Serve Idaho! Conference National Trainers / Presenters

Kristin Cole
Kristin Cole moved to Boise in 1997 as a sophomore in high school. She attended Timberline High School where she became very involved in youth leadership. Through organizations such as Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America, the Idaho Youth Action Council, and the Idaho Commission for National and Community Service she gained a strong ethic of service and love for humanity. Following high school she pursued service opportunities in an AmeriCorps program in Salt Lake City where she tutored and mentored at risk children and youth. Then she served as an AmeriCorps member in Treasure Valley AmeriCorps Consortium as a tutor and then as the member leader. Kristin's main areas of experience and interest are in service project development, teambuilding, relationship development, and leadership training. She and her husband, Adam, reside in Boise where she is a psychology student at Boise State University and is working with her husband to develop their real estate and building company. She lives her life with the desire to uplift and inspire those she encounters.

Shirley Conger
Shirley Conger served as Director of Volunteer Services at West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell for over 17 years. She is a volunteer administration consultant and trainer in the United States and Canada. She continues her lifetime commitment to volunteerism currently by working with United Way, Rotary International, Morrison Center for the Performing Arts, Women's Fitness Celebration, and others. She is a Serve Idaho Commissioner. Shirley holds a B.S. degree from Colorado State University in General Science.

Tiffany Cooper
Tiffany Cooper is director of the Idaho Environmental Education Corps and the Palouse-Clearwater Center at the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute in Moscow, ID. She received her BS degree in GeoScience from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 1998 and her MS in Environmental Education and Outdoor Recreation from the State University of New York (SUNY) in Cortland, NY in 2000. Since then, she has been teaching kids and adults about the natural world and community building in professional positions and as an AmeriCorps member for two years. She loves to be outside and to inspire people, big and small, to do great things for the Earth!

Erin K. Dooling
Erin K. Dooling is currently the Project Director for Idaho's Promise AmeriCorps Program administered through the University of Idaho and Idaho State 4-H. Ms. Dooling has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Idaho, has had educational training at the University of Oregon and the University of Ulster, as well as previously serving in AmeriCorps*NCCC and AmeriCorps*VISTA programs. Special interests include community development, family and youth development, and private-public sector partnerships.

Debi Fitzgerald
Debi Fitzgerald is director of the Lewis-Clark Service Corps at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from LCSC and her Masters of Public Administration from the University of Idaho. Debi has a long history of public service during her career. Prior to her tenure with LCSC in 1999, Debi was the Workforce Development Director with the Job Training Partnership Act Program (JTPA), Congressional Staff Assistant for former Congressman Larry LaRocco and Program Coordinator for the Region II Area Agency on Aging. She has experience in board development, long range strategic planning, event coordination, fundraising and development, and conflict resolution.

James G. Francavilla
James Francavilla is a Senior Vice President of Program Strategy and Community Organizing for First Book. He has extensive management, strategic projects, community outreach, and career development expertise. Mr. Francavilla's non-profit and education related experience includes working as the Managing Director of the Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund, and associations with The Baltimore Education Scholarship Trust, The Maryland Business Roundtable for Education, The New Song School, The Village Learning Place, Habitat for Humanity, and as a member of the T. Rowe Price Community Relations Board of Advisors. In addition to his non-profit experience, James has more than 20 years of professional work experience in the financial services industry. His experience includes work for Dean Witter, Bankers Trust Company, and T.Rowe Price, where he served as Vice President of Client Administration and Vice President of Strategic Projects. He has a degree in Marketing from St. John's University in New York City and an MBA in Global Management from the University of Phoenix.

Neva Geisler
Neva Geisler is the Volunteer Center & 211 Idaho Project Director for United Way of Treasure Valley. With a professional background in marketing communications, higher education and community service, she brings a diverse set of skills and experiences to the United Way of Treasure Valley team. Neva has a BA in Political Science from Albertson College of Idaho and an MA in Communication from the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication at Washington State University. Neva started her career in volunteer services at the age of eight when her Brownie troop planted a tree for the community. This Mom-imposed activity launched subsequent careers as a Girl Scout, a 4-H'er, a Key Clubber, an activist and all-around true believer in volunteerism and community. Neva is a runner, a reader and a lover of fun.

Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A.
Cathryn Berger Kaye, a former teacher, is a national service learning consultant and renown workshop leader and speaker. She works with state departments of education, university faculty and teacher education students, school districts, and classroom teachers and administrators on a variety of issues such as service learning, student leadership, and replacing bullying and name-calling with civic engagement to build respectful school communities. Cathryn is the author of the popular: The Complete Guide to Service Learning: Proven, Practical Ways to Engage Students in Civic Responsibility, Academic Curriculum, & Social Action and other publications on a wide range of service learning related themes.

Kent Griffitts
Kent Griffitts is the Idaho State Program Director with the Corporation for National Service. He is an Idaho native, and a graduate of Idaho State University with over 25 years of professional experience in developing AmeriCorps*VISTA and Senior Corps Programs throughout Idaho.

Kelly Houston
Kelly is the Executive Director of Serve Idaho, the Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism, where she administers Idaho's AmeriCorps Programs and is the chairperson of Idaho's Promise: The Alliance for Youth. Kelly has been with the Commission for eight years. In 1997, she was the lead Idaho State Delegate to the Presidents' Summit for America's Future. Kelly has a B.A. in International Affairs and French with a Business and Economics emphasis. Prior to her appointment to Serve Idaho, Kelly was employed as an Admission Counselor at the University of Puget Sound. She also worked for West One Bank as an International Banking Specialist and for the Idaho Youth Ranch as Associate Director of Development and Special Events Coordinator.

Deb Krum
Deb Krum recently started her own consulting firm, Capacity by Design. Her past employment includes 211 Idaho, Association of Idaho Cities, and Serve Idaho. She currently serves on the Governor's Coordinating Council for Families and Children and chairs the Idaho Rural Community Review Board. Deb enjoys fly-fishing, golfing, backpacking and traveling throughout rural Idaho.

Nancy Macduff
Nancy Macduff is the President of Macduff/Bunt Associates in Walla Walla, WA. She is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Graduate School in Adult and Youth Education at Washington State University in Pullman, and she is an Instructor at the Center for the Study of Non-profit Management at Concordia College. Nancy was a Trainer for the Change Project and the American Symphony Orchestra, in Washington, D.C. In addition, she served at the Coordinator of Volunteers for the White House Conference on Library and Information Services. Her work experience includes: Instructor for Development Projects for Boeing Commercial Airplane Company in Seattle, WA; Community Resource Program Manager for Washington State Department of Social and Health Services; Faculty member at University of Washington Institute on Aging; and Executive Director of Walla Walla Council of Camp Fire.

Elizabeth Matthews
Elizabeth Matthews is a Director of Community Development for First Book. She came to First Book in November of 2001 as the first Communications Manager and has since transitioned to working with the Community Development Team starting new Advisory Boards across the country. Before joining First Book, Elizabeth was a Marketing Manager for the eBusiness consultancy, iXL. She spent three years as the Community Relations Manager at Barnes & Noble in Bethesda, Maryland. Previous to her work at Barnes & Noble, she developed trainings for corporations with employee volunteer programs at The Points of Light Foundation. Upon graduation from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, Elizabeth served as an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer at a battered women's shelter in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Matt McCarter
Matt McCarter moved to Boise from Seattle, WA in July of 2002 to begin as the Executive Director of the City of Boise's Healthy Community* Healthy Youth Initiative. He graduated from Lewis and Clark High School - Spokane, WA in 1991 and he earned his BA from Western Washington University - Bellingham, WA in 1995. His background is in facilitation, leadership development and experiential education. Working as a Community Organizer for King County Government, he supported community efforts to prevent substance abuse and violence among youth using the tools and philosophy behind the 40 developmental assets. Matt utilizes percussion and sleight of hand to build rapport and initiate dialogue about healthy choices with young people and community volunteers. Previous to providing technical assistance to community groups, he managed the Seattle Police Department's volunteer program and served as a JustServe AmeriCorps volunteer. The foundation of his work is the belief that every individual and community has the potential to create happiness and success for themselves. He lives in Boise with his wife, Erin, and their young daughter, Queen Ruby and his family just welcomed a baby boy into the family (Indy).

