What brought you to United Way?
I feel honored to work with the team at the United Way of Treasure Valley. I have been a contributor to United Way in other locations in Idaho throughout my adult life and believe in fostering positive partnerships to improve the health, education, and financial stability of our collective communities. I commend the efforts of staff and volunteers with the United Way team of Treasure Valley and their focus on solving the needs of our vulnerable populations. My hope is to add value to this collective effort by building sustainable solutions through partnership with other business leaders and community-based programs. I have always been inquisitive and have a passion for education, health, and financial education. My parents were educators, and as a banker I am always interested in helping people achieve financial goals. When I moved to Boise, I was fortunate to join the team at First Interstate. The First Interstate team has a long history with the United Way of Treasure Valley. I quickly learned of the exceptional work of Nora and her team in working to create solutions for our vulnerable citizens in Idaho through research and strategic partnerships.
How long have you been involved with United Way and in what capacity/capacities?
I became involved in the United Way of Treasure Valley in 2019, but had history with other United Way organizations since early in the 1990’s.
What are you most passionate about when it comes to the work UWTV does?
I am passionate about education. I come from a family of educators (as far back as my great grandmother who was the principal in Eagle, Idaho many years ago). I believe opportunities arise with education and knowledge that support improving health and financial stability.
Tell us more about you! Family, hobbies, interests, etc.
I was born in Boise, Idaho and have lived in Idaho most of my life. I grew up in Kooskia, Idaho, graduated from the University of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication, and then graduated from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia with a master’s degree in business administration. I have been a banker for more than 25 years working at several banks. I was lucky to raise my children in Grangeville, Idaho before moving to Boise in 2018.
I have two children, Jonathan, a geography and geographical information systems major in his senior year at the University of Idaho, and Abbygayle, a marketing and finance major in her sophomore year at the University of Idaho.
I love spending time with family and friends hiking, skiing, biking, rafting, and being outside. I also like to entertain and cook fresh foods for my family and friends. I am excited by my work leading the retail, commercial, and treasury banking teams in Idaho, Eastern Washington, and Wyoming. Our team works hard to help people and their money work better together.
I enjoy facilitating a leadership course at Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington and have been doing this work for the past 10 years (with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic). I always learn something new from the students, through the facilitation and preparation for the week-long course each summer. I enjoy reading both business books and fiction and consider myself a life-long learner.