Presenter Biographies

Ron Abramovich retired as Idaho’s Water Supply Specialist from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Snow Survey Program in 2019. He has lived in Boise since 1991 providing snow survey and water supply information to the many users that rely on Idaho’s annual snowfall and water supply. Ron’s work with the end users provided him with a better understanding of Idaho’s complex hydrology and information needed to wisely manage water as a natural resource. Ron started blogging in 2023 to continue building upon and educate others about snow, weather, and flow relationships.

Emanuel Abramovits is a Mechanical Engineer with an MBA and has been a concert promoter since 2000, directly involved in many events by international artists, like Itzhak Perlman, Gustavo Dudamel, Sarah Brightman, Roger Hodgson, ASIA, Journey, Kenny G and many more. He designed and staged many original orchestral events, including an Event of the Year winner and several world premieres. He served as the Cultural Director at Union Israelita De Caracas from 2008 to 2019, releasing books, organizing film cycles, concerts and art exhibits. He has been consistently teaching online and in presence across the US since 2020.

Zachary Adams is co-founder and CEO of Pitch Aeronautics. He received his doctorate in engineering from Purdue University, then flew F-15E Strike Eagles in the Air Force. Since founding Pitch, Zachary and his co-founder, Ian, have grown the company to more than 20 employees and are now performing services for utilities in five states.

Dr. David Adler is President of The Alturas Institute and has lectured nationally and internationally on the Constitution and presidential power. His scholarly writings have been invoked by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Justice Department, the White House, and by both Democrats and Republicans in Congress. He has taught courses on the Constitution at all three of Idaho’s universities. At Idaho State University, he served as director of the Center for the Study of the Constitution. At the University of Idaho, he was the James and Louise McClure Professor of Public Policy, served as Director of the McClure Center, and was a member of the faculty of the College of Law. At Boise State University, he was the Cecil D. Andrus Professor of Public Policy and served as Director of the Andrus Center.

Vincent Bailey is a mechanical engineer, craftsman, and avid adventurer and is the co-host of the podcast Lighthouse Lowdown. He brings coffee-fueled energy and a second voice to the podcast, asking questions to bridge the gap between the podcast and its listeners. He regularly contributes to the Lighthouse Lowdown by publishing episodes to YouTube and occasionally hosts episodes of the Lowdown, sharing his research with co-host Emily Straight and running interviews with special guests.

Dr. Richard Bell teaches Early American history at the University of Maryland. He has received several teaching prizes and major research fellowships, including the National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar Award. He has published the books We Shall Be No More: Suicide and Self-Government in the Newly United States and Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home.

Dr. Brittany Brand is a Professor in the Department of Geoscience at Boise State University and Director for Boise State’s Hazard and Climate Resilience Institute. She received her BS in Geology from Wright State University, her MS in Geology from Boise State University, and her PhD in Geology from Arizona State University. Her volcanology research focuses on eruption dynamics, sediment transport in volcanic flows and volcanic hazard assessment. With her hazard preparedness research group, Brittany investigates ways to motivate preparedness actions for natural hazards by engaging individuals in active (experiential) learning opportunities. Her community resilience research focuses on engaging a diverse group of community members and researchers to co-develop community-driven, locally relevant resilience metrics that holistically assess community disaster resilience needs.

Dr. Zach Buie is a versatile performer, conductor, and educator based in Boise, Idaho where he is an Associate Professor of Trumpet and Music History at Boise State University. Dr. Buie has performed throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America in venues such as the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Cadogan Hall in London, Seoul Arts Center, Auditorio de Zaragoza in Spain, the National Theatre of El Salvador, and the Macao Cultural Center in China among others. He can be heard on various recordings in classical, jazz, alternative, rock, soul, and funk styles.

His recording credits include studio albums from musical centers including Austin, New Orleans, and the legendary Muscle Shoals. He has also worked as a session musician recording tracks for film and television at LA East Studios in Salt Lake City. He has performed with ensembles including the Seoul Philharmonic, Macao Orchestra, Utah Symphony, Dallas Winds, Sun Valley Music Festival Orchestra, Waco Symphony, Boise Philharmonic, Opera Idaho, Central Texas Philharmonic, Brazos Valley Symphony, Utah Festival Opera, Yakima Symphony, Utah Metropolitan Ballet, Imperial Brass, Boise Baroque Orchestra, and the Helena Symphony. Recent solo appearances include performances with the Utah Philharmonia, Sul Ross State University Wind Ensemble (Texas), Carroll College Jazz Ensemble (Montana), and the Boise State Symphony, Symphonic Winds, and Meistersingers Chorale.

Dr. Buie is a founding member of the Palisade Trumpet Collective, a leading professional trumpet ensemble in the United States. PTC has commissioned several new works for trumpet ensemble and toured across the United States and Europe. In March 2024, Palisade released its debut album, Sojourn, on Mark Records. The album was recognized by the Global Music Awards with two silver medals in chamber music and instrumental categories. The album was also selected as a finalist for the American Prize in Chamber Music Performance.

Cindy Busche is the Environmental Education Manager at The WaterShed Education Center where she develops and teaches programs about climate change awareness, water protection and water conservation. Her team educates more than 25,000 children and adults annually through programs, exhibits and public art. Last year she spear-headed exhibit development as The WaterShed transitioned into the first climate and water education center in the country. Previously she was involved in the vision of the River Campus, the two-acres surrounding the education center that tells the story of our watershed utilizing public art. Cindy is also the Boise Museum Association vice president and supports informal learning at museums across the valley.

Gerard Carlson, MSEE, PE, US Patent, Agent (retired), received his education and credentials from the University of Washington and Stanford University. He has worked on three continents developing code, circuits, for new products and has worked for many years in Patent Practice. He is also an adjunct professor at Boise State University, teaching Introduction to Electrical Engineering.

Erica Cirino is a writer, artist, and author who explores the intersection of the human and more-than-human worlds. She is best known for her widely published photojournalistic works that cut through plastic/fossil fuel industry misinformation to deliver the truths about plastic—the most ubiquitous and insidious manmade material on Earth. This includes her award-winning book, Thicker Than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis (Island Press, 2021). Her photographic and written works have appeared in Scientific American, The Guardian, VICE, Hakai Magazine, YES! Magazine, The Atlantic, and other publications. She is a recipient of fellowships from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, a gold Nautilus Book Award, and several awards for visual art. Cirino took on the role of communications manager of the nonprofit Plastic Pollution Coalition in 2022.

Richard Colburn is a retired U.S. Navy Captain. He was eight years active and 23 years reserve duty. He served on USS Ohio SSBN 726 Gold. He was born in Parma, Idaho, and received his BS at the University of Idaho and his MBA at the Wharton School of Business. He spent 20 years in high tech operations, global high-tech manufacturing and renewable energy with Applied Materials, Solo Power, Vestas Wind Systems and Cymer Light Source LLC. Richard was mobilized to active duty twice after 9/11. He embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln during Operation Iraqi Freedom on a 10-person team conducting submarine command and control in the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea. He was Director of Strategy Plans and Policy for Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa stationed in Djibouti.

Chris Colson is the Executive Director of Land Trust of the Treasure Valley. For the past 12 years, Chris served as a Regional Biologist for Ducks Unlimited’s Eastern Oregon and Southern Idaho offices. His extensive experience working with landowners on wetland conservation and restoration programs brings a wealth of knowledge and connections. As Executive Director for the Land Trust of the Treasure Valley, Chris is excited to finally be dedicating his professional energy to his backyard landscapes.  A Boise resident for more than 20 years, Chris spends much of his time riding, skiing, cooking, old man soccering, and kiddo coaching.  He is joined in those pursuits by his wife, two daughters, one bunny, and an entitled cat that is currently for sale.

