Founder and Executive Director
Turbo Mama
Twiga Foundation, Inc.
Patricia Kempthorne has dedicated her work life and her life’s work to building a family consciousness in her home, workplace and community. After graduating with a degree in business management from the University of Idaho and as a young mother she chose to build her career in the not-for-profit sector and community service work. In 1988 she founded the Family & Workplace Consortium with several other professional women and men looking for flexibility in the workplace, quality childcare and input in the leadership and decision making process in the workforce.
For eleven years the Family & Workplace Consortium hosted an annual Executive Breakfast focused on educating corporate decision makers on work-life issues and developed training opportunities for management and employees. At the same time she owned a consulting business called CompanyCare —“Helping companies where families matter” in Idaho.In 2000 Mrs. Kempthorne joined Business Psychology Associates, in Boise, as the Director of Work-Life Initiatives. At BPA, Mrs. Kempthorne worked as part of a team developing work-life solutions for employers. Subsequently, she partnered with her colleagues from BPA to form a non-profit organization, the Center for Emerging Futures, where she was Vice President of Relationship Development.
In 2005, The Twiga Foundation, Inc. was created as a non-profit corporation dedicated to inspiring, promoting and maintaining a family-consciousness at home, in the workplace and in the community. The Twiga Foundation is currently working in partnership with the Families and Work Institute of New York and the Institute for a Competitive Workforce, an affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce, to promote the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility in communities across the country. In addition the Twiga Foundation, Inc. is participating in Workplace Flexibility 2010 project with the Georgetown University Law Clinic to help create a dialogue of political consensus in the area of workplace flexibility and with the Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor to help expand the number of employers who adopt workplace flexibility programs and policies in Idaho. The Twiga Foundation, Inc. joined America’s Promise, The Alliance for Youth First Focus Initiative to make children and families a national policy priority and support the Alliance’s goal of changing the lives of 15 million underserved young people through the power of the Five Promises. See www.twigafoundation.org for more information.
As the first lady of Idaho from 1999 to 2006, Patricia Kempthorne volunteered her time to ensure that Idaho is the best place to raise a family. As part of the Governor’s Generation of the Child initiative, she served as the co-chair of the Governor’s Coordinating Council for Families and Children and worked tirelessly for the establishment of the Office for Families and Children in Idaho. Through her efforts, Mrs. Kempthorne brought greater awareness to erasing the stigma of mental illness, breaking the cycle of child abuse and domestic violence, preventing underage drinking, and increasing the rates of immunization and literacy among the youngest Idahoans.
A leading advocate for family and children’s issues, Mrs. Kempthorne continues to work with a number of programs with a special focus on the prevention of substance abuse in communities. She serves on Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free Foundation, a unique coalition of Governors’ spouses and emeritus spouses, federal agencies, and public and private organizations dedicated to prevent the use of alcohol by children ages 9 to 15. In 2003 President Bush appointed her to the Advisory Commission on Drug-Free Communities to which she was then elected as Co-Chair. Under Congressional mandate commission members advise and make recommendations to the Director of the Office on National Drug Control Policy for activities related to community coalitions and the Drug-Free Communities Program. Mrs. Kempthorne also serves as co-chair for Access to Recovery-Idaho, an alliance and federal grant initiative working to provide substance abuse prevention and treatment services to underserved and at-risk populations in Idaho. She was recognized in February 2006 by Idaho’s Tribal Nations for her work to ensure recovery choices are available to the Nez Perce, Shoshone Bannock, Shoshone-Paiute and Coeur D’Alene Tribes.
Mrs. Kempthorne also serves on the St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital Board of Directors, University of Idaho College of Business and Economics Advisory Board, St. Luke’s Women’s Advisory Board, and the Republican Women’s Federal Forum Advisory Council.
- First Lady Balances Life & Work by Patricia J. Kempthorne, Idaho Business IQ Jan/Feb 2004
Financial Manager
Money Mama
Connie Davis joined The Twiga Foundation in October of 2007 as the Financial Manager (Money Mama). Connie has an extensive background in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Connie previously worked with Patricia Kempthorne in Governor Kempthorne’s administration as the contract manager of Governor Kempthorne’s Generation of the Child Initiative. Many of the projects in the Governor’s Initiative focused on early childhood development and parent education for children zero to five years of age such as Parents as Teachers and Block Fest. Other programs included many other community based projects around Idaho.