Ericka Medalen
Ericka Medalen is the Community Services Director for Community Action Partnership in Lewiston Idaho, where she serves as the Program Director for the CARE for KIDS AmeriCorps program. She received her MS in Family and Consumer Sciences with an emphasis on early childhood development and family theory. Prior to working for Community Action Partnership, she worked as a Reading Specialist for the Houston School District. Ericka also worked with Houston Area Women's Center focusing on issues of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Sister Janice Otis
Sister Janice Otis is the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program Director for Southeastern Idaho Community Action Agency in Pocatello. She has held this job for 20 years. She is treasurer of the Foster Grandparents Board of Directors for Eastern Idaho and is a member of the National Advisory Council for Rural Health. Sister also serves as a member of the Serve Idaho Board.

Jenny Price
Jenny Price, an Idaho's Promise AmeriCorps site supervisor, has been recruiting volunteers for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Idaho over the past two years. Prior to working at BBBS, she traveled the US and Canada educating collegiate women on topics such as leadership, personal development, risk management, and recruitment. Jenny graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2001 with a Bachelors of Science in Organizational Communication and is currently working on a master's program in Adult Education. She now calls Boise home, having moved there 2 years ago to be closer to family. Jenny is a Big Sister to Madison, a 2nd grader at Frontier Elementary and also enjoys volunteer work with the Junior League of Boise.

Nancy Pringle
Ms. Pringle has served as Director of the Washington State Service Corps since February 1995. Prior employment included her position as Juvenile Rehabilitation Administrator providing program options for juvenile offenders. She also managed a statewide transitional program for adult offenders. Prior to that she directed the Washington State Job Corps program. Ms. Pringle's background includes managing a Native American land settlement project establishing service and educational opportunities for tribal members. In addition, she worked in a variety of youth programs and established a computer-assisted learning center for youth and adults in training. She holds a BA in Counseling Psychology from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA and an MBA in Marketing from National University, San Diego, California. She served as a VISTA Volunteer in Los Angeles, currently serves as a member of the Washington State Commission for National and Community Service and served as a board member for the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps.

Shelli Rambo Roberson
Shelli resides in Eagle with her husband Brad Roberson, a training program manager for Hewlett-Packard, their daughters Luci, 2 ½ and Lilli, 1, and their twelve pets - two dogs, three cats, three horses and four bunnies! Shelli has worked for The Boeing Company as the Board Coordinator for the Boeing Employees Good Neighbor Fund, at Mercy Centers for Recovery as a Counselor and Educator, at Boise State University as a Research Analyst for a publication on at-risk youth, as a Health Promoter for the National Spit Tobacco Education Program and as a Secondary Education Instructor at Eagle Academy Alternative High School teaching English and Sociology. Shelli is currently the Executive Director of the Idaho Governor's Council on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention and the Program Manager of the Title V Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program of Idaho for the Governor's Office and the Generation of the Child Initiative.

Joseph J. Tierney
Joe Tierney, an alumnus of AmeriCorps*NCCC, has spent the entirity of his professional career working in the national service and disability fields. He is currently a training specialist with the National Service Inclusion Project, the Corporation for National and Community Service's training and technical assistance provider on disability inclusion.

Linda Webb
Linda Webb is a youth development specialist in Idaho with 25 years of experience in volunteer management. She has a MEd in General Counseling and a Ph.D. in Adult Education. Linda has worked extensively at the state, regional and national level providing volunteer management and leadership development education programs.

Nancy Volpe
Nancy Volpe, president of Volpe Communications, serves as a consultant with foundations, non-profits and youth serving organizations in the development of programs and community collaborative initiatives to meet the needs of children and youth. Volpe Communications specializes in creating public awareness and marketing strategies, building community partnerships and collaborations, developing volunteer programs, strategic planning, training, fund raising and resource development, event planning and sustainability. Initiatives and organizations served include NFL and MSL Charities, individual professional athletes, YWCA, Kansas City Public Library, Missouri State Library, Kansas City's Partnership for Children, Kansas City's Promise, Lawrence-Douglas County Promise and America's Promise as Community Mobilization Trainer.

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