About Anita
I’m running because Idaho deserves leaders who work together, solve problems, and put people ahead of politics. Throughout my career, I’ve worked alongside students, educators, employers, and community leaders to build stronger futures by finding common ground and delivering practical results. I want to bring that same collaborative approach to the Idaho Legislature to preserve and expand the opportunities that make Idaho a great place to live, work, raise a family, and build a future.
BIOGRAPHY
I have spent my career as an educator and rural workforce leader, and now I am running to bring steady, practical leadership to Boise. My approach is based on working together and truly understanding rural communities and Idaho’s agricultural and tourism economies.
I taught English and adult education for 14 years, helping working adults and first-generation students gain the skills they needed for steady jobs. As a college dean for almost 15 years, I managed workforce training, handled budgets, supported faculty and staff, and brought in grant funding to create more career opportunities. My focus has always been on connecting education to real jobs by working with employers to ensure training matches what the workforce needs.
In the last year I have become involved as a co-president and board member in Idaho Community Connects Coalition (Idaho C3) a non-profit that seeks to meet community needs in South Central Idaho. These include providing an emergency food bank, classes for grandparents raising grandchildren, citizenship and suicide awareness and developing pet spaying and neutering services and summer programming for children.
I am also the Chair of the Jerome County Democrats, where I organize voter registration, coordinate grassroots outreach, and build partnerships throughout the Magic Valley. As Secretary of the Idaho Democratic Party Rural Caucus, I work with people from communities all over Idaho to support rural advocacy and local organizing.
District 26 includes many different communities, from farmers in Jerome and Lincoln counties to the tourism-focused economy in Blaine County. I believe this diversity calls for careful and balanced representation.
Our agricultural community feeds and powers our state. Tourism supports small businesses and working families throughout the region. State policy needs to recognize that both sectors are essential, and that decisions made in Boise impact everything from water and infrastructure to workforce housing and healthcare access.
I am committed to protecting Idaho’s public lands. These lands are part of our heritage and our economy. They support ranching, recreation, tourism, and small businesses. We need to keep access open and preserve these lands for future generations.