a retired Air Force officer having served 33 years on active duty and attaining the rank of full Colonel.

Jim graduated from Boise State University, Boise, Idaho in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication / English and minor in Journalism. He received his Master of Public Relations degree in 1989 through Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. Also that year, he was recognized as a Distinguished Graduate of the Air Force ROTC program and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. Jim also holds a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University / National War College, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C. and completed a focused Executive Leadership Development program at the Darden School of Business Administration, University of Virginia, Charlottesville. After a brief assignment for pilot training, he was assigned to the Aerospace Audio Visual Service as a producer, director and project officer. He was later credentialed as a federal law enforcement Special Agent in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) in 1993. In that role, Jim conducted and supervised felony-level criminal, fraud, and counterintelligence investigations and operations; served as an
instructor and director of OSI’s basic special investigations course and performed as the director of training at the OSI Academy. Additionally, he served as the Personal Security Advisor to the Secretary of the Air Force, the executive officer to a Brigadier
General OSI commander and as the Director of joint counterintelligence and human intelligence operations in a forward deployed area. He commanded two OSI Detachments and two OSI Regions responsible for all OSI forces and operations in Europe, Africa, South America and the Middle East. Jim was assigned to the Pentagon twice as the Director of Special Investigations in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. In that position, he was responsible to the Secretary and Inspector General of the Air Force for integrated policies, plans, programs, and budgets for criminal investigations, counterintelligence, specialized investigative operations. In addition, he represented and advocated for the Secretary, Inspector General, the Commander of OSI, and the Executive Director of the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) across the
National intelligence community. Jim also served as the Commander of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC), Northwest Region, headquartered at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. The Region’s team of 215 cadre members supported approximately 2,800 enrolled AFROTC cadets at 34 university detachments across 19 states from Alaska to the upper peninsula of Michigan.

Just prior to retirement from active-duty service, Jim was appointed as the Director of Force Development & Talent Management for the 4000+ personnel assigned to the Air Force OSI. He has been awarded several decorations during his Air Force career to
include the Legion of Merit with 4 Oak Leaf clusters, the Defense Meritorious Service medal and the Meritorious Service Medal with 6 Oak Leaf clusters.

Bryan Wewers is an Idaho native and 1984, Business Management graduate of Boise State University.  He has worked for Idaho Power for over 35 years and is currently a Business and Community Development Advisor in the Boise, Ada County, Gem County and Boise County areas.

As an active community volunteer, Bryan is a board member for St. Luke’s Children’s Advisory Board; a commissioner for Serve Idaho (the governor’s commission on service and volunteerism); a charter member and past president of the Boise Centennial Rotary; and volunteers with various other community organizations.

Bryan is married to Bridgette Wewers, a Boise State graduate. Together they have two adult children; Joe, a Boise State graduate; and Ally (Daniels) an MBA graduate from Boise State and Director for BSU’s JD/MBA program. He loves to spend time with his family, skiing, biking, tennis, and traveling with Bridgette.

One of Bryan’s favorite memories is attending and watching BSU win at the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

Don Collins has been with Wells Fargo for 16 years serving in a variety roles, lines of business, and overseeing a broad geography. Don currently leads a team of relationship managers, and business development officers who cultivate relationships with businesses generating up to $50 million in annual revenues across Southern Idaho, with offices in Boise, Twin Falls, Idaho Falls, and Pocatello. He has lead the Southern Idaho team since 2012, previously leading a team of agricultural lenders for Wells Fargo in Central Washington. Don earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business Economics from Boise State University and earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Northwest Nazarene University. He is also a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School.
As a dedicated community leader and active volunteer, Don currently serves on the Boise Public Schools Education Foundation board of trustees, and on the advisory council for the Assistance League of Boise. He also serves as the executive advisor for the Wells Fargo Idaho Chapter of the Veteran’s Team Member Network. Don has previously served on the Financial Services Advisory Board with the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce as well as the Yakima Schools Education Foundation. Service and volunteerism are core values to Don as he leads his team across Southern Idaho.
Don, his wife Ann, and their two children reside in Meridian, Idaho. In their free time they enjoy travelling and time at their cabin in Central Idaho.

Clay Boeckel is an associate attorney with Ahrens DeAngeli Law Group specializing in tax and estate planning. He received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Boise State University going on to receive his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Idaho College of Law where he was chief executive editor of The Idaho Law Review. He continued to work in tax and estate planning at a local firm he had interned with until moving to New York to further his education in tax law. Clay completed his Master of Laws (LLM) in taxation at New York University School of Law before returning to his beloved hometown of Boise. His interests outside of the office include chess, golf, Boise State football, and travel. 

Nicole is from Boise and graduated from Boise State University with a BA in Communications and a MA in Athletic Leadership. She also holds a Certificate in Leadership & Human Relations.

While attending Boise State, Nicole was on the Student Activity Fee Advisory Board, President of the Club Sports Council and President of the Women’s Club Lacrosse. She was awarded the Student Design of the Year in 2017 by the Idaho Press Club, and was a nominee for the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016.

