Idaho Out-of-School Network
Director
Government, Region 3

Committees:

• Outreach Committee

Anna Almerico is the Director of the Idaho Out-of-School Network. With over 18 years of experience leading non-profits, she has developed a passion for working to address the issues facing families furthest from opportunity and under resourced through looking deeper into the policies, practices and mindsets requiring support or change. Anna holds a degree in Sociology: Criminal Justice and Peace and Justice Studies from St. Thomas University and in 2020 completed a Fellowship in Policy at Furman University. Invested in engaging community and building family supports, Anna believes that closing the opportunity gap for children and providing access to mentors, professionals and hands on work experiences, will alleviate poverty and build a strong diverse workforce and ultimately -leaders of the future.

College of Eastern Idaho
Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs
Government, Region 6

Committees:

• Workforce Development Policy Committee

Lori Barber is Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs at College of Eastern Idaho. Prior to this role, she served in various leadership roles at the College. She holds a Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in History and Anthropology and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Innovation at Arizona State University. Lori has been an assistant lecturer at Idaho State University and designed her own courses, creating content, lectures, outcomes, and assessments. She profoundly believes in the community college mission and recognizes the power of education to create hope and transform generations of lives.

Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
Division Administrator
Government, Region 3

Russ was appointed the Administrator for the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses in September 2020. He has served as the Executive Director of the Idaho Board of Nursing since June 2019. Prior to that, Russ worked for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for more than 20 years. During that time he held various positions within the organization. He was appointed Director in July 2017. He also fulfilled the role of Deputy Director for 3 years overseeing programs involved with Child Welfare, Children with Developmental Disabilities, and Infant Toddler services, and public assistance programs. Russ served as the Administrator of the Division of Welfare for nine years overseeing several programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Child Support, Cash Assistance, Child Care Assistance, and Medicaid Eligibility. Russ received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Management at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, and his Masters of Business Administration degree from Boise State University in Boise, Idaho. Russ and his wife, Michelle, have two sons and two daughters.

Dawn Enterprises
Executive Director
Workforce, Region 5

Committees:

• Outreach Committee

Employed by Dawn Enterprises, Inc. for 40 years with a personal and professional mission to provide educational and employment opportunities to people with and without disabilities.

Idaho State Board of Education
Educational Professional
Government, Region 3

Committees:

• Outreach Committee

Dr Linda Clark is a career educator who spent 43 year career as an Idaho teacher, principal, central office administrator and superintendent. She served as superintendent of the West Ada School District (Meridian) from 2004 – 2015. Dr. Clark has a B.A. from Boise State University, an M.Ed. from the University of Idaho, and an Ed.D from the University of San Francisco. She has served on numerous boards, and advisory committees, including the Boise and Meridian Chambers of Commerce; Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA); the Discovery Center of Idaho; and on the Idaho K-12 and Higher Ed Task Forces. She currently serves on the board of the Family Medical Residency of Idaho (FMRI), and as a member of the Governor’s Workforce Council. Dr. Clark was a charter member of Digital Promise’s League of Innovative Schools, and in 2015, was one of 100 superintendents invited to the White House to recognize innovation in technology and recognized by Education Week as one of its Leaders to Learn From. She was appointed to the State Board of Education in 2015 and is currently serving as its president.

City of Ammon
Mayor
City Representative, Region 6

Committees:

• Workforce Development Policy Committee

Sean Coletti graduated from Rigby High School and attended Ricks College prior to serving as a missionary in Seoul, Korea for two years. Afterward, he continued his education at Brigham Young University, where he received his Bachelors Degree in Political Science, and University of Connecticut Law School, all while serving in the Army National Guard as a counterintelligence agent and Korean linguist. After school, Sean clerked in Twin Falls and then American Samoa, after which he began as a new associate at Hopkins Roden Crockett Hansen & Hoopes, PLLC, where he has been working for 14 years and is now a Partner. Sean served two terms on the Ammon City Council and then was elected Mayor of the City of Ammon in 2017. In addition to his Mayor responsibilities he also serves on various boards including the Imagine Idaho Foundation, the Idaho Health Facilities Authority, the Idaho Magistrate’s Commission, and the Idaho Workforce Development Council. Sean is married to Ammon native Jessi Grigg Coletti, and they have two sons, Jaydn and Sterling.

