Democratic Senators

Diane Bilyeu– District 29

Diane was born in Pocatello, Idaho and graduated from Pocatello High School. She graduated from Idaho State University in 1968 with a B.A. in Speech and Theatre. She is a member of the ISU Women’s Club and is a retired assessor. She has three children Brigette, Clark and Valencia.

Committees: Joint Finance and Appropriations; Local Government & Taxation; Transportation

 

 

 

 

 

Les Bock – District 16

Les has just finished up his first term and is the Assistant Minority Leader in the Idaho Senate. He is a member of the Senate Judiciary and Rules, Health and Welfare, and Agricultural Affairs committees. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Davis and  his J.D. from Univeristy of California, Hastings College of Law in San Francisco.  He served on the Idaho Commission for Children and Youth and as executive director for the Idaho Human Rights Education Center. He has received awards from the Idaho State Bar for outstanding service and pro bono legal work. He has two sons.

Committees: Judiciary & Rules; Health & Welfare; Agricultural Affairs

 

 

 

Nicole LeFavour– District 19

Nicole was born in Colorado, but raised in rural Custer County and is a long-time resident of Boise’s District 19. She graduated with a degree in cognitive science from the University of California, Berkeley. She taught in San Francisco before enrolling in a master’s program at the University of Montana in Missoula. In 2001, she was named as a “Woman Making History” by the Boise State University Women’s Center. Before serving in the Idaho Senate, Nicole was an active and visible member in the House and served on many powerful committees. Nicole lives with her partner, Carol Growhoski, her dog, Kaza, and her cat, Olive, in a 110-year-old home in Boise’s North End.

Committees: Joint Finance and Appropriations; Commerce; Health & Welfare

 

 

 

Edgar J. Malepeai– District 30

Edgar was born in American Samoa and graduated high school in South San Francisco, California. He moved to Pocatello, Idaho in the 1970s to attend Idaho State University, where he played football and rugby. After graduation, Edgar worked as a government teacher at Highland High School. Edgar previously served on the Pocatello City Council and as chair of the Bannock County Democratic Party. He was first elected to the Idaho Senate in 2002 and is currently the Senate Minority Leader.

Committees: Education; State Affairs

 

 

 

 

Dan J. Schmidt– District 6

Dan was born in Salem, Oregon. He graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Human Biology with an emphasis in Anthropology. He attended medical school at the University of Washington School of Medicine and in 1986 he received his MD along with the Ted Phillips Award as the top graduate in family medicine. He was the Latah County coroner for 15 years and a hospital board member for six. Dan has finished out his first legislative term in the Idaho Senate. He has a loving family in his wife, Martha, and four daughters.

Committees: Agricultural Affairs; Commerce & Human Resources; Health & Welfare

 

 

 

 

Michelle Stennett– District 25

Michelle was born in Sacramento, California but spent her childhood in a dairy farming community in Wisconsin. She has been an Idaho resident for 25 years and this is where she met and married Clint Stennett, who was raised in southern Idaho. She received a degree from the University of Oregon in International Studies and Latin Languages with a minor in Business. She has worked in advertising sales for the family’s television company and in flight operations with Horizon Air. She enjoys fly-fishing, hunting, hiking, skiing and horseback riding.

Committees: Commerce & Human Resources; Resources & Environment; State Affairs

 

 

 

 

Elliot Werk– District 17

Senator Elliot Werk was born in Montreal, Canada, immigrated to the United States when he was seven and became a citizen in 1979. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in geology began his career working as an environmental consultant restoring contaminated properties for companies like General Dynamics and Shell Oil Company.

He married his wife Nancy in 1990 and they moved to Idaho later in the decade. Elliot is involved in the community and has been both President and a member for the Borah Neighborhood Association. He has a daughter who is currently in college. Senator Werk is in his fifth term and has focused on legislation associated with job creation, energy and energy efficiency, consumer protection, bicycle and road safety, tax modernization, mental health and substance abuse, and ethics and transparency in government.