Brett Davis graduated in 2017 with a Finance degree from Boise State. He was very active in fraternity life and as a student advisor. He currently works for Artium where he builds relationships and helps teams of all shapes and sizes hire tech talent all across the globe. Brett is a member of the Boise State BOLD committee. In his free time, he enjoys trips to the dog park, trying new recipes, and sunny days on the golf course. 

Diana received a BBA in Economics from Boise State University as well as a Masters of Art degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, emphasizing marketing and communication.

She spent the earlier part of her career working for advertising, marketing and public relations agencies.  Wanting to expand her marketing experience, she later worked for a local corporation where she was responsible for marketing a number of energy efficiency programs; beginning with marketing research, writing marketing plans and working with designers and internal clients to ensure tactics were completed on time and on budget.  She is now the owner of Journey Marketing Communication located in Boise, Idaho.

Diana is passionate about her Basque heritage and has served on the Board of Directors for the Basque Museum & Cultural Center.  She loves to read, spend time with her family (including two labs), work out and listen to music.

Geo graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Boise State University in 2009. Even with his experience in land development engineering and structural engineering obtained during college, he was not able to find an engineering job during the 2008 / 2009 economic recession.

Geo ended up flipping burgers at Bogus for a season and then worked on a mine in Oregon for a season to make ends meet and save up to do something. In 2010 Geo went into business with a fellow engineering grad; they opened up a pizza restaurant in Salt Lake City. Since then Geo and his business partner have expanded with their former employees to open locations in other states.

Geo returns to Boise often with his fiancé Allie (also on the board) to attend University events and visit friends and family. Mountain biking, dirt biking, and snowboarding are a few things that keep Geo out of trouble.

Jana graduated from Boise State University in 1984 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and Special Education. She lives in Boise with her husband, Mike, and son, Jared. Jana was an elementary teacher for 30 years before pursuing an elementary mathematics endorsement, also at Boise State. This led her to her current position as a mathematics specialist with the Institute for Mathematical Thinking for Instruction at Boise State University. Jana works with K-5 teachers in their classrooms to improve math instruction, focuses on professional development and teaches several classes at the university.

In her free time, Jana is found cooking, sewing, knitting and spending time outdoors. Her favorite thing to do is spend time at a family place in Donnelly. Jana also enjoys giving back to the community. She volunteers each year for the Saint Alphonsus Festival of Trees and Capital Classic children’s race. Jana joined the BSU Alumni board February, 2019 and serves on the Scholarship and Awards committee. She is looking forward to the many volunteer opportunities through her participation with the Boise State Alumni Association.

BBA Business Management – Class of 1995

Mr. Gillis used his degree and time at Boise State to catapult him into a career in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry. His focus has been working within the grocery industry, with such firms as Revlon, Hershey, ConAgra Brands and Westminster Pet Products. Mr. Gillis believes that his success was started and could not have been achieved without his time spent and lessons learned while studying at Boise State University. He currently lives in Boise with his two daughters Clare and Shea. They are avid

Bronco fans and season ticket holders. When not cheering in Albertsons or ExtraMile, you can find them outside enjoying everything Idaho has to offer with their dog Trooper.

Jesse Harris is currently the Controller for Bish’s RV.  In his prior positions, Jesse has worked in several diverse industries including Higher Education with roles varying from an Accountant at Albertsons to VP of Finance at a local credit union.  Educationally, Jesse graduated from Boise State University with a dual degree in Accounting and Finance, is a CPA, and has an MBA from Northwest Nazarene University.

Jesse is happily married to his wife Yvette and has a wonderful daughter named Regan.  He has lived in the Boise area since 1990 when he moved from upstate New York.  He currently serves on the boards for Boise State Alumni Association, the Treasure Valley CFO Forum, Destination Caldwell, and the Canyon County Fair Board.  In his spare time he enjoys playing golf poorly and rooting for upstate New York sports teams (that play as poorly as he does)

Jim is a part-time internship coordinator and adjunct professor for the criminal justice department at Boise State University. He is retired operations deputy chief for the Boise Police Department. Jim is a past president and a member of the executive committee for the Boise State Alumni Association board, as well as a member of the Bronco Advocacy Network and Alumni Ambassador program. He served on the board for Special Olympics Idaho. Jim received the 2009 Boise State Distinguished Alumni Award. He has a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in criminal justice from Boise State and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command.

Ellen Maier-Zinn is the Senior Director of Enterprise Solutions at the J.R. Simplot Company.  She has held a variety of accounting, finance and business partnering roles during her 32-year career at Simplot. Prior to her current role, she was the Business Partnering Director where she supported the Foodservice and Chain business channels.  In this role she was honored to receive the inaugural MVP sales and marketing award.

Ellen grew up as a military brat, traveling with her parents and siblings to a variety of different countries. During these travels she learned to embrace different cultures and viewpoints. Ellen is a strong believer in collaboration, finding common understanding, and the power of servant leadership.

Ellen earned her bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Boise State University. She is an avid Bronco fan and is looking forward to being back in the stands cheering them on.