Kochava
General Manager – Mazzaroth
Industry, Region 1

Committees:

• Grant Review Committee

Brian Cox is the GM of Mazzaroth, Kochava’s blockchain platform solution, and GM of the Collective, Kochava’s independent mobile data marketplace. A seasoned executive with over a decade of vast operational, financial, and leadership experience in many economic conditions, he leads a dedicated team focused on the rollout of Mazzaroth and the development of channel solutions on the innovative high-speed blockchain platform. Cox previously served as COO and then President of Tamarack Aerospace Group, Inc., as well as the CFO of Alta Forest Products, LLC. He holds an MBA from the University of Washington, a BS from the University of Idaho, and is a licensed CPA in the State of Idaho.

Idaho Central Credit Union
Senior VP of HR
Industry, Region 5

Committees:

• Child Care Expansion Grant Committee

Ben Davidson is the Sr. VP of HR & Training at Idaho Central Credit Union (ICCU). He has a passion for maintaining the award-winning culture that makes ICCU a Best Places to Work in Idaho winner. He is responsible to hire, train, and retain the very best talent to help ICCU’s members achieve financial success. Prior to joining ICCU in 2011, Davidson worked in the telecommunications industry from 1998 to 2011, primarily in Human Resources and Labor Relations. He recently published an Amazon bestseller entitled, Get Hired Guarantee. He speaks regularly on college campuses, where he shares his entertaining career journey from sales to HR to sales and back to HR as he mastered the art of selling his talents to businesses. Ben graduated with an MBA from Idaho State University in 2001. He enjoys the outdoors, writing, and art.

Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Administrator
Government, Region 3

Committees:

• One-Stop Committee – Chair

Jane has worked for the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (IDVR) since 1994. She has a Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling, with an emphasis in Vocational Evaluation. She is a certified rehabilitation counselor. She began her career as a counselor working with customers with psychiatric disabilities. She transitioned into management after serving 12 years as a counselor. She has worked as a Regional Manager and the Planning and Evaluation Manager for IDVR. In 2014, she was appointed Administrator for the Agency.

Veterans Representative
Consultant
Veterans, Region 3

Oscar Evans is a retired Air Force Lt Colonel and fighter pilot with 3000 hours of flight time in the F/A 18 Hornet and F 15 Eagle and almost 400 carrier landings.  He received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Strike Flight Air Medal, and many other personal and unit commendations during his 20 years of active duty. He is a Realtor, Business Consultant, and small rancher in Homedale, Idaho. He is married to Clara-Leigh and they have three children, Ashleigh, Ainslee, and Garrett.

Management Consultant
Industry, Region 5

Committees:

• Work-Based Learning Committee – Chair

A former HR Director, CHRO and COO Audrey has operated a management development consultancy business for over 35 years. She presents topics over a wide spectrum of leadership roles and responsibilities and enjoys the challenge of working with teams in crisis and dispute resolution.

Audrey has served on Eastern Idaho Technical College’s board of directors (now the College of Eastern Idaho), and as adjunct faculty for Boise State University and the College of Eastern Idaho’s leadership development programs.

Audrey serves on the Council’s Work-Based Learning Committee and is a strong advocate of vocational training having worked with work-based awards in the UK. Audrey believes that technical qualifications designed with a specific job sector focus, delivering the underpinning knowledge, and practical skills and abilities an individual needs to obtain employment, or demonstrate the level of current competency can be of huge benefit to organizations in the development of their strategic workforce. The fact that training is on the job means less time away from the organization and, if so desired, many technical awards can be used to access other levels of qualifications.

Trinity Health
Regional Director of Talent Acquisition and Provider Recruitment
Industry, Region 3

Committees:

• Grant Review Committee

Jeff Greene is the Regional Director of Talent Acquisition for Saint Alphonsus Health System and Trinity Health – West Region. He comes to Trinity Health most recently from St. Luke’s Health System, where he served as the Director of Talent Acquisition. At Saint Alphonsus, Jeff guides the health system’s recruiting, workforce development, on-boarding and job retention efforts. He has also worked as the Director of Recruiting for the YMCA and has over 16 years of talent acquisition experience in various industries.

Jeff earned degrees in both Public Communication and Philosophy from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, and a Master’s degree studying Communication from Boise State University. Jeff resides in Boise, Idaho with his wife and son. They spend much of their time in the community and engaging in ways to continue to grow and support those in the state.

