Congratulations to Aubrey Hoxie, Class 34, and husband Brandon who celebrated the birth of Rylee Elizabeth on April 2. Aubrey is employed by USDA NRCS as an area Conservationist.

Andrea Thompson, Class 40, was recently promoted to lead the Plant Industry Division of ISDA. Andrea will serve as Administrator of the largest division inside the structure of the agency which includes inspections, noxious and invasive weeds and commercial feed and fertilizer. 

At a recent meeting of the Idaho Onion Growers’ Association, Jarom Jemmett, Class 39, was elected President and Brennan Gabiola-Harris, Class 32, was elected Vice President of the association. Both men are farmers in the Parma/Caldwell areas where they raise onions and other field crops.

Travis Jones, Class 28, recently joined the firm of Riley Stegner and Associates as a Principal. Travis will work in the area of agriculture and natural resource policy for the public affairs team. Travis previously worked as Executive Director of the Idaho Grain Producers, Nike, and was on staff with Senator Larry Craig for several years. 

Ron Jones, Class 2, and Teri Murrison, Affiliate Member, are both in Uganda at this time on a Roots Africa tour being coordinated by Cedric Nwafor. You can join the adventure by following Teri’s blog Dispatches from Out West.

Sympathy is extended to Alan Martinson, Class 27, on the recent passing of his wife Virginia’s brother. Alan is the Latah County Noxious Weed Superintendent based in Moscow.

Leah Clark, Class 26, recently suffered the loss of her mother who had been living with her for the past few months in Billings, Montana where Leah serves as the General Manager of the Northern Internal Livestock Exposition (NILE).

Orville Hartman, a farmer in the Parma area passed away recently after working on the farm alongside his sons, Bill Hartman, Class 5, and John Hartman, Class 10. We have toured the Hartman Farm operation many times with various groups over the years, and Orville would frequently join the tour to make sure the “boys” told the story accurately. Grandchildren of Orville include Josh Rubel, Class 32, Jeff Hartman, Class 34, and Kathryn Scott, Class 41.

Spencer Larsen, Class 42, lost his father Michael recently at the age of 66. Spencer and his dad were involved in the family farming operation near Blackfoot.

Registration for the LIA Golf Scramble, June 9 in Twin Falls, is now open! Information about the tournament is available at www.leadershipidahoag.org/golf. If you would like to join the planning committee please contact LIA Development Director, Kendra Dustin at kendra@amgidaho.com.

The ballot for election of Trustees and Officers for the LIA Board was emailed to all lifetime and current annual members last Friday and is due back by May 15. A total of 260 emails were sent to current members. Those who are on the ballot include the following: For trustees for a second 3-year term: Jim Miller, Class 29, and Andy Kaler, Non LIA Graduate. Those nominated for a three-year term on the board include: Kyle Woods, Class 32, Gabe Flick, Class 41, Corbin Knowles, Class 43, Pat Purdy, Class 30, and Britt Beene, Class 36. Nominated for officers are Chairman Malia Miller, Class 36, Vice Chairman, Travis Lammers, Class 34, and Secretary/Treasurer Nic Wittman, Class 39.

Mark your calendar for the next LIA State Exchange. The decision has been made that the Exchange will take place in Louisiana, November 11-17. More details will follow. The tour will include a variety of stops related to rice and crawfish production, sugarcane harvest, a look at salvage forest timber harvest, LSU Water Institute related to the lower Mississippi river and coastal impact, plus more to be determined. The tour will arrive and depart from New Orleans. If you are interested in being placed on the “keep me informed list” please email your name and contact information to Kendra Dustin at kendra@amgidaho.com.
 
The LIA Trustees in a trustee meeting in April renewed the contract agreements with Executive Director Rick Waitley, Class 8, and Development Director Kendra Dustin, Class 32, for the coming year.
 