She and her husband, John, live in Southeast Boise. Although they are now empty nesters, they are the proud parents of Mike, an Ada County Paramedic, Eric a Food Scientist at Simplot, and Shelby, a Senior Marketing Manager at C Squared Social Media. When Ellen isn’t working, she and her husband love running, swimming, and hiking in the foothills.

LeAnn Mohr is an 1982 graduate of Boise State University with a degree in Marketing.  While raising her three children, LeAnn choose to submerge her life in volunteerism.  She spent the last 3 decades helping in school, being a dedicated soccer/basketball/volleyball mom, and President of the Junior League of Boise.  She returned to Boise State and 2012 completed her Master’s in Public Administration.  During the legislative session, she works as an attaché for the Idaho Senate Education Committee.  In her spare time, LeAnn enjoys golfing, quilting, reading, and spending time with her three granddaughters, her husband, Bruce, and their two Westies.

Heidi Peterson is Grameen Foundation’s Senior Director of Fundraising and leads philanthropic fund development. She co-leads the External Affairs department and in this capacity, oversees Individual Giving, development operations, and multichannel fundraising campaigns that deliver solid, year-over-year, revenue growth. She has more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience at a variety of INGOs in the U.S. and abroad.

Prior to her service at Grameen, she was the CEO at Mobility Outreach International and held several senior leadership roles prior to that with PATH, Room to Read, CARE, and Global Partnerships. She is a passionate advocate for social equity, entrepreneurship, and the empowerment of women and girls. Heidi lives in Boise, Idaho, where she enjoys volunteer work, cheering on the Boise State Broncos football team, and a variety of outdoor activities such as cycling, hiking, skiing, and sailing. She speaks fluent Spanish and earned an MPA from the University of Washington and a B.A. from Boise State University. International travel and cuisine is a passion for Heidi. When she’s not at work, she loves exploring new places and cultures and spending time with her family and dog.”

Marc is a realtor working for Fathom Realty. He is from Boise, ID, and currently lives in Eagle, ID. Marc is a “Boise State alum. Married to a proud Vandal. Father to an amazing daughter.

While living in McCall, ID for 12 years, Marc served on the McCall City Golf Course Advisory Board for 7 years overseeing the operations of the golf course, food/beverage contracts, budgeting, marketing, and growth analysis as well as interactions between contractors and the city council. He also oversaw the interview process for all RFP submissions during two contractor replacement selections and assisted in navigating through an economic downturn that created stress for the budget and public perception of the advising  entity. Marc and the board were able to help maintain the property without major changes by using collaborated recommendations, cost-saving measures, and successfully hiring appropriate contractors for the available positions.

He has volunteered for many causes over the years including but not limited to Flock Cancer, Race for the Cure, Earth Day, and 100+ Men Who Care along with supporting charities such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Red Cross, and local youth/school programs with monetary donations, contributions and volunteer time.

My name is Paul Sheldon a Boise State Graduate in ‘16 and ‘17 with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Masters of Science in Accountancy. I have a career at Deloitte and Touche, where I work in the financial audit and advisory practice. I have a passion for community, being involved throughout Boise in a various of ways including participating in sport (skiing, biking, golf), service and giving (boards, committees, and volunteer), planning and attending events (Treefort, St. Luke’s Kids for a Night, and Football Tailgates), food (Barbacoa, Lively, and Parilla are my favorite), and Boise State (athletics, mentorship, and alumni). So I am very excited to be more embedded in the Boise community through service on the Alumni Association Board of Directors. 

Jonathan Wheatley is an associate in Hawley Troxell’s transactional practice group and the government affairs/lobbying practice group, where he represents clients with issues in healthcare, technology, and energy. With a strong background in transactional law and a broad range of expertise in contract drafting and review, healthcare regulatory compliance, business negotiations, taxation, and intellectual property, Jonathan is well-equipped to provide strategic counsel to clients navigating the complex landscape of legal issues and government affairs challenges.

Jonathan holds a M.S. in Accounting and Taxation from Boise State University and a J.D. from the University of Idaho College of Law, which he completed in 2021. During his time in law school, he served as the Editor In Chief of the Idaho Law Review, where he was responsible for overseeing all operations and publications. He also gained valuable in-house counsel experience as an extern at St. Luke’s Health System, and served as a Research Assistant for the American Business Law Journal.

In his free time, Jonathan enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, including cooking Mexican food, hiking, paddle-boarding, snowboarding, going to the gym, and rock climbing. He is passionate about maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle and finding new and exciting ways to challenge himself both physically and intellectually.

Bernie is a counselor at Cultivation Counseling in Boise. He specializes in career counseling and life coaching. Bernie has been practicing counseling for 23 years. “He is the former Chief Operations Officer for Cherry Gulch and Novitas Academy.  He is a former Professional Member of IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association).  Bernie received his Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling and Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from Boise State University.  He is registered with the State of Idaho as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and as a Counselor and Marriage and Family Therapy Supervisor.  Bernie has been married to his high school sweetheart, Krista, for 27 years and together they have three young adult sons.”