Doug Copsey’s career as a producer, director and writer in a variety of mediums spans more than four decades. Along with a wide range of wildlife, environmental and corporate documentaries, he is most notably associated with Jalbert Productions of New York. In 1986, he and Mr. Jalbert partnered to create a package of nationally syndicated outdoor sports television shows that ran for almost 20 years. During that time, he was Co-Producer, Director and Writer for One Light One World – Official Film of the 1992 Olympic Winter Games, which was nominated for an Emmy and won a silver medal at the New York International Film Festival. He is the Founder of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, served as Producing Director the initial six seasons, additionally serving as Artistic Director for three of them. In addition to numerous acting and directing credits with the company, he was named President of the first Board of Trustees, on which he served through the tenth season. He currently serves on the Festival’s Advisory Board. He is also member of the Screen Actors Guild and Actor’s Equity Association.

In addition to writing locally for Boise Journal, Boise Magazine and McCall Magazine for more than a decade, he has two published non-fiction works: With Our Good Will: Thirty Years of Shakespeare in Idaho (Caxton Press, 2006) and Snake River Discovered (Kirk Anderson Photography, 2013). His fiction work includes five novels, and he is currently working on his sixth. One of the founders of the Idaho Writers Guild, he served as its president from its launch in 2009 through 2015.Writing as R.D. Copsey he has authored seven novels, including a Will Hickock Mystery series, and a trilogy of paranormal thrillers.

Don Day is the co-founder and publisher of BoiseDev. He is a National Edward R. Murrow Award winner and a Stanford University John S. Knight Fellow. At BoiseDev, he focuses on business news, development stories, growth and our You Asked series. He is a Boise native and is married with a son. The family and dogs live in Boise and enjoy everything that makes Boise great.

Dr. Jared Day received his PhD in Social History at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh in 1994 and taught in CMU’s History Department for 17 years. He taught classes on U.S., European, and World History topics as well as on a range of public policy issues including environmental, public works and education policy. He also did research for 4 years in CMU’s Department of Engineering and Public Policy. He is the author of Urban Castles: Tenement Housing and Landlord Activism in New York City, 1890-1943 published in 1999 as part of its landmark “History of Urban Life” series. He is also co-author (with Joe Trotter) of Race and Renaissance: African Americans in Pittsburgh Since World War II published in 2010. In addition, he has authored numerous articles on urban, environmental and public policy history issues. He was also on the editorial board of the Journal of Urban History from 2011 to 2014. He currently lives and lectures on Zoom in Windham, CT.

Ginette DePreist was born and raised in Quebec City Canada. She met James DePreist in 1976 at a press conference announcing his new position as Music Director of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra. She invited him to do an interview on her show at the local CBC station where she was an associate executive producer. They married in 1980 and traveled together until his death in 2013.

Heath Druzin is the host and creator of Extremely American, a sound-rich podcast series on Boise State Public Radio that looks at the intersection of extremism and politics. The first season was an on-the-ground journey into the militia movement, from weapons training to the campaign trail. The second season was an inside look at Christian nationalism; this season was recently the recipient of the 2025 Edward R. Murrow Award for best podcast for small market radio. Heath has covered extremism since 2018, first as a reporter with the public radio project Guns & America. He has reported for outlets such as NPR, BBC and the Daily Beast. Previously he spent more than six years as a war correspondent in Iraq and Afghanistan for Stars and Stripes.

As the Cochlear Engagement Manager for the Mountain West Region, Chery Edwards’ journey serving those with hearing loss who are considering cochlear implantation started as a Cochlear Volunteer in early 2020. It has been her experience as a single-sided deaf person that has driven her passion to guarantee that people with hearing loss are supported along their path to better hearing. Through referrals sent to Cochlear by audiologists and cochlear implant surgeons, she has had the privilege to support literally hundreds of patients through this journey.

Katya Fishman is the founder of Endeavorink, a boutique writing and publishing company. During her experience as a ghostwriter, Katya recognized the need for professional-grade self-publishing services that don’t compromise on quality. Katya’s approach combines industry expertise with accessible guidance, ensuring that every book she touches reflects the professionalism and polish readers expect, regardless of how it came to market. She believes that great ideas and stories deserve great presentation, and that self-published doesn’t have to mean second-rate.

Praised for his “elegant and expressive” conducting, Eric Garcia is Music Director of the Boise Philharmonic and Artistic Director and Conductor of the McCall MusicFest. He previously served as Assistant Conductor of the Seattle Symphony, conducting subscription, education, pops, and community concerts. In addition, he served as producer for recordings on the Naxos label.

Garcia has served as guest conductor with the Charlottesville Symphony, Rockford Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, Symphony New Hampshire, Oklahoma City Ballet, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Octava Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Seattle, Philharmonia Northwest, Rainier Symphony, Northwest Festival Orchestra, Greensboro Ballet, Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, and Seattle Chamber Singers, among others. In addition, he has served as cover conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

An avid supporter of contemporary music, Garcia has collaborated with such esteemed composers as John Adams, Sergio Assad, Jimmy López Bellido, Ryan Carter, Paul Chihara, George Crumb, Frank Ferko, Vijay Iyer, David Lang, Lowell Lieberman, Nico Muhly, Eric Nathan, Sean Shepherd, and Jay Alan Yim, among others. In addition, Garcia has served as principal conductor at the Cortona Sessions for New Music in Cortona, Italy.

A champion of music education, Garcia has served as Associate Conductor of the Eastern Music Festival and faculty of the Eastern Music Festival Conducting Institute. He has served as Conductor and Professor of Orchestral Conducting at the Greenwood School of Music at Oklahoma State University and the Wanda L. Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University. In addition, he has served as a clinician for high school orchestras throughout the country.

Garcia was a member of the American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival and School. Conducting teachers include Marin Alsop, Gustav Meier, Larry Rachleff, Murry Sidlin, Leonard Slatkin, and David Zinman. Garcia received a Doctor of Music and Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Northwestern University under the tutelage of Victor Yampolsky. He received a Bachelor of Music Theory from the University of Texas at Austin. In addition to his conducting engagements, Garcia has also hosted Noted, a radio show and podcast designed to engage audiences with classical music. Eric, his wife Sarah, and their dogs Eddie and Hazel reside in Seattle, Washington.

Gemma Gaudette was born in Portland, Oregon. Her family moved to Chehalis, Washington when she was eight years old, and she’s a proud graduate of Washington State University’s Edward R Murrow College of Communication. She spent the majority of her career in front of the camera as a television news anchor and reporter mostly in Idaho, with stints in Lincoln, Nebraska and Tampa, Florida. Gemma was lucky enough to help launch Idaho Matters in 2018, and it has been her dream job. She often tells people it only took her 25 years in this crazy business to fall into the job she was meant to do.

Dr. Jess Gehin became associate laboratory director for INL’s Nuclear Science & Technology (NS&T) Directorate in March 2021 after serving as chief scientist for the directorate since 2018. Over his 28-year career, he has built national strategies and priorities for nuclear energy, led complex projects and organizations, and developed strong relationships with senior leaders within INL, DOE and federal sponsors, and other laboratories, companies, and universities. In support of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, he served as the national technical director for the DOE Microreactor Program. He expanded NS&T’s strategic direction and helped develop and establish key projects to build advanced reactors at INL, such as the Department of Defense’s demonstration microreactor Project Pele, and the Microreactor Applications Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) Project. Previously, he held research and leadership positions at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in nuclear reactor core physics, reactor core and system technologies, reactor modeling and simulation, and fuel cycle reactor applications. While at ORNL, he served as director of the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Kansas State University, and master’s and doctoral degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was an associate professor at the University of Tennessee, is a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society, and has authored or co-authored more than 120 refereed journal and conference articles, technical reports, and conference summaries.