Idaho Power
Vice President, Human Resources
Industry, Region 3

Committees:

• Grant Review Committee
• Executive Committee

Sarah E. Griffin is the Vice President of Human Resources at Idaho Power Company. She has been in HR since 1995 and with Idaho Power since 2007. She currently oversees all aspects of HR, including compensation, benefits, employee relations, diversity/equity/inclusion, talent and organizational development, recruiting, employee engagement and succession planning.  She is also Vice President of the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights board and on the board of The Cabin, a literary arts organization. Originally from Utah, she has lived in Boise since 2002. Prior to Idaho Power, Sarah worked in various HR roles at Boise Cascade, Delta Dental of Idaho, Thoratec Corporation (Pleasanton, CA) and NPS Pharmaceuticals (Salt Lake City, UT) Sarah has her B.A. in English from the University of Utah and her MBA from Boise State University.

G-Zero
President
Industry, Region 3

Committees:

• Outreach Committee

Dave Hannah started his career in the United States Air Force where he served as aircraft mechanic on the F-15 and T-33 aircraft. After serving four years he was honorably discharged and obtained his airframe and power plant license and was hired by Northwest Airlines in Minneapolis Minnesota as an A&P mechanic. Dave worked for Northwest Airlines for 13 years and working his way up to Operations Manager overseeing the engine overhaul facilities. He held the positions of aircraft mechanic, parts and material inspector, foreman, manager and operations manager.

In 2002 Dave was recruited to Southern California to work for B/E Aerospace as operations manager for a large OEM machine shop that manufactured parts for Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Bombardier and Learjet. After 4 years Dave decided to start his own machine shop and relocated to Boise Idaho where he started G Zero CNC Machining in 2007. Since then he has grown the shop from two machines to eleven and recently obtained both AS9100 and ISO 9001 certificates. G Zero currently serves the aerospace, medical, and semiconductor industry.

WinCo
Director of Talent Development
Industry, Region 3

Committees:

• Executive Committee

Deni is the Director of Talent Development for WinCo Foods, supporting more than 20,000 employees with executive coaching, leadership development, as well as compliance and operations training. She graduated with a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Nebraska and moved to Idaho to start her career with the Association of Idaho Cities. She moved into Human Resources over 20 years ago, and has been an HR leader for businesses in the IT industry, engineering and construction, and heavy equipment prior to joining WinCo Foods.  Deni has professional certifications in HR (SHRM-SPC) and Safety (STS).

Idaho Commerce
Director
Government, Region 3

Committees:

• Workforce Development Policy Committee

Tom Kealey is the Director of Idaho Commerce, leading economic development efforts for the Gem State and fostering ways of assisting communities, citizens, businesses and visitors. Director Kealey received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and B.A. from the University of Washington. He has held numerous senior business roles in Fortune 500 companies and is a long-time Idaho business owner and investor. Director Kealey was appointed by Governor Brad Little in January 2019.

Vista Outdoor
Value Stream Manager
Industry, Region 2

Committees:

• Executive Committee
• Grant Review Committee – Chair

Kelly Kolb is currently a Value Stream Manager in Operations at the Lewiston, Idaho location of Vista Outdoor. The Lewiston site has well over 1000 employees and is a sporting goods manufacturer. He oversees approximately half of the workforce at Lewiston. Kelly has been with the company for over twenty years and has held various roles in Operations and Human Resources. He started his career in Operations as a manufacturing supervisor, held various roles in manufacturing before transitioning to Human Resources for fifteen years and is now back in Operations. Kelly still holds his Certification in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM). He has undergraduate degrees in Human Resources and Production Operations Management from the University of Idaho as well a Masters in Arts from Gonzaga University in Organizational Leadership. Kelly and his wife Courtney have two boys, Austin and Carson. Courtney is an Elementary School Principal in Lewiston.

Ball Ventures
Marketing Manager
Industry, Region 6

Committees:

• Executive Committee
• Outreach Committee

Liza Leonard is the Director of Public Affairs for Ball Ventures, a real estate development and private equity company in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Liza oversees public affairs, government relations, marketing, and philanthropic giving for the diverse company with projects in 16 states across the US. Liza values community involvement and is the immediate past president of the Idaho Falls Rotary Club and continues to serve on the board. Additionally, she serves on the boards for the Idaho Falls Arts Council, Friends of Idaho Public Television, The City Club of Idaho Falls, and Mountain View Charity. Liza was appointed to Idaho’s Workforce Development Council by Governor Brad Little in 2020. In 2022, she joined the WDC executive committee. Liza earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, emphasis in Marketing, from Idaho State University. Liza and her husband, Robert, enjoy fly fishing, hiking, backpacking, skiing, and other outdoor adventures with their two children.