Recently the staff at AMG conducted the initial training of the new team of State FFA Officers. Those involved in the training included: Patxi Larrocea-Phillips, Class 41, Kyra Gibson, Class 35, and Rick Waitley, Class 8. The six state officers are the following:
 
President: Delainee Ellsworth, Deary
Vice President: Carson Suchan, Minico
Secretary: Hallye Duckett, Vallivue
Treasure: Clayton Moore, Weiser
Reporter: Josiah Knapp, Hagerman
Sentinel: Kamille Mirkin, Jerome
 
The training is much like LIA on steroids, introduction, business and industry tours, Me in a Box activity and making first impressions.

If you know anyone interested in applying for LIA Class 44, applications are due August 1. Tuition will be $3,000 plus travel and lodging. New this year will be the elimination of the written essay. Instead, the Board of Trustees have established that each applicant will submit a 3-5 minute self-interview video regarding their desire to be in LIA Class 44. Samples of video self-interviews will be posted to the LIA website. Also new, the application will be completed and submitted online. Applications can be found at www.leadershipidahoag.org/apply. 

The 2023 Gala and Auction raised $147,570. Thank you to everyone who contributed, supported and purchased items at the auction. Special thanks to the LIA Auction Committee and Class 43 for their work in adding to the success of the auction. If you would like to be a member of the auction committee, please let the LIA office know and we will add your name to the committee list. 

The LIA Executive Committee met last week and made the decision to cancel the 2023 Washington, DC Experience. Chairman Neil Durrant, Class 34, indicated it was due to the low interest, extremely expensive flights and the extended winter causing late spring field work.

Watch the LIA website and Facebook for additional information about the Friday, June 9 LIA Alumni and Friends Golf Tournament in Twin Falls. If you would like additional information, please contact Development Director Kendra Dustin at kendra@amgidaho.com. See all details here!

In August, LIA will again host House Congressional Aides for a tour in Southwestern Idaho. The co-chairmen of the planning committee are Neil Durrant, Class 34, and Dennis Merrick, Class 39. If you would like to be placed on the Congressional Aides Fact Finding Tour planning committee please email Rick Waitley at rick@amgidaho.com. Planning will begin later this spring.  

Congratulations to Casey Attebery, Class 40, who is the new Natural Resources and Environment director for Senior Senator Mike Crapo. Previously, Casey served as State Agriculture Director and that position will now be handled by Tony Snodderly out of the Lewiston office.

Sympathy is extended to Steve, Class 21, and Brenda Green on the passing of their 34 year old son, Ryan. Ryan was working in Colorado at the time of his passing. 

Sympathy is sent to Lori Satterwhite-Turner, Class 36, on the passing of her grandmother. Lori works for Simplot Land and Livestock as a rangeland monitoring specialist in Twin Falls. 

Sympathy is shared with Don Dixon, Class 15, and his son Tobin Dixon, Class 39, on the passing of Don’s wife and Tobin’s mother, Georgia. She worked several years for Senator Larry Craig in his Idaho Falls office. Don and Georgia were married 67 years.

Thoughts and prayers are sent to Malia Miller, Class 36, and Ryan Miller, Class 33, on the passing of Malia’s father over the weekend. Malia’s father lived in Salem, Oregon.

Congratulations to Randy Brooks, Class 16, who recently received the Outstanding Instructor award from the U of I College of Natural Resources.

Positive reports are being received on Carly Schoepflin, Class 34, who was in the hospital and diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. Carly is employed at the U of I College of Agriculture as Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives. 

Karma Metzler Fitzgerald, Class 41, has been named a 2023 Afterschool Ambassador by the Afterschool Alliance. Karma co-founded the Lincoln County Youth Center in Richfield and serves as chairman of the Lincoln County Youth Commission. Karma will join 15 other Afterschool Ambassadors from around the US. One of the major events the Ambassador group will coordinate is a rally called Lights on Afterschool event for Thursday, October 26, 2023.