Dr. Becky Gomez is a board certified nurse practitioner and graduate of Idaho State University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2023. She brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion to the practice. She previously worked as a registered nurse in urgent care in the Treasure Valley. She is passionate about preventive medicine and wellness in all of its many forms. She specializes in perimenopause, sexual medicine, hormones for all genders, with formal expertise in transgender adult hormones, and lipidology (cholesterol). Building trusting relationships with her patients to improve their health is the foundation of her practice. Her kindness and inclusivity are two of her greatest attributes. She offers a safe place to land for all LGBTQ+ patients at MPC. Dr. Gomez is a born and raised Idahoan. She and her husband have four children. She loves to travel, listen to true crime podcasts, and read autobiographies.

Dr. Jill Gustafson is a Board Certified Nurse-Midwife and a NAMS-Certified Menopause Practitioner with over a decade of experience in clinical women’s health. She has worked in private practice, gynecologic medicine, hospital-based obstetrics, and out-of-hospital midwifery. She is an expert on menopause, female sexual health, and pelvic pain, and she has presented nationally on these topics.

Jim Hardee has served as the director of the Fur Trade Research Center since 1998. He has researched, written, and presented extensively on the Rocky Mountain fur trade at various conferences around the country. He has been the editor of The Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Journal for 14 years. He has authored three books, including Pierre’s Hole! The History of a Fur Trade Landmark. Recently, Jim appeared in numerous episodes of INSP Network’s Into the Wild Frontier series, as well as several other documentaries on fur trade topics.

Dr. Samantha Harvey’s teaching and research interests include nineteenth-century British poetry and prose, transatlantic Romanticism, and the environmental humanities. In 2012 she started an annual public lecture series called “Interdisciplinary Explorations: The Idea of Nature” which brings three internationally known lecturers to Boise State every spring and she is the founder of Perennial College, a lifelong learning summer travel program.

Gwyn Hervochon is a 2010 graduate of the Palmer School of Library and Information Science where she completed the concentration in Rare Books and Special Collections as well as a certificate in Archives and Records Management. She joined the faculty of Special Collections and Archives at Albertsons Library at Boise State University in October, 2013. With a background in theatre, Gwyn most recently worked in the archives of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon, and has also worked at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Library and Archives, in Cleveland, Ohio, and in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Columbia University.

Kristen Hill (she/her) leads the Cultural Sites division of the Boise City Department of Arts & History, including the James Castle House and the Erma Hayman House. Alongside a talented team, she develops exhibitions, public programs, artist residencies, and community partnerships, while ensuring proper legacy management of some of Boise’s most culturally significant and irreplaceable sites. Since the opening of the James Castle House in 2018, Kristen has spent the last five years streamlining operations, planning for stabilization through site preservation and museum accreditation, and increasing neighborhood pride and community engagement. In 2022, Kristen led the opening of the Erma Hayman House, the result of a multiyear, community-centered project to preserve the last single-family home on its block in Boise’s River Street Neighborhood. Kristen’s work is focused on site interpretation, preserving and expanding the neighborhood’s treasured stories, and developing meaningful programming.

Kristen holds a Bachelor of Visual Art with an emphasis in painting and drawing from Boise State University. Her career path as an artist, gallery manager, communications coordinator, and exhibition curator has all led her to bring arts and audiences together through powerful site-based experiences.

Cellist Brian Hodges performs on modern, Baroque cello and viola da gamba. He is the author of A Survey of Solo Works for the Violoncello: A Guide to 200 Selected Pieces from the Literature from 1689-2023, and the co-author of Cello Secrets: Over 100 Performance Strategies for the Advanced Cellist, and contributes regularly to The Strad and Strings magazines.

With his wife, pianist Betsi Hodges, he has given recitals across the U.S., Canada and Italy. They have premiered works by noted composers such as Lee Hoiby, David Biedenbender, Mark Olivieri, and Carolyn Steinberg and were featured on a recording of the works of composer David H. Johnson. He has appeared as soloist with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, the Boise Baroque Orchestra, the Boise State University Orchestra, and was the featured soloist with the Tuacahn Performing Arts High School Orchestra on their tour in Seattle. He has performed at the Idaho Bach Festival and was a featured guest artist at the 2011 Elizabeth Cowling Cello Festival in Greensboro, NC. In 2022, he was a featured artist on the American Bach Society’s series Tiny Bach Concerts.

Brian is the principal cellist of the Boise Baroque Orchestra and performs regularly with Classical Revolution: Boise, which has been featured at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival and performed live on Radio Boise. He is a founding member and performer of the Pendulum Early Music ensemble. He attended the Eastman School of Music for his BM and MM in cello performance and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for his DMA in cello performance. Brian is currently researching and writing a book on John William’s music for cello.

In his 33rd year with the Festival, Mark continues to appreciate Idaho’s proud, neighborly and generous way of life. Mark’s career began at The Old Globe under Jack O’Brien, Tom Hall and Craig Noel, where he worked with August Wilson, Stephen Sondheim, Neil Simon, Terrence McNally, Liz McCann, Joan Micklin Silver, Julianne Boyd, A.R. Gurney, John Houseman, Dr. Endesha Ida Mae Holland, Richard Wilbur, to name a few; as well as edit his mentor Alan Schneider’s memoir Entrances published by Viking. Joining colleague Charles Fee to build the ISF Amphitheater and Reserve, Mark’s work with public and non-profit institutions enhances and protects the historic Barber Pool Conservation Area, home to the Festival since 1998.

Mark’s broader service supports arts statewide, and includes the Festival’s Access Program, School of Theater, and 49^th summer of Great Theater in the Great Outdoors under the leadership of Sara Bruner.  Mark has addressed the Shakespeare Theatre Association, Institute of Outdoor Theatre (receiving the Mark R. Sumner Award), and committees of the U.S. House of Representatives and Idaho Legislature. He served a presidential appointment to the National Council on the Arts (receiving the Chairman’s Medal from Dana Gioia), filled board positions for the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau, Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce, and National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, chaired the Idaho Commission on the Arts under Governors Kempthorne, Risch, and Otter, and received the Governor’s Award in the Arts from Governor Little. He has taught at Boise State University and The College of Idaho, received the University of Idaho’s President’s Medallion, and earned degrees from Princeton and UCSD.

Richard Howard is a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) biologist having worked primarily in the Endangered Species Recovery Program for 28 years. He holds degrees in Anthropology (Idaho State University Pocatello, Idaho) and Wildlife Ecology (Utah State University, Logan, Utah.) He is a certified Wildlife Biologist by The Wildlife Society of North America. He did his degree work on the life cycle and migration of Ferruginous Hawks in southern Idaho. He is a 53-year member of the North American Falconry Association and a past officer in the Idaho Falconry Association. Richard’s passion remains with conservation of raptors and now bison of the sage and short grass prairies. He is a published author, having written two books of short stories – some fictional and the rest quite true. Both contain stories about the Sagebrush Sea.

German born and raised Anette Isaacs is a Historian and Public Educator who has been presenting hundreds of programs on more than 45 different topics (all pertaining to her native country’s history, politics, and culture) all over the United States. She holds Master’s Degrees in American Studies, Political Science, and History and is currently serving as the Director of OLLI at Florida International University in Miami, FL.

Kara is the co-founder and managing partner of BoiseDev. At BoiseDev, Kara focuses on writing restaurant and food stories as the editor of BoiseDev Eats, building high-impact events like Peak 43, and creating new ideas for the business. She is a Boise native and married with a son and two darling goldendoodles. Kara has an MBA from Boise State University. She likes to ski, cook, hike, and travel. Incredible Idaho Women is her first book.

