Background

I am a fifth-generation Idahoan who graduated from Boise High School more years ago than I disclose these days.  I attended Boise State University for one year before driving across the country in a U-Haul with the ultimate goal of attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  After taking a year off to become a resident of the Tarheel state, I enrolled in the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  I worked full-time for a large multi-specialty healthcare clinic and attended classes in the evenings to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management.  While continuing to work full-time at the clinic, I earned a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration from the institution that lured me to North Carolina – UNC at Chapel Hill.  The following year, I decided to pursue the career I always wanted—the law—and left behind the healthcare career I found by accident.  So, I took the LSAT and was accepted at the University of North Carolina School of Law, graduating in 2002.   

During law school, I returned to Boise in the summers and externed at the U.S. Attorney’s Office (1L summer) and the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office (2L summer).  After law school, I moved home and worked in private practice at Givens Pursley LLP until 2004, when I joined the Criminal Law Division of the Idaho Attorney General’s Office.  As a Deputy Attorney General, I worked in the Appellate Unit and the Capital Litigation Unit in addition to occasionally assisting the Special Prosecution Unit.  While at the Attorney General’s Office I handled hundreds of appeals, numerous habeas cases in federal court, and represented the State of Idaho in a handful of cases in district court.  I also wrote a petition for certiorari and an amicus brief for cases in the United States Supreme Court. 

In 2017, Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter appointed me to the Idaho Court of Appeals.  The fifth time was a charm!    

I am also an adjunct professor at the University of Idaho College of Law, where I have taught several classes, including evidence, legal writing, legal research, advanced advocacy, professional responsibility, state constitutional law, and lawyering process: trial through appeal. 

Career Accomplishments

At the risk of redundancy, my career accomplishments include the various milestones in my journey to where I am today – graduating from law school, my first job at Givens Pursley, 10+ years of service as a Deputy Attorney General, and my appointment to the Idaho Court of Appeals.  I also wrote the final chapter for Tents to Towers: The History of the Practice of Law in Idaho and wrote a book, Idaho Evidence Manual, which was published in 2025.  But the most notable moments for me are all related to teaching and civics education.  I have been actively involved in Attorneys for Civic Education (ACE) since it was founded in 2023.  ACE has supported many law-related and civics education programs for Idaho’s youth, including Idaho High School Mock Trial, the YMCA’s Youth in Government program, We the People, and the 4-H Know Your Government Program.  I have coached a high school mock trial team, been a resource for several mock trial teams, helped prepare Idaho’s state champion mock trial team for the national competition, attended the national competition, judged mock trial competitions both in the classroom and at the state and regional rounds for Idaho, and have worked on case development for many years for our state mock trial competition.  Along the way, I have watched amazing volunteers, teachers, student participants, coaches, and mock trial staff devote extraordinary time and effort to make the program successful, educational, and fun. 

I have been a member of the Youth in Government statewide planning committee since I joined the Court in 2017, which has given me the opportunity to help prepare students for the judicial component of the state conference held in Boise every spring.  I even convinced my son to submit a bill on the legislative side one year, which was unanimously passed by the youth legislature and was signed by the youth governor!

I have also had the privilege of judging mock congressional hearings for We the People and giving an annual tour of the Idaho Supreme Court building for the 4-H Know Your Government’s annual conference over Presidents Day weekend. 

Again, I cannot give enough accolades to the participants, teachers, and volunteers who make these programs possible. 

Role Models and Mentors

I have too many role models to list, and I would be reluctant to try for fear I might miss one.  I think almost anyone we interact with to any degree can be a role model in one way or another—good or bad.  Some teach us who we want to be and others show us who we don’t want to be.  I admire anyone who gives their whole heart to things that are meaningful to them, anyone who gives their time and energy to others, anyone who can say sorry and admit when they’re wrong, and…I could go on, but I was told this article has a word limit.  Even so, I owe a special shout-out to Lori, my bestie and role model in so many ways, and to Sue Stover, the most amazing judicial assistant.   

Outside Interests

Although some don’t think it counts as “outside of work,” I regularly describe civics education activities as my hobby, i.e., what I like to do outside of work!  Beyond that, I watch a lot of baseball, including watching my son play for many years.  During the Major League Baseball season, most days you can find me either listening to a game or watching a game on TV.  Time with friends is also a must.

I have one son – Spencer – who will turn 21 years old in September.  He just finished his sophomore year at BSU and wants to be a math professor – an interest and ability he definitely did not get from me.  My son is one of the best humans I know. 

We have one dog – a golden retriever named Violet – and one cat named Harry.  Harry generally tolerates all of us, but mostly prefers Spencer.

My mother, Tonya, lives in Hawaii with her partner, Travis.  I have one older brother, Jeremy, who recently became a grandfather for the third time. That means I am now a great aunt of three…all under the age of two.  The two nephews responsible for these recent additions are Colby and Jordan.  In case they read this, I would like to remind them I am available to babysit! 

Fun facts

 I used to be a runner!  I ran my first half-marathon at 40, after which I ran Robie Creek (twice), the Aldape Challenge, Zeitgeist (twice), the Stanley relay (twice), and a variety of other races.  That said, I never held a candle to Madison Hillery, one of my law clerks, who is an ultra-marathon runner!  I have also been to many, many Eric Church concerts, three P!nk concerts, and two Eagles concerts, one of which was at the Sphere in Las Vegas.  Highly recommend! 

Additional comments

If you would like to get more involved in civics education, please call me!