 

Committees: Local Government & Taxation; Resources & Environment; Transportation, co-chairman of the Joint Legislative Oversight committee

Democratic Representatives

Cherie Buckner-Webb– District 19A

Cherie is a fifth-generation Idahoan and graduated from Boise High School. She graduated from George Fox University with a B.A. in Management and Organizational Leadership. She earned a Master of Social Work degree from Northwest Nazarene. She is a board member of community organizations including the Boise State University Foundation, Idaho Commission on the Arts and the Idaho Black History Museum. Cherie is the recipient of numerous awards including the 2010 Community Hero award, Boise State University’s Excellence in the Arts award, the Idaho Governor’s Awards in the Arts and the Jefferson Award for public service. Her family includes her husband Henry, two sons, and a granddaughter.

Committees: Local Government; State Affairs

 

 

 

Grant Burgoyne– District 16A

Grant was born in Ketchikan, Alaska and graduated from the University of Idaho. He received his J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law. Grant worked as an assistant to the Secretary of State, Pete Cenarrusa from 1976 to 1978. Grant has been the managing partner at Mauk & Burgoyne since 1997.  He and his wife Christy have been married for 33 years, have two children and three grandchildren.

Grant is serving his second term representing District 16. Grant has been a strong advocate for more ethical government, the environment, creating good paying jobs, better public transportation, and improved roads.  He has passed legislation to protect the Public Employee Retirement System, and to protect our citizens against unfounded action against them by government agencies.

Committees: Judiciary, Rules & Administration; Revenue & Taxation

 

 

Susan “Sue” Chew– District 17B

Sue was born in Oakland, California and graduated with a B.S. in Biology and Natural Resources from the University of California at Berkley. She also attended the University of California at San Francisco Department of Pharmacy and is an Adjunct Biology Professor at Boise State University. She is a member of the Advisory Board at the Boise State Women’s Center; President of the Idaho State National Organization for Women; Board member of the Idaho Women’s Network and a member of the United Vision for Idaho and Women in Government.

 

Committees: Education; Health & Welfare

 

 

 

Brian Cronin– District 19B

Brian was born in New York City and moved to Idaho when he was 14 years old. After graduating high school as valedictorian, he attended Haverford College, where he graduated with honors with a B.A. in History. In 1993, he set off for a yearlong gig in Ecuador as a WorldTeach volunteer. After returning to the United States, Brian attended Harvard University where he obtained a Masters in Education in teaching and curriculum, while student teaching at an inner city high school in Boston. In between teaching stints, Brian worked as an educational writers and editor at Scholastic, Inc. in New York City. Upon returning to Idaho, Brian served as Chairman of the Ada County Democrats, during which Ada County vastly increased the number of locally elected Democratic Officials. Brian lives with his wife, Veronica, and currently volunteers once a week at Roosevelt Elementary School, where his two daughters attend.

Committees: Business; Education; Environment, Energy & Technology; Ways & Means

 

 

Elfreda Higgins– District 16B

Elfreda lives with her husband, Paul, in Garden City, Idaho. She has a B.A. in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. She is President of the Garden City Council; Chairman of the Library Foundation Board and the Commissioner of the Garden City Planning and Zoning Commission. She volunteers at numerous different places including the Garden City Police Department. Elfreda is also a member of the Pioneer Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She has three children and four grandchildren.

Committees: Local Government; Resources & Conservation; State Affairs; Ways & Means

 

 

 

 

Wendy Jaquet– District 25A

Wendy was born in Seattle, Washington and graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Washington in 1965. She also graduated with an M.A. in Public Administration from the same university. Prior to serving in the Idaho Legislature, Wendy was the Executive Director of the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber of Commerce and the Coordinator of the Ketchum Wagon Days. She is a member of KBSU Public Radio and a member, Board of Directors of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. She lives with her husband, Jim, and has two married sons, Michael and Brian.

Committees: Joint Finance and Appropriations; Judiciary, Rules & Administration; Energy, Environment & Technology

 

 

 

 

William M. “Bill” Killen– District 17A

Bill grew up in Washington and Oregon and was one of seven children. After high school, he attended Stanford University on an ROTC scholarship and graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering. After graduation, Bill served four years in the United States Navy. After his tour, he worked for Hewlett Packard while receiving his master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Administration. Bill left HP to attend law school at the University of Idaho. After receiving his J.D. he set up a law practice in McCall, Idaho and retired in 2004. During that period he served as a city councilman and Mayor of McCall He has four children.