Adam Jussel is the managing director of student affairs at university of British Columbia. He was the Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students for University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where he also co-lead the Campus Cares initiative, comprehensive, holistic health and wellbeing work for all UWM students, faculty and staff. Before UWM, he was the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Conduct at Washington State University. He previously represented WSU as an assistant attorney general, and has a certification in higher education law and policy from NASPA. Adam served as a faculty member for the Foundations Track at the 2018 Gehring Academy, and has been fortunate to speak at a number of conferences about how to better serve students, including the National Conference on Law and Higher Education, University of Vermont Legal Issues Conference, the Higher Education Alcohol Other Drug & Wellness Summit, and the National Conference on Campus Sexual Assault and Violence.

Adam has been published in the American Psychological Society (APA) Journal on Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Adam is a member of the NASPA AVP Steering Committee, and was a member of NASPA’s Culture of Respect CORE Constructs Advisory Board. He is also a faculty member for higher education law and policy at Marquette University. Adam received his juris doctorate from Seattle University and his Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems from California Lutheran University. He is a member of the Washington bar.

Dr. Lee Kalcsits is an Associate Professor of tree fruit physiology in the Department of Horticulture at the Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee, Washington, USA. He serves as the Endowed Chair of Tree Fruit Environmental Physiology and Programmatic Lead at the WSU Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center. His research program works towards understanding the physiological interactions between environment, horticultural management and genetics of apple, pear, and sweet cherry.

Dr. Lynn Kinter is an adjunct graduate faculty member at Boise State University. She has taught Botany and Biology for Boise State and Washington State University. She has more than 35 years of experience in plant research and resource management, including work with the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and Wyoming Game and Fish Department. She has a B.S. in Wildland Recreation Management from University of Idaho, an M.S. in Botany from University of Wyoming, and a Ph.D. in Botany from Washington State University.

Will is a licensed acupuncturist and has been practicing acupuncture in the Treasure Valley since 2015. He holds a Diplomate of Chinese Herbology and has extensive training in pharmacology and herb-drug interactions. He currently owns and operates North End Acupuncture & Herbs in the north end of Boise with Shalee Sucher. For over six years, Will worked at St. Luke’s Cancer Institute, helping patients maintain and improve quality of life while navigating the difficult journey through cancer treatment. He left that position in February of 2025 to commit to private practice full-time and is very excited to be serving the wider Boise community.

Sarah Koenig is Associate Professor of American Studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey in Mahwah, NJ, where she teaches courses in the history of the American West, Native American history, and anthropology of religion. She received her Ph.D. in History and Religious Studies from Yale University. Her first book, Providence and the Invention of the American History (Yale University Press, 2021), explores how controversies over Whitman’s legacy shaped American understandings of history, myth, and religious truth. Her new project explores the evolution of the idea of the pioneer in American society. Koenig is committed to making history accessible to the public through the digital humanities. She oversees several digital humanities including the student-researched digital map, “Mapping the Wild West in New Jersey,” and was recently awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to expand digital humanities training at Ramapo College and in the surrounding community. Koenig grew up in Keizer, OR and tries to get back to the Northwest as often as possible. She lives in Waldwick, NJ with her husband, their spirited toddler, and their fluffy calico cat.

Dr. Matthew Kohn is a Distinguished Professor in Geosciences at Boise State University. Recipient of several international scientific awards, he has conducted field work in numerous countries around the world, especially investigating the origins of the Himalaya in Nepal, Bhutan, India, and China. Specializing in the origins of mountain belts and the geochemistry of fossil teeth, he has also worked across the eastern United States, southern South America, and the European Alps. In that context, he has broad expertise in the origins of rocks and minerals, and has taught classes on the subject for nearly 30 years. A resident of Boise for 17 years, he is married to Heather Steele and has two children, Tavi and Asa, both recently graduated from college.

Katherine Leister is the Stewardship Coordinator for Land Trust of the Treasure Valley. She grew up in Philadelphia, PA, but found a deep connection to the landscapes of the northwest after moving to Montana for graduate school in sustainable agriculture. Now drawn to both vastly different forms of community, she found Boise to be a perfect combination of the two. As Stewardship Coordinator, Katherine is inspired by finding ways our diverse communities can interact with each other and the surrounding environment, while preserving the richness that is unique to those spaces.

Lynn Loud taught grades K through 6th for 30 years in Gem County and West Ada School Districts. She cofounded PAL (Pet Adoption League) in Gem County in 1988. She was awarded the PTA “Life Merit” and the IEA “Friend of Education” awards for her community work with education enrichment activities for children. Lynn retired in 2014 and kept busy as a Girl Scout leader for eight years, tutoring children with reading, serving as a teacher mentor and serving on the board of Alpha Delta Kappa teacher organization. She has been a Road Scholar Ambassador for nearly four years and started their first Alumni club in March. Lynn likes to fill her time with reading, creative writing, creating PowerPoint presentations, cooking, gardening and travel.

Idaho native and University of Idaho graduate Gabrielle Marcantonio works for Graeber & Company as an esthetician, makeup artist and wedding coordinator, and participates on its leadership team. With 10 years experience in makeup lessons and special event makeup, she was a makeup artist at New York Fashion Week. She is a 2024 Boards and Commissions Fellowship Program grad, newest member of the Conservation Voters of Idaho Education Fund board, and cohost for The Latina Card show on Radio Boise.

Colorado native Patricia Santos Marcantonio is author of many books including Verdict in the Desert and Trini’s Magic Kitchen, published by Arte Público Press, the largest U.S. publisher of contemporary literature by U.S. Hispanic authors. Pioneer Drama Service published her play, Roja Ridin’ in the Hood, based on her award-winning book, Red Ridin’ in the Hood and Other Cuentos. She is a Dramatists Guild of America member.

With over 40 years’ experience in nursing and healthcare administration focused on emergency, critical care and transport, Mike was the founding director of Saint Alphonsus Life Flight and Air St. Luke’s and began the Trauma program at Saint Alphonsus along with other trauma systems throughout the Northwest. After his retirement from St. Luke’s in 2015, Mike served his profession for 10 years as the legislative lobbyist for the Idaho Nurses Association. Mike is a native of Idaho and has had a lifelong interest in Idaho politics and governmental affairs. Over the past ten years, Mike has collected important historical documents related to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the State of Idaho.

Alessandro (Alex) Meregaglia is an associate professor, archivist, and librarian and has been on the faculty at Boise State University since 2016. He holds degrees from Hillsdale College (BA in American Studies) and Indiana University (Master of Library and Science and MA in History), where he specialized in archives and records management as well as focusing on twentieth-century American history. He teaches library and archival research methods to undergraduate and graduate students and coordinates K-12 school visits to Boise State’s library for National History Day research. Within Special Collections and Archives, he organizes and preserves archival collections, oversees digitization projects, and manages the work of student employees and research assistants.

His primary research project examines the history of Caxton Printers, a small yet prolific Idaho publishing company known for their fierce defense of freedom of expression and for being one of the most prominent publishers of conservative and libertarian books in the twentieth century. For this project, he has traveled across the U.S. conducting archival research, including at the Library of Congress and the National Archives. He has received over $60,000 in grants and regularly gives presentations to a variety of audiences discussing his findings. He has also worked as an archival consultant for the Russell Kirk Center and the Philadelphia Society.