Connie began her career working seventeen years in the accounting department of Albertson’s Corporate Offices. She left Albertson’s to work in public sector in appointment positions for Governor Andrus first in the Department of Administration and then as the Director of the Department of Employment.
Connie Davis is actively involved in her community serving on the United Way Impact and Allocation committees, YMCA building committee and Board of Directors of the Friends of the Alexander House Foundation. Connie and her husband have 7 grandchildren and enjoy spending time with them at the cabin and watching their baseball games. Connie enjoys gardening, reading, traveling and bicycle touring with her husband.
PAT EARLEY
Non-profit administration and information management and dissemination have been Pat Earley’s life work since the 1970’s. As a former Senior Information Specialist at the University of Washington and State Director of several non-profit organizations in Washington and Idaho, Pat brings to the Twiga Foundation a broad-based set of organizational skills including writing, systems management and research expertise. Beginning in 2008, Pat’s responsibilities have included developing and maintaining Twiga’s informational systems and materials, research and development of relative informational materials and Powerpoint presentations, and research and development of possible grant applications.
In addition to her working role at Twiga, Pat has been a volunteer in a number of community service projects and non-profit organizations, including her previous volunteer work with the Mayor and City Council of Crouch, Idaho in researching and recording the archival history of the City’s ordinances, Bi-Laws and community activities. Currently, Pat is a volunteer with the Miles of Smiles Van Program in Boise which through its relationship with Boise dentists, dental hygienists and the Boise School District, provides free dental services and education to uninsured children whose families can not afford dental care.
Pat’s family includes her sons Sean and Dustin, her daughter-in-law Anne, and her first grandchild, Chloe, who was born in Germany last May. Her hobbies include quilting, outsider art, and exploring the back roads of Idaho.
HEATHER MYKLEGARDBusiness and Wellness Correspondent
Wellness Sherpa
Heather first joined the Twiga Foundation in 2005. After working in the corporate setting Heather returned to the Twiga Foundation in 2008. Heather has a passion for fitness and wellness and enjoys developing programs that encourage individuals to lead healthier and more active lives. Heather, like the Twiga Foundation, believes that flexibility and wellness go hand-in-hand.
Heather first started her career in wellness as a personal trainer in San Diego. She received a certification as an Exercise Specialist from the United States Personal Training Academy in San Diego, CA, and later returned to Boise and received her BS in Health Promotion from Boise State University. After graduation, Heather worked at Blue Cross of Idaho for two years as their Wellness Coordinator, where she developed and implemented wellness programs for Blue Cross of Idaho employees and large member groups.
Heather enjoys working in the non-profit sector and hopes to bring wellness programs to non-profits and small businesses in Idaho and throughout the country. Heather is also a certified instructor for Stroller Strides™. Stroller Strides™ is a total body workout for moms with their strollers. Heather will receive her Masters in Business Administration from Northwest Nazarene College this fall.
Heather and her husband, Drew, currently live in Monterey, CA. They have a young son who is very happy that his mom can work virtually from home. Heather enjoys spending time with her family, camping, reading, running and traveling.
PERRI ANNE SANDERSAdministration
Oompa Loompa
Perri Anne joined the Twiga team in January of 2009, bringing to the table 30 years of executive secretarial and office management experience, and continuing her almost flawless tradition of working with the most fantastic people. Perri Anne has enjoyed an assorted bouquet of employment fields … aerospace technology, airlines, movie studios, ski resorts, real estate, software development, funeral services … is enjoying delving into the many different facets of the Twiga Foundation, and is very grateful for the flexible work opportunities here!
Raised an Air Force brat, Perri Anne has enjoyed the gypsy life of moving every few years, and continued that habit into her adulthood. She’s been enjoying Boise life since ‘99 (albeit living in 7 different residences since that time). (You can take the brat out of the Air Force…)
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