Committees: Judiciary, Rules & Administration; Revenue & Taxation; Transportation & Defense

 

 

 

Phylis K. King– District 18B

Phylis has a B.S. in Microbiology from Colorado State University and worked in hospital labs for over 30 years as a Registered Medical Technologist. She was an Assistant Supervisor in the Chemistry department at General Rose Memorial Hospital in Denver, Colorado. She moved to Idaho in 1977 from Colorado and worked at St. Alphonsus Medical Center for 11 years. Phylis attended the Art Center College of Design from 6 semesters and returned to Boise to start her commercial photography business—King Photography Studios. She has served as the President of Soroptimist International of Boise, which is an international organization that works to better the lvies of women and girls in our communities and throughout the world. Phylis served on the Rocky Mountain Region Board as a District Director for Soroptimist International of the Americas.

Committees: Commerce & Human Resources; State Affairs; Transportation & Defense

 

 

Roy Lacey– District 30A

Roy has lived almost his entire life in Idaho. He attended Idaho State University. He was the owner of Roy’s Western Wear in Pocatello, Idaho and the Senior Manager of Perishable Operations of the Union Pacific Railroad. Presently, Roy is also the Vice President of Operations of the Idaho Food Bank. He lives happily with his wife, Renee, and has four children and thirteen grandchildren.

Committees: Agricultural Affairs; Resources & Conservation

 

 

 

 

 

Donna Pence– District 25B

Donna is a 61 year resident of Idaho. She was raised in Richfield and attended the University of Idaho. As a graduate student, she taught classes at Idaho State University where she received her M.A. in Education in 1966. After helping with the family farm, Donna returned to the classroom at Gooding Middle School and taught and coached there for sixteen years. Donna, her husband, Lewis, and their three kids enjoy spending time in the natural resources found throughout Idaho. They love to hike, hunt, ski, bike and horseback ride.

Committees: Agricultural Affairs; Education; Resources & Conservation

 

 

 

 

Shirley G. Ringo– District 6B

Shirley was born in Fort Collins, Colorado. She lived in Spokane, Washington with her family and later attended B.A. and M.A.T. in Mathematics from Washington State University. Shirley received her teaching endorsement as well and later taught mathematics at varied levels of education for thirty-six years. She has held numerous leadership positions in the Moscow Education Association and Idaho Education Association and also chaired the Latah County Democrats for a number of years. Shirley has three children and lives with her husband John in Moscow.

Committees: Appropriations; Commerce & Human Resources; Transportation & Defense

 

 

 

 

John Rusche– District 7B

John was born in Wisconsin and attended Notre Dame for college and Washington University in St. Louis for his M.D. He met and married his wife, Kay, during school and they started up a practice at Valley Medical Center in Lewiston, Idaho in 1980. After working as a Medical Director at the BlueShield of Idaho, he retired as the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Regence BlueShield of Idaho and Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah. John has served as the Chief of Staff at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center and Secretary-Treasurer of the Idaho Pediatrics Society. In 1991, he was awarded the Pediatric Society “Shaker and Mover” award for child advocacy and governmental activities. John and Kay have a daughter, Caitlin.

Committees: Business; Health & Welfare; Revenue & Taxation; Ways & Means

 

 

 

Elaine Smith– District 30B

Elaine is a native Idahoan. She graduated Idaho State University with a B.A. in Education and History. She is employed as a Volunteer Services Coordinator for Pocatello-Chubbuck School District. Shirley received the Friend of Education Award in 2004 from the Idaho Education Association and was the Pocatello Chief of the Greater Pocatello Chamber of Commerce in 2008. She is an active member of the NAACP, the Silver Sage Girl Scout Council Nominating Committee and serves as State First Vice President of the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society. She lives with her husband Rick and has three children.

Committees: Business; Environment, Energy & Technology; State Affairs