Tight Line Media CEO Kris Millgate is a bold storyteller, but she wasn’t born brave. Millgate, an Emmy-winning outdoor journalist born the same year as the Endangered Species Act, grew up painfully shy and afraid of beards. She spent a decade in TV news before starting Tight Line Media in 2006. As producer, writer, videographer, photographer, certified drone pilot, editor and gear hauler, Millgate engages in every project with inspiring enthusiasm and unmatched intensity. She hikes, bikes, rows and flies her cameras into the wilderness to collar grizzlies, catch trout, and count birds. She’s outgrown her shy side too. She talks to strangers daily and she hangs out with beards often. Read and watch Millgate’s work at www.tightlinemedia.com

Dr. Clyde Moneyhun is a Professor in the Boise State University Department of English, where he teaches writing and literary translation. He translates primarily contemporary Catalan-language poetry, but has also translated poetry from Spanish, Italian, and French.

Although retired from Corrections for five years, Dr. Mary Ellen Nourse maintains her “passion for prisons.” During her 21 years in Corrections, Mary Ellen was an Education Instructor, Instructor Supervisor, Education Program Manager, and Vocational Education Program Manager at three men’s prisons in Idaho. Prior to entering Corrections Education, she taught at the high school, community college, undergraduate, and graduate levels in Michigan, Tennessee, and Texas. Currently, Mary Ellen is an Independent Researcher/Affiliate with Boise State University. She holds a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Memphis and is a credentialed Secondary Instructor and Career Technical Education Administrator in Idaho.

Ben Nydegger is the Senior Operations Manager for Water Renewal Services for the City of Boise, where he plays a key role in the city’s innovative approach to wastewater treatment and resource recovery. The Water Renewal team operates and maintains the Lander St. and West Boise Water Renewal Facilities, the Utility Maintenance Division that maintains about 1,000 miles of collections piping as well as the geothermal system, the Phosphorus Removal Facility on Dixie Drain near Parma, the Twenty Mile South Farm, and the planned Recycled Water Facility that is currently being designed. Ben’s leadership ensures that Boise’s wastewater byproducts are not wasted but instead contribute to sustainable agriculture, local food systems, and recreating on the crown jewel of our community the Boise River.

Dr. Steven Olsen-Smith joined the Boise State University English department in 2000, specializing in early and 19th-century American literature, especially Herman Melville. His scholarship combines traditional archival research and analytical bibliography with digital technology. As Founding Editor of Melville’s Marginalia Online, he has tracked the recovery of the author’s personal library, which numbered some 1,000 volumes when it was dispersed following his death in 1891. At Boise State he directs the work of student interns in electronically editing Melville’s markings and notes in surviving volumes, and in study and appreciation of the author’s thought and craft.

Kurt Orzeck is a nationally recognized writer, reporter, and critic with more than 20 years of professional experience in the music industry. He is currently the news editor of and a regular contributor to The Big Takeover, a magazine founded in 1980. A highly successful music magazine he created at Grinnell College earned him a writer/editor position at Virgin Entertainment upon graduation. Orzeck was the youngest and longest-serving managing editor of ICE, a trade magazine that focused heavily on CD reissues of classic pop and rock albums. His 3,000-plus writing credits include contributions to Rolling Stone.com, New York Magazine, Vulture, Reuters, Yahoo, FLOOD, Filter, Alternative Press, Thrasher, Drowned in Sound, BBC.com, and many more publications and websites. Orzeck’s interview highlights include David Bowie, Wanda Jackson, Burt Bacharach, Willie Nelson, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Ron Isley, Joan Baez, Bonnie Raitt, and Boise’s own Built to Spill.

Dr. John Ottenhoff is a member of the Boise Jazz Society Board of Directors. He retired in 2019 from The College of Idaho, where he was Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of the Faculty.

Dr. Asya Pereltsvaig received a PhD in Linguistics from McGill University and has taught at Yale, Cornell, and Stanford, as well as in several European universities. Her expertise is in language and history, and the relationship between them. Her most recent books, Languages of the World: An Introduction, Third Edition (2020) and The Indo-European Controversy: Facts and Fallacies in Historical Linguistics (2015) were published by Cambridge University Press.

Dr. Ryanne Pilgeram’s career as a rural sociologist has focused on envisioning equitable, thriving rural communities. She worked as a professor at the University of Idaho for over a decade before moving to a nonprofit organization focused on the intersection of public land conservation and rural communities in transition. She is the author of numerous publications, most recently a book, Pushed Out, which examines the structural causes of inequality in rural communities. Ryanne has deep connections to Idaho and the American West. She grew up in a ranching family and was raised in Western Montana and North Idaho, where she spent many summers working on a tour train in Sandpoint and as a tour guide in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. Ryanne has lived in Moscow since 2010 and she is raising three children with her husband, Russ. She spends her time exploring the outdoors with her family, gardening, and writing about the places and people she loves.

Fonda Portales is the Director of University Art/University Art Curator and Collections Manager at Boise State University. In her role, Fonda directs campus-led visual arts programming, manages the University’s permanent art collection as both a cultural and a financial asset, curates Student Union gallery spaces as well as pop up exhibitions across campus, and administers public art commissions. She earned a bachelor of arts in English Education at Northwest Nazarene University and a master’s degree in Art History at California State University, LA.

George Prentice has been honored for his decades-long career in broadcast and print journalism. He has won dozens of awards for his investigative reporting and took home top prizes in the fields of crime/courts, environmental, health, religion and feature reporting. As host of Morning Edition, he helms one of the highest rated broadcasts in Idaho. He has taken the live broadcast on the road, reporting from Wall Street, the White House and presidential inaugurations in D.C. George has also been honored for his work with Idaho foster children, winning the Governor’s Brightest Star grand prize award. He’s also been a film critic for more than three decades and is a regular fixture at some of the world’s best film festivals.

Terry Rich has a BS in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MS in Zoology from Idaho State University. He worked for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for 20 years and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 15 years. He writes a weekly column on birds for the Idaho Press, leads field trips, and gives programs on birds in Boise and beyond. Mr. Rich is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the American Ornithological Society. He and his wife, three kids, and seven grandkids all live in the Boise area.

Hannah Rodabaugh is the author of Lost Cathedral (forthcoming, Cornerstone Press/University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point) and four chapbooks of poetry. Her poetry is featured in The Indianapolis Review, Camas Magazine, Glassworks Magazine, Plant-Human Quarterly, The Westchester Review, Wild Roof Journal, EcoTheo Review, and Berkeley Poetry Review. She has received three grants from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, including a 2024 Literature Fellowship, and has twice served as an Artist-in-Residence for the National Park Service. She teaches at Boise State University, the College of Western Idaho, and The Cabin. When not writing, she volunteers for the Golden Eagle Audubon Society and collects rare desert plants from around the world.

Dylan Rolleigh is a Robotics Engineer at Bastian Solutions R&D, where he has spent the last five years building and deploying real-world automation systems that live far beyond the lab. Specializing in warehouse robotics, Dylan designs motion planning algorithms, develops machine vision systems, and leads simulation-first engineering efforts to bring autonomous robots to life in dynamic and unpredictable environments. He’s especially passionate about demystifying robotics and helping others understand what robots actually can (and can’t) do—an effort he pursues both professionally and through public talks that peel back the curtain on the field. A graduate of Boise State University, Dylan brings both pride and curiosity back to his alma mater. He believes that storytelling—grounded in engineering reality—has a role in reshaping public understanding of technology.

While his day job involves precision and performance, Dylan’s most important role is as a father to a curious, hilarious 5-year-old daughter who keeps him on his toes (and frequently casts him as the playground monster in neighborhood games). A retired collegiate soccer player from his Division III days, Dylan stays active however he can, often trading cleats for sneakers and sprints for tag. He’s also a committed member of the ManKind Project, where he finds meaning and connection in community-based personal growth and emotional integrity.