Idaho Career & Technical Education
Administrator
Government, Region 3

Committees:

• Workforce Development Policy Committee

Dr. Clay Long has served as the State Administrator for the Idaho Division of Career Technical Education (IDCTE) since November 2019. With the mission of preparing Idaho’s youth and adults for high-skill, in-demand careers, the Division is responsible for the leadership and oversight of career technical education through Idaho’s secondary and postsecondary institutions along with adult education, G.E.D., STAR motorcycle training, and fire service training.

With a team of about 50 employees and an annual budget of over $82 million, Dr. Long provides strategic leadership for continued growth and delivery of services for more than 115,000 learners annually.

Prior to serving as the administrator, Dr. Long served as the Chief of Staff for Nampa’s mayor, Debbie Kling, a secondary teacher (fire services) and a district administrator for career technical education. He holds his bachelor’s degree in business administration, a master’s degree and Ph.D. in educational leadership. In addition to his role with IDCTE, Dr. Long serves as volunteer firefighter and board member for several nonprofit organizations.

Idaho State AFL-CIO
President
Workforce, Region 3

Committees:

• Grant Review Committee
• Executive Committee

Joe Maloney is the President of the Idaho AFL-CIO, before he became president he served as an Executive Board member representing the Magic Valley area. Joe has been has been a member of IBEW 449 since 2009. Joe made a promise to his grandfather many years ago promising to join a union so, after he received his Journeyman License through the College of Southern Idaho he joined IBEW 449. Joe enthusiastically participated in his union and his Central Labor Council from day one. From 2012-2017 Joe dedicated his career to his local and became and full time organizer for them. Joe has served as a Executive Board Member for the Filer Parks and Recreation and has also been a Comet Instructor for his local.

Joe has been married to his wife Callie for 18 years, they have twin sons, Kynan and Kayle who are 13.

Valley County
County Commissioner
County Representative, Region 3

Committees:

• Work-Based Learning Committee

Sherry Maupin is an Idaho native. She was raised in New Plymouth and moved to Boise where she met and married Fred Maupin in 1979. They moved to Middleton in 1994 to raise their 2 sons in a small farming community. There, Sherry served on the Middleton School Board and served as a Canyon County Planning and Zoning Commissioner. She has experience in Banking, serving First Interstate Bank and Idaho First Bank in numerous management positions. She and her family have been in the homebuilding industry since 1980 and Sherry has 15 years of experience as a real estate professional. Throughout her career she has volunteered in many community non-profits. She has worked in Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development roles. This taught her that Community service is necessary to bring people together and to create collaborative opportunities to help others find pathways to resolve community issues.

Idaho House of Representatives
Representative
Government, Region 2

Lori has lived in Nez Perce County, for approximately 50 years, being a graduate of Lewiston High School and of the University of Idaho with a Bachelor of Science in education, along with working on a masters degree. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother, who has served as program coordinator and professor in the Paralegal and Legal Assisting programs at Lewis Clark State College for over 15 years. For the past 44 years, she has worked alongside her husband to manage his law practice, their family corporation (consisting of a cattle ranch, timber, and commercial real estate development), and their personal partnership in residential and commercial rentals. Lori is a past member of the Tammany School Board, a past president of the Idaho Association for Legal Professionals, current president of the Foundation Board for Lewis Clark State College, a Board Member of the Idaho Community Foundation, a non-profit board, a Board Member of the Idaho Business for Education organization, current secretary of the NPC Republican Central Committee, and a current District 6 Representative in the Idaho House of Representatives.

Thrivent
Financial Advisor
Industry, Region 4

Entrepreneurship is a world that Sergio Mendoza grew up in. Coming from a family of immigrants, his parents established a business when he was two years old. Raised in Jerome, Idaho, he returned to his hometown after acquiring a bachelor’s in economics and business management from Northwest Nazarene University in 2013. Mendoza’s Furniture first opened in August of 2015, but changed its name to The Liquidation Center in 2018 with a renewed vision. In 2019 he started working with Twin Falls CSI Small Business Development Center on a business plan to purchase the buildings he was leasing and an additional warehouse.

