(Note: The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health is celebrating 25 years of giving back to Idaho and addressing the root causes that impact health. We are featuring articles written by team members and others throughout the year.)

I had the joy of traveling last fall with my mom and my daughter to the University of Idaho — my alma mater, my mom’s as well, and possibly my daughter’s future college home. Three generations walking the same campus felt like a full‑circle moment.

On the way to Moscow, we spent a night in Donnelly with my cousin, who recently built a home on the very ranch where my great‑grandparents first homesteaded in the early 1900s. Before sunrise, I slipped outside, camera in hand, into a crisp 20-degree morning wrapped in stillness and soft color. I’ve visited “the Ranch” my entire life, but never overnight, and as I stood there watching the dawn rise over Jug Mountain, I felt a deep awareness: I was seeing the world exactly as three generations before me had greeted it. It was an incredible reminder of where we come from — and how those roots quietly shape us all.

Idaho is a unique place — live here long enough, and the whole state starts to feel like one big, small town. You can hardly board a plane, attend a concert, or grab a cup of coffee without bumping into someone you know. That’s one of my favorite parts of calling Idaho home: the web of connections I’ve built over the years, stretching from my childhood in Caldwell to my college years at the University of Idaho, to my early career in state government and political campaigns, and later through work in everything from nonprofit fundraising to marketing Idaho wine.

Have you ever played that game where you toss a ball of string around a circle to show how everyone is linked? That’s Idaho. A crisscross of people, stories, and shared history — woven together in the most unexpected and wonderful ways.

I’m an Idaho native who is proud to work at the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health. I’m even more proud of the work we do statewide to address the root causes that impact health. Our work extends to all 44 of Idaho’s counties — from Boundary to Ada, Owyhee to Teton, and everywhere in between.

Here are three impactful programs I’ve seen:

Steps for Schools

I lead our Steps for Schools program, which is the walking challenge we host every February for legislators and constitutional officers. More than half of the legislature participated this year.

Each elected official chooses a public school or school district to receive funds if the official’s step goal is reached. Our goal is not only to support schools in providing funds for health-related programming or equipment that promotes physical activity, but to showcase our state’s elected officials as role models for healthy choices. This program has provided close to $400,000 to Idaho schools since 2015.

Community Schools

I toured several Community School sites in Canyon County with our partner organization, The Idaho Coalition for Community Schools. The stop that left the deepest impression on me was the Notus School District. My dad attended school in Notus, and I spent plenty of time there growing up — cheering on friends in their gym, watching games on the football field, even going to the Notus prom one year when their senior class of 20 didn’t have enough girls. Notus schools are a stone’s throw from each other, which makes them a hub of this tight-knit community.

The Community School funding they’ve received — support made possible in part through the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health — has transformed the district. They operate a food and clothing pantry open to all families, ensuring students’ basic needs are met with dignity. Students created a formal and business wear closet for kids who may not have access to clothing for dances or job interviews. Their after‑school program brings together elementary students and high school mentors, offering homework help, art, sports, and a safe, supportive place to spend the hours between the final bell and when parents return from work.

Healthcare Workforce

The Foundation serves as the convener of the Idaho Healthcare Workforce Shortage Collaborative — a leadership group that brings together healthcare employers, post‑secondary institutions, professional associations, and state agencies to confront one of Idaho’s most pressing challenges. The Collaborative was formed to develop a comprehensive, actionable strategy to strengthen Idaho’s healthcare workforce. I’ve had the privilege of sitting at that table, watching leaders collaborate with purpose and urgency to shape a healthier future for our state.

Over our 25-year history, the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health has believed in working upstream to address the root causes of the health challenges facing Idahoans. Through our engagement with the Healthcare Workforce Shortage Collaborative, a clear need emerged: expanded support for healthcare Career Technical Education programs in high schools. Giving Idaho students meaningful pathways into healthcare careers doesn’t just help fill critical workforce gaps — it opens doors to economic mobility, strengthens rural communities, and ensures that families across Idaho can access the care they need close to home.

We have supported the launch or expansion of health professions CTE programs in 27 schools and districts. By investing in these programs today, we are planting seeds for a future Idaho where every community has the skilled, compassionate healthcare professionals it needs — an Idaho where opportunity is accessible, care is local, and our workforce reflects the strength, resilience, and promise of the people who call this state home.