Veronica Roper is a dynamic leader and innovator in collegiate esports, currently serving as the Director of Operations, Esports at Boise State University. In this role, she is at the forefront of a major institutional transition, leading the award-winning Boise State Esports program into a new era under the umbrella of Boise State Athletics, beginning in Fall 2025. Her leadership is characterized by strategic vision, operational excellence, and a deep commitment to community engagement and student success. Veronica’s journey at Boise State has been defined by progression, impact, and innovation. Prior to her current role, she held multiple key positions within the College of Innovation + Design (CI+D), where she helped elevate Boise State’s esports program to national prominence. As Project Director for Esports, she oversaw an operation that has delivered more than 2,000 live broadcasts and achieved over 1,200 competitive wins, four national titles, 11 conference championships, and the 2022 Program of the Year award. Her leadership also helped secure over 40 individuals, team, and broadcast awards, solidifying Boise State as a powerhouse in the collegiate esports space. Before her focus on esports and innovation, Veronica served as Director of Programs for Venture College, a university accelerator supporting student entrepreneurship.

Dr. Dennis Roscoe holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Electrical Engineering and a PhD in Neurophysiology from the University of Arizona, School of Medicine. He has been a professor of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University and a professor of Neurology at University of Wisconsin-Madison, College of Medicine. For the last 12 years, he has also developed a passion for astronomy and astrophotography and currently owns and operates his own personal observatory (RoscoeSkies.com). He specializes in the imaging of deep space objects such as nebulae and galaxies, as well as solar and planetary imaging. Dr. Roscoe has been a guest lecturer at Carroll University teaching astrophotography and has provided astronomy programs for the New Berlin Park and Recreation Department. He is also a NASA Solar System Ambassador providing state-wide presentations on NASA programs.

Dr. Roger Rosentreter retired from a 35-year career with the Idaho Bureau of Land Management, working as a plant ecologist in the sagebrush steppe habitats. He has authored over 100 scientific publications and author/co-authored six botanical books. In 2008, he received the Idaho Weed Hall of Fame Award. He has worked with several other agencies, such as the National Park Service on cheatgrass issues in Zion National Park and with the USAID on the ecology of the cedars of Lebanon.

Concert bands, drum and bugle corps, choirs and madrigals in the Midwest, theater actor in San Francisco, a forty year career as a dancer/choreographer, and a thirty year career in painting has given Carl Rowe a unique overview of the life of an artist in America. In Idaho since 1980, Carl has won the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Boise Mayor’s Award, and the Land Trust of the Treasure Valley Arts and Conservation Award. He co-directed the Idaho Dance Theatre for 25 years and has been a professional painter since 1995 including three Boise Art Museum Triennials. He has received three Idaho Commission on the Arts Fellowships in choreography and a Merit Award in Painting.

Irene Ruiz is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. She grew up in Hazelton, ID, where she also worked in the fields with her family. She received her Master of Arts in Hispanic Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago and her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Boise State University. Irene currently lives in Boise and has been an activist for over 20 years. She works for the Idaho Organization of Resource Councils. She is a board member for the ACLU of Idaho the Stay at School Quinceñera program, and Indigenous Idaho Alliance. Irene also co-founded and organized a coalition to support the Latinx, immigrant, and farm-working community called the Idaho Immigrant Resource Alliance (IIRA) that started in 2020 to support those communities around climate change.

Dr. James Russ is Emeritus Professor of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University. He received his PhD from Princeton University. He was an Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor at Carnegie Mellon from 1967 to 2018. He was a Visiting Scientist at CERN and Fermi National Accelerator lab. Dr. Russ’s specialties are High Energy Particle Physics with accelerators and Cosmic Ray astrophysics. He is Founder of the CMU program in Instrumentation that became part of the Robotics Institute.

Dr. Jen Schneider is the Interim Dean of the College of Innovation and Design at Boise State University, where she leads the development of new workforce development programs at the intersection of technology, creativity, and entrepreneurship. She coordinates Boise State’s generative AI initiative and works extensively with campus and community partners to support the entrepreneurs, creators, and citizens of tomorrow. Her academic research has focused on the communication of controversial scientific and technological developments to the public, and she’s received significant funding from the National Science Foundation to support that work.

Since 2014, Brittney Scigliano has been actively involved in historic preservation through the East End Neighborhood Association, working closely with Preservation Idaho, the City of Boise, and the State Historic Preservation Office. As a longtime member of the Advocacy Committee and a leader in multiple nonprofit organizations, she has developed strong relationships, insights, and skills to collaborate effectively on preservation initiatives. Brittney’s experience in executive leadership and community engagement enables her to work with diverse groups toward the shared goal of protecting Boise’s historic character.

Dr. George Shaker is an internationally recognized expert in wireless sensing technologies, specializing in radar-based systems for healthcare, automotive, and industrial applications. With a PhD from the University of Waterloo, and a research visit to Georgia Tech (United States), along with over 200 publications and 35+ patents, Dr. Shaker has led groundbreaking projects with leading global multinationals and fortune 500 companies. He has spearheaded innovative technologies ranging from in-cabin automotive radars to non-invasive healthcare monitoring systems using AI-powered radar sensors.

As the Director of the Wireless Sensors and Devices Laboratory at the University of Waterloo, Dr. Shaker led multi-disciplinary teams in the development of next-generation sensors and IoT solutions. His work has earned numerous awards, including multiple IEEE Best Paper Awards, placing him at the forefront of advancements in radar and wireless sensor technologies. Dr. Shaker’s visionary leadership extends beyond academia into industry, where he has led/supported the launch of products in consumer wearables and electronics, health monitoring, agricultural quality control, and AI-enabled robotics. His contributions are helping revolutionize several sectors including autonomous vehicles, robotic connectivity, remote health monitoring, and smart cities. Dr. Shaker is an IEEE Sensors Council Distinguished Lecturer.

Claire Solomon Nisen is the Manager of Lasting Impressions at DOROT, a nonprofit organization based in New York City addressing social isolation among older adults. She oversees programs that provide opportunities for older adults to explore and share their important stories and meaningful memories through lectures, workshops, social gatherings, creative arts and aging workshops, along with advance care planning programs and conversations. Claire earned joint MSW/MPH from Columbia University.

Ruth Stevens advises companies on customer acquisition and retention, and teaches marketing at business schools in the U.S. and abroad. She has taught at Columbia and NYU Stern business schools, and abroad at Hong Kong UST, Singapore Management University, Athens College, San Andres University (Buenos Aires), Jagiellonian University (Krakow), ASE (Bucharest) and Indian Institute of Management Bangalore.

Ruth is a guest contributor at MarTech, Biznology, and CustomerThink. She co-hosts the Marketing Legends and Marketing Horizons podcasts. Her newest book is B2B Data-Driven Marketing: Sources, Uses, Results. Ruth held senior marketing positions at Time Warner, Ziff-Davis, and IBM and holds an MBA from Columbia University. Learn more at www.ruthstevens.com.

Amanda Stewart is a state-certified teacher with a deep passion for specialty coffee. Currently the coffee educator for Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters, she has more than a decade of experience in the coffee sector. She believes coffee is much more than a beverage; it’s an experience that unites people across cultures.

With over 40 years behind a camera, degrees in environmental science and education, and certification as an Idaho Master Naturalist, Patrick Stoll is uniquely qualified to share his photography knowledge and experience with groups of all ages. He has developed and presented digital photography classes for Boise State University’s five-week Upward Bound Program, the Boise School District’s Adult Community Education program, the Treasure Valley YMCA Artist in Residence digital photography class for cancer survivors, and many others.

Jeremy Storton is one of fewer than 200 Advanced Cicerones in the world and the only one in Idaho. He is also a BJCP judge, an IBD-certified brewer, AFNA-certified, and a WSET Global Beer Educator. He is also an award-winning writer and video and podcast producer. He has produced podcasts such as Good Beer Matters, Brewknowledge, Beerlandia, Sense of Beer Style, and more. Besides beer and media, he is a freedive instructor, a Master’s water polo player and coach. He takes his pursuit of aquatic adventure, beer, and tacos very seriously.