Idaho National Laboratory
Economist, Workforce Strategy and Development
Industry, Region 6

Committees:

• Workforce Development Policy Committee – Chair

Hope Morrow is INL’s resident Labor Economist leading workforce development strategy for the lab. Hope comes to INL with vast experience, following her years of service with the Department of Labor in both Idaho and Utah. Hope serves on Idaho’s Workforce Development Council and has crucial involvement on all things economic development and labor market analysis. Hope and team published INL’s first set of workforce projections in 2021 and connects partners across the state and nation on workforce development topics, labor market analysis, and strategies.

Idaho Department of Health & Welfare
Deputy Director
Government, Region 3

Jennifer Palagi, DNP, MPH, RN, CIC, is a deputy director at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare with oversight of the divisions of Public Health and Self-Reliance (Welfare). She is a member of the Idaho Workforce Development Council, and she attends the Idaho Commission on Aging for the Department. As a community health nurse leader at heart, she is dedicated to addressing the social and public health needs of Idahoans.

Simplot
SVP Human Resources
Industry, Region 3

James Pegram is Senior Vice President, Human Resources for the J.R. Simplot Company. He has been with Simplot for over fourteen years. James started with the company in 2007 after spending time in both Operations and HR for two other large publicly traded companies. From 1983 to 1990 James worked in the mining industry before moving on to the synthetic graphite manufacturing environment where he served in various line and staff positions from 1990 through mid-2007.

James received his Bachelors of Science degree in engineering from West Virginia University in 1983 and his Masters of Science in Industrial Labor Relations in 1990. James has served on several non-profit Boards and is active in his church and community. He enjoys the Idaho outdoors, family activities with his bride of 34 years, and spending time reading.

Idaho Forest Group
Director for Training and Development
Workforce, Region 1

Marie Price is the Director for Training and Development at Idaho Forest Group, the state’s largest lumber producer, with over 1200 employees at 5 lumber mills, a finger joint facility and corporate headquarters in Idaho.  Prior to this career, Marie served as director of workforce training for North Idaho College, where she was responsible for workforce training programs including manufacturing, business and health careers; apprenticeships; federal and state workforce grants. Marie holds an Education Specialist degree in Organizational Learning and Leadership from the University of Idaho, a Master of Science degree in Recreation Management from the University of Montana and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Seattle University. Marie holds a professional certification in Training Management (CPTM) and earned the Idaho Career and Technical Education administrator certificate.  Marie was a member of Governor Otter’s Workforce Development Task Force in 2017 and has served as a committee member for the Workforce Development Council since 2018.  Marie is married to Ed and has two grown sons: Steven, a Navy FA/18 fighter pilot, and Anthony, a CPA and business entrepreneur.

In Time Tec, LLC.
President
Industry, Region 3

Committees:

• Workforce Development Policy Committee

As a co-founder of In Time Tec, Dan’s leadership has contributed to In Time Tec’s successes and reputation. In Time Tec has been recognized as one of the Best Place to Work in Idaho five years in a row and has been on the Inc. 5000 fastest growing private companies list for the past seven years. In the past 13 years, In Time Tec has grown to have over 1000 employees and 6 offices in the US and India.

Coeur d’Alene Resort
General Manager
Industry, Region 1

A lifetime resident of Coeur d’Alene, Bill Reagan has spent his career in the hospitality industry and accumulated an impressive resume of philanthropic service during his time in the Lake City. After graduating from the College of Business at Washington State University in Hospitality Management, he joined Weston Hotel’s St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco for two years before returning to Coeur d’Alene in 1984 to join Hagadone Hospitality. Since then, he has worked at all the company’s hotel properties, including management positions at the Best Western Plus University Inn in Moscow and Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn. For the past 21 years, he has managed Hagadone Hospitality’s premiere property, The Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort. Reagan has also been active in community organizations, serving as a director for many non-profits, including Chairman for the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce, the Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association, the Coeur d’Alene Convention & Visitors Association, and the United Way of Kootenai County.

Idaho Department of Labor
Director
Government, Region 3

Committees:

• Workforce Development Policy Committee

Jani Revier is a fifth generation Idahoan, born and raised on a ranch in Three Creek, Idaho.