Ted Stout served as a park ranger from 1988-2020 at seven different national parks. He spent the last 17 years of his career as chief of interpretation and education at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. He has a degree in Geological Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2022 his pictorial guide to the one-hundred-year history of this national park was published.

Emily Straight is a chemical engineer, artist, and lighthouse enthusiast. She founded the Lighthouse Lowdown Podcast in 2022 when she was researching a dream vacation, which would include some visits to lighthouses. After finding a lack of concise lighthouse information and media, she decided to create a way for others to learn about lighthouses without having to scour the internet. Emily has been collecting information and creating podcast episodes for years. Breaking into the podcast world with lighthouse related content has shown how much is missing, and how little the public knows about these incredible structures.

Shalee is a licensed acupuncturist and has been practicing acupuncture in the Treasure Valley since 2015. She holds a Diplomate of Chinese Herbology and has extensive training in pharmacology and herb-drug interactions. She currently owns and operates North End Acupuncture & Herbs in the north end of Boise with Will Knox.

Shalee also currently works part-time at St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center, primarily in women’s services, treating women in the antepartum, labor and delivery, and postpartum departments. She specializes in helping women throughout their pregnancies, including those that are high risk, and supporting them during and after their labor. She also treats infertility, PCOS, endometriosis, and can help to manage symptoms related to perimenopause and menopause. For the past several years, Shalee has also worked at the Children’s hospital in an outpatient clinical setting. She most commonly treats children and adolescents with chronic pain, GI and autoimmune issues, and anxiety and depression.

Steve Sweet is a dedicated hobbyist beekeeper with 48 years of experience across the West. A founding member of the Treasure Valley Beekeepers Club, he served as Treasurer (2008) and President (2009-2010). He has served as a local mentor since 2010. Steve has participated in the Idaho Honey Industry Association and the Western Apicultural Society, where he held director and presidential roles. His extensive education includes a BS in Engineering from UC Davis (1975), including multiple apiculture courses. Known for his expertise in bee management, honey processing, and education, Steve has earned numerous awards at the Western Idaho State Fair. He presently is actively involved in the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program as a Journey beekeeper.

Midori Tanada is a yonsei (fourth generation Japanese American) from the Portland, OR area. She studied anthropology and Japanese at Beloit College in Wisconsin, focusing on cultural anthropology and courses on immigration/migration, language, and politics of care. She feels very lucky to work at Minidoka National Historic site, not only because of its cultural significance but also because of her family’s history there. Her grandpa and his family were incarcerated at Minidoka, and though her grandpa passed away before she could meet him, she feels a responsibility to share the incarcerees’ histories.

In her free time, Midori likes to bake, run, play soccer, and go thrifting. She’s been playing soccer most of her life and continued playing in college. Some of her favorite things to bake are pies, chocolate babka, and tiramisu for special occasions. She hopes to one day nail down croissants and sourdough bread.

Currently serving as Director of Development for the Boise State University Foundation, Jacob Thompson is a key force behind some of the university’s most successful philanthropic initiatives. He co-founded the Lyle Smith Society, a major giving society that has raised over $35 million since its inception, and has personally secured more than $12 million in major gifts since 2021—fueling scholarships, capital projects, and athletic excellence. A trusted leader and mentor, he manages a high-performing development team and plays an integral role in Boise State’s record-breaking fundraising success, contributing to a university-wide campaign that recently surpassed $100 million in a single year.

Prior to his work at Boise State, Jacob held positions at the University of Cincinnati and in the private sector, where he led financial operations for large-scale international projects and was recognized for his ability to drive performance and results.
Known for his collaborative spirit, strategic mindset, and deep commitment to donor stewardship, Jacob is passionate about aligning donor vision with institutional priorities to create lasting impact. He holds a master’s degree in Athletic Administration from Xavier University and a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Boise State University.

Dr. Leonardo Trasande is the Jim G. Hendrick, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Pediatrics; Professor in the Department of Population Health; and Director of the Division of Environmental Pediatrics at NYU Langone Health. He also holds appointments in the Wagner School of Public Service and NYU’s College of Global Public Health. He received his MD from Harvard University and completed his residency at Boston Children’s Hospital and in Pediatrics at Boston Medical Center. Dr. Trasande’s research focuses on identifying the role of environmental exposures in childhood obesity and cardiovascular risks, and documenting the economic costs for policy makers of failing to prevent diseases of environmental origin in children proactively. Most recently, his team has documented $249 billion a year in disease costs in the U.S. due to chemicals used in plastics.

Dr. Michael Vitiello is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle. He is an internationally recognized expert in sleep, circadian rhythms, and sleep disorders in aging. His National Institutes of Health funded research examined the causes, consequences and treatments of disturbed sleep, circadian rhythms, and cognition in older adults. His most recent research focused on improving the sleep of osteoarthritic older adults to reduce osteoarthritis-related symptoms such as pain, fatigue and depression, and healthcare utilization and related costs. He is the author of more than 600 scientific articles, reviews, chapters, editorials and abstracts and his work has been cited over 42,000 times.

Dr. Vitiello is the founding Editor-in-Chief of Sleep Medicine Reviews, a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Gerontological Society of America, and the recipient of numerous awards including the National Sleep Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine’s Distinguished Service Award. He chairs the Public Health and Research Council of the National Sleep Foundation. His past service includes President of the Sleep Research Society and of the Sleep Research Society Foundation; Chair of the Sleep Disorders Research Advisory Board, National Institutes of Health; Scientific Program Chair of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies; board member of the Sleep Research Society, the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, and the National Sleep Foundation; and editorial board member of numerous high-impact scientific journals.

Galina Vromen spent more than a decade as a foreign correspondent, mostly for Reuters News Agency, in the Netherlands, Britain, France, Mexico and Israel. After retiring, she focused her journalistic skills on writing Hill of Secrets, an historical novel based in WW2 Los Alamos. As a result of her interest in the dawn of the atomic age, she has become well-versed on issues of nuclear arms today. For more about Galina Vromen and her book, visit www.galinavromen.com.

Dr. Emily Wakild is the Cecil D. Andrus Endowed Chair for the Environment and Public Lands at Boise State University. She started teaching in 1999 as part of the Teach for America program in the Rio Grande Valley of deep south Texas and has lived and taught in Mexico City and Santiago, Chile. She arrived at Boise State in 2012 and directed the Environmental Studies program from 2018-2023. Her first monograph, Revolutionary Parks: Conservation, Social Justice, and Mexico’s National Parks (University of Arizona Press, 2011) examines the creation of national parks during Mexico’s social revolution. She co-authored a book on teaching with Michelle K. Berry called A Primer for Teaching Environmental History (Duke, 2018). Both are available in Spanish translations. Her academic work has earned awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, and the Fulbright-Hays program. She lives in Boise with her husband, son, and daughter.

Heidi Ware Carlisle is the Education and Outreach Director for the Intermountain Bird Observatory (IBO) at Boise State. She graduated from Boise State University in 2014 with a Master’s Degree in Biology, where she studied the impacts of traffic noise on migrating songbirds. Heidi’s work focuses on introducing the public to hands-on science through the IBO’s various research projects.

Lyndsay Watkins is a Senior Associate of Decarbonization for the U.S. Green Building Council, specializing in regenerative design and aiming to create systems that restore, renew, and revitalize ecological and social systems. As a founding board member, she helped bring the national ACE Mentor Program to Idaho, which is a free program that encourages high school students in the Treasure Valley to explore careers in architecture, construction, and engineering. She has championed integrated sustainability projects at GGLO, a prestigious national design practice for architecture, urban design, landscapes, and interiors, and serves as a member on the City of Boise’s Community Climate Action Committee. She completed her Master’s degree in architecture at the University of Idaho Boise.

Dr. Tom Weingartner retired to Boise in 2017. Prior to retirement, he was a professor of physical oceanography for 26 years serving on the faculty of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. His research career took him to the equatorial Atlantic Ocean, Greenland Sea, the Gulf of Alaska, and the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas surrounding Alaska.

Dr. Antoinette WinklerPrins is a human-environment geographer specializing in nature-society relations, with an emphasis on cultural landscapes and environmental knowledge systems. She has conducted extensive research in the Brazilian Amazon, focusing on smallholder agricultural systems in rural and urban settings. She earned a BA in geography and a master’s in urban planning from the University of Michigan and completed a PhD in geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with a minor in soil science. Antoinette spent ten years on the faculty of Michigan State University’s Department of Geography, the Environment and Spatial Sciences and has also served as Director for Environmental Programs at Johns Hopkins University. More recently she worked at the National Science Foundation, first as a Program Director and then as a senior executive in the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences.

Dr. Damon Woods is a research associate professor of architecture at the University of Idaho in Boise. Dr. Woods directs the U of I’s Integrated Design Lab, which blends research in the fields of architecture and engineering with a focus on reducing energy use in buildings. Dr. Woods has taught courses in advanced thermodynamics and energy modeling. In the office, he spends his time working on energy models and estimating savings from energy upgrades; out of the office he is usually fly fishing or gardening. Dr. Woods earned his B.S. from Montana State University, his M.S. from Boise State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Idaho.

Dr. Eric Yensen is a native Idahoan. He received his BS in Biology from the College of Idaho, Master’s degree from Oregon State University, and PhD from the University of Arizona. He is an ecologist and mammalogist with an affinity for all branches of natural history. He has published over 75 peer-reviewed scientific publications, 10 book chapters, and three books. He has served as associate editor for the scientific journals, Northwest Science and The Murrelet. He was named “Distinguished Scientist” by the Idaho Academy of Science and received the Charles E. Harris award for Lifetime Accomplishment by the Idaho Chapter of the Wildlife Society. He is currently serving as Adjunct Graduate Faculty at Boise State University, Professor Emeritus at The College of Idaho, and Curator and Board Member of the O.J. Smith Museum of Natural History at the College of Idaho.

Mike Agron grew up in LA, the heart of the recording and entertainment industry. He loved music so much he wanted to become a recording engineer. Fate had different plans, and he ended up with a successful career in hi-tech, including founding a webinar marketing agency. He has fulfilled his musical and entertainment passions by offering his varied and uniquely popular seminars to learners across the country.

Anthony Antonucci, PhD, is a historian whose teaching and scholarship explore the intersections of foreign relations, nationalism, race, and immigration policy in U.S. history since 1750. A Fulbright fellow, Antonucci has also held research appointments at the Massachusetts Historical Society, the American Antiquarian Society, and the University of Connecticut Humanities Institute. He teaches courses in U.S., world, and California history, as well as African American, Latinx, and women’s studies at colleges across Southern California, including Cal Poly Pomona, the University of La Verne, and Citrus College.

Ferdâ Asya, PhD, Professor of English, has taught at universities worldwide and lived in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East. Specializing in 19th–20th century American literature with a focus on Edith Wharton, her interests include international literature and American expatriate writing in Europe. She has published widely on authors from Achebe to Stein and edited American Writers in Paris: Then and Now (2025), Teaching Edith Wharton’s Major Novels and Short Fiction (2021), and American Writers in Europe (2013).

Eliot Bethke is a PhD candidate in computational bioengineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He previously worked in research and development at several Midwest start-ups, focusing on product design and manufacturing. After running a summer internship program, he shifted his focus to education and now shares his expertise in hardware and software development with future engineers.

Fernanda Blanco Vidal is a PhD Candidate in Environmental Psychology at the Graduate Center, CUNY. She holds degrees in Psychology and Sociology from the Federal University of Bahia, where she published Nostalgia, but not Sadness – Psychology, Memory and Forced Displacement. Her dissertation explores how people’s sense of place shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic. With over a decade of higher education experience in Brazil and the U.S., she develops place- based methodologies linking psychology, memory, and displacement.

Charles Blum served as a U.S. diplomat and trade policy official for 17 years before launching a consulting firm that operated in Washington DC and Central Europe. He has developed more than four dozen courses focusing on global politics, war and peace, and international cooperation. He earned degrees in history from Eastern University and in international relations from the University of Pennsylvania.

Diana Carlin, PhD is Professor Emerita of communication at Saint Louis University. For 30 years, she has taught courses on and written about First Ladies. She is the co-author of U.S. First Ladies: Making History and Leaving Legacies and Remember the First Ladies: America’s History-Making Women. Carlin has published articles and book chapters on a variety of First Ladies and researches and writes on the topics of women in politics, presidential communication, and political debate.

Andrew Fraknoi, MS, is the former chair of the astronomy department at Foothill College and now teaches noncredit astronomy courses at San Francisco State and the University of San Francisco. He is lead author of OpenStax Astronomy, the most widely used free introductory astronomy textbook in North America. Named California Professor of the Year in 2007, he frequently explains astronomy in everyday language on national radio programs. The International Astronomical Union named Asteroid 4859 Fraknoi in his honor as a recognition of his contributions to the public understanding of science. Learn more at http://fraknoi.com.

Scott Fulton is recognized internationally as a “Redefiner” in the positive aging space. Accustomed to big systems engineering challenges, Fulton focuses his research on improving adult aging outcomes. He teaches Lifestyle Medicine and Aging, is an American College of Lifestyle Medicine member, sits on the prestigious True Health Initiative Council, and is past president of the National Aging in Place Council. His critically acclaimed book, WHEALTHSPAN, More Years, More Moments, More Money, hit #1 on Amazon, and he is known for creating the MEDAC system for optimal aging. Fulton is a multiple Ironman triathlete and lives in a demonstration home he recently designed and built for the future of optimal aging across a lifespan.

Johnnie Hendrickson, PhD, is a Teaching Professor in the School of Molecular Sciences at Arizona State University. He holds a PhD in chemistry and is the author of the textbook Chemistry in the World. His academic work centers on science communication and the reciprocal relationship between science and society.

Elena Labkovsky, PhD, is a neuroscientist and clinical neuropsychologist with over 30 years of experience in cognitive psychology and psychophysiology. She specializes in neurobehavioral modulation, integrating psychological, neuropsychological, and physiological approaches to support emotional and cognitive well-being. Her work focuses on how brain function shapes behavior and on developing innovative, research-based treatments for mental health challenges.

Megan McClory is a doctoral candidate in history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research explores sword restrictions in early modern Japan and their role in shaping peace and power. A Global Research Fellow at Kokugakuin University, she has spent years living and studying in Japan and holds a BA from Brandeis University.

Eric Simon, PhD, is a professor of Biology at New England College and holds a PhD in biochemistry from Harvard University. An avid traveler and award-winning nature photographer, he leads educational trips to destinations such as Belize, the Galapagos, Tanzania, Cuba, the Amazon River, and Patagonia. Simon is also the author of a best-selling series of college biology textbooks—used in over 40 countries—with more than 2 million copies in print.

David Smith, PhD, is a scholar of religion and philosophy who was raised in a fundamentalist tradition and later became a progressive skeptic. He holds graduate degrees in philosophy of religion and religious studies from Temple University. A former professor at Central Washington University, he now teaches independent seminars and has published widely. His work empowers others to think critically about life’s big questions.