On January 7, 2019, Governor Brad Little appointed Jani Revier to serve as Director of the Idaho Department of Labor. Today she leads a team of more than 472 employees who strive to make a difference in the lives of job seekers, employers, government officials and Idaho citizens. Revier began her career in public service as a legislative assistant to then-Sen. Larry Craig. She was legislative director, then deputy chief of staff, during then-Congressman C.L. “Butch” Otter’s years in Congress from 2001 through 2006. From 2007 – 2013, she served as special projects manager for Congressman Mike Simpson. Before her role at the Department of Labor, Revier was the administrator of the Division of Financial Management for six years under Governor Otter.

Revier earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Oklahoma State University. Her post-graduate work was in agricultural and resource economics at Oregon State University. She is married to John Revier, director of state and regional government affairs for Idaho National Laboratory. The Reviers have 12-year old twins and reside in Meridian, Idaho.

Senator
Government, Region 3

When Carrie is not hiking, skiing, backpacking, and camping, she works on strategic initiatives and planning for Boise State University’s College of Education. She has worked in education for over 20 years and has a doctorate in education and a master’s and teaching certificate in special education. Her passion for education began while attending public school as a child, where she was fortunate to have incredibly supportive teachers and school staff. Idaho’s hardworking educators can make all the difference in a young person’s life, and she believes all of Idaho’s students deserve an opportunity to learn and thrive. In November 2021, Governor Little appointed Carrie to serve the remainder of former Senator Ali Rabe’s term as Idaho State Senator for District 17. She was sworn in soon after and served the entirety of the 2022 Idaho State Legislative Session.

Eastern Idaho Electrical JATC
Training Director
Workforce, Region 6

Committees:

• Work-based Learning Committee

James Smith was born and raised in Southeast Idaho (Idaho Falls area). He began his career with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) local union 449 in 2005. He had the pleasure of completing his 5-year apprenticeship and became a Journeyman inside wireman in 2010. From there, he took on many roles with the local union, including Journeyman Electrician, Chairman for the IBEW Idaho Falls unit meetings, Recording Secretary for the local union, IBEW Membership Development Representative, and currently, he is the Training Director for the Eastern Idaho Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC). In his current position, he works hand in hand with IBEW LU 449 members and staff and Idaho Chapter of NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association). Together, with James Smith they strive to promote apprenticeship, a livable wage and voice for all electrical workers in Idaho.

Clearwater Paper
Director of Government Relations
Industry, Region 1

Committees:

• Clearwater Paper

Currently serving as Clearwater Paper Corporation’s director of government relations, Matt has accumulated more than 30 years of experience years in corporate and agency public affairs and business communications.  He joined Potlatch Corporation in 2006 in Lewiston, Idaho, and later served Clearwater Paper as the company’s first leader of corporate communications and public affairs in Spokane, Wash.

Matt started his career with Weyerhaeuser Company in Federal Way, Wash., and after that spent eight years at Georgia-Pacific in corporate and business unit public relations and employee communications. Matt also served as director of government affairs at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, corporate communications director for Royal Philips Electronics in Atlanta, spokesman for Lowe’s Home Improvement in North Carolina, Louisiana-Pacific’s external communications manager in Portland, Ore., vice president at Fleischman-Hillard in Portland, Ore., and was the principal of Van Vleet and Associates, Inc., his consultancy.

Matt has led comprehensive public affairs and extensive brand initiatives at three major corporations, and has overseen strategy development and tactical implementation programs to promote and represent companies located in many large and small communities. He has developed content for numerous sustainability reports as well as other key policy-based programs and products.  Matt holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from the University of Oregon, where he conducted award-winning research on controversial issues and media outcomes.

Young Construction
President
Industry, Region 1

Committees:

• Executive Committee
• Outreach Committee – Chair

John Young is President and owner of Young Construction Group of Idaho, Inc., a Coeur d’Alene area based regional general contractor, construction manager and design build contractor. John’s involvement in the construction industry spans more than 35 years providing the opportunity to participate in more than $300,000,000 of projects including manufacturing, industrial, healthcare, institutional and site development projects. Licensed as an Idaho State Public Works Construction Manager since 2001, John has consulted for a wide variety of public works and private sector projects. John is actively involved in his community serving on the North Idaho College Foundation, Hayden Urban Renewal Agency, Rotary Club of Coeur d’Alene and many others.

John is married to his wife Connie and together they have four children. In their spare time, they try to spend as much time at the lake when the sun is out and as much time on the mountain when there’s snow.