EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & FOUNDER

Erica Marshall is the Executive Director and founder of Idaho Justice Project. She is an attorney that has worked to change the criminal justice system for the past ten years and is passionate about creating state systems that help, rather than hinder, individuals and families. Prior to moving to Idaho, Erica ran a statewide campaign in Delaware that helped pass 11 criminal justice bills in one legislative session, led a community action group in the District of Columbia that successfully restored funding to a juvenile diversion program, represented indigent clients as a Legal Fellow at the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of Virginia, and worked as a public interest lawyer at Cause of Action Institute in Washington, D.C. to advocate for changes to criminal justice precedent before the US Supreme Court and federal appellate courts. Erica has a law degree from the George Mason Antonin Scalia Law School and a dual degree in Economics and Political Science from the Pennsylvania State University.

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Megan Colledge completed her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice at Boise State University and holds a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has worked with multiple non-profits and volunteer organizations. During her time with the Service League of Green Bay in Wisconsin she served three years on the board, one year as President. She has also served as a Gaudian Ad Litem with Family Advocates in Idaho, representing children involved in the court system due to parental system involvement. She has authored articles bringing awareness to volunteer activities and life experiences. Megan currently serves as the Director of Community Engagement for the Idaho Justice Project. In that role, she researches criminal justice issues in Idaho, organizes community members to empower them to be involved in change, and works with individuals and organizations to determine, and work toward, solutions to criminal justice issues facing Idaho.

MANAGER OF PHILANTHROPY

Beth Bishop currently works as the Manager of Philanthropy for Idaho Justice Project. In this role, she aims to secure funding for the important projects IJP takes on. Beth uses her lived experience with the criminal justice system to drive her passion in finding funding to make lasting changes. Beth serves as the VP of Softball for Kuna Youth Softball and Baseball and coaches her daughter’s softball teams. When Beth isn’t working or coaching, you can find her spending time with her husband and family.

Mike is a criminal defense attorney. She has experience as both a public defender and as a private attorney. She is licensed in Idaho and California and has appeared before the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Supreme Court of Idaho. She serves as a member of the board of directors of the Idaho Justice Project.

Mike has a degree in English from Boise State University. After graduating summa cum laude from the University of Idaho College of Law, where she was Co-President of the German Law Journal and a James E. Rogers Scholar, Mike served as a law clerk to the Honorable Justice Joel D. Horton at the Supreme Court of Idaho. Mike also clerked for the federal public defender of Idaho and Eastern Washington.

Mike earned her master’s in Irish Studies as a US-Ireland Alliance Scholar in Belfast, Northern Ireland. For several years, Mike managed business language education at the Caledonian School in Prague, where she also volunteered at La Strada Czech Republic, an organization to abolish trafficking in human beings. Before returning to Boise, Mike proudly worked at two locations in San Francisco, both on Golden Gate Avenue— the Judicial Council of California and UNITE HERE! hotel workers’ union.

When she is not practicing law, Mike can be seen walking the Boise foothills with her dogs.

Government Affairs Director
City of Boise

Kathy joined the City of Boise in 2020 and currently serves as the Government Affairs Director, where she represents the City at the state legislature and in Congress. In her role, Kathy works to advocate for the needs of Boise residents and the city’s programs, including access to affordable housing, support for the city’s climate and clean energy goals, transportation access, and responsible property tax reform.

Prior to her position at the City, Kathy worked at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Idaho where she served as the Policy Director and chief lobbyist for the organization. As the lead policy staff for the organization, she advocated for the ACLU’s legislative priorities at the statehouse, including smart criminal justice reform, equal rights for all LGBTQ Idahoans, and housing access. In addition to her lobbying work, Kathy also led successful campaigns to defeat anti-immigrant policies at the local level and educate voters through a statewide civic engagement “Let People Vote” initiative. Before her policy role, she oversaw the ACLU's community outreach and volunteer programs.

Kathy graduated from the University of Oregon in 2010 with degrees in Spanish and International Studies. She is the proud daughter and granddaughter of Mexican farmworkers and currently lives in Boise with her husband TJ and son Noah.

St. Vincent de Paul Southwest Idaho Reentry Services is passionate about building coalitions to support change for individuals released from incarceration and returning to communities in Idaho. I am Blessed to be a part of that effort.

In 2018, I spent the year working on a fellowship with Just Leadership USA. This non-profit (based in New York City) has been responsible for leading the discussion about lowering the population of incarcerated individuals. Their moto is “half by 2030” #halfby2030.

As Program Manager for Reentry Services many of life’s experiences have dominated my qualifications to direct these efforts. As a consumer of correctional services (ten years incarcerated since the age of 30), I tend to understand the population we serve. I am also a person in long term recovery and perhaps most importantly very open about my Christian Faith. These aspects increase our successful support for this important work.

I have been a member of the St Vincent de Paul Reentry Conference for over nine years. Recently this conference has changed its name to St Dismas Conference. It has led to the creation of an advocacy group, Systemic Change of Idaho. This is an exciting project which looks to change the way Idahoans view returning citizens and educate them on the issues those returning from incarceration face in their day to day lives. Under this banner we do a weekly radio talk show about incarceration where all who serve this community are guests and resources. The show airs weekly on KBXL 94.1 FM every Saturday at 12:30pm MST. We are also regular visitors on Salt and Light Radio where we discuss life after incarceration.

I have a Bachelors of Arts degree from Kansas University and studied on the graduate level in Social Work at Northwest Nazarene University.

Paul has been practicing law in Idaho since 1995. He focuses his law practice on appeals and criminal defense. Paul graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1995, cum laude. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration, cum laude, from San Jose State University in 1991. In addition to being on the Board of Idaho Justice Project, Paul is a proud Lifetime member of the Idaho Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and has been serving on the IACDL Board of Directors since 2020. He is also the Chair of IACDL's Legislative Committee and leads the organization's fight for criminal justice reform for Idaho.

Lana Graybeal is a Sr. Community Outreach Manager with the Office of Community Engagement for the City of Boise. She directs and coordinates the overall public engagement strategy for traditionally underrepresented groups, including refugees, immigrants and non-native English speakers, LGBTQ+ residents, people with disabilities, lower income residents and people experiencing homelessness, and Black and Indigenous people of color (BIPOC). She also oversees the city’s community experience, accessibility, language access and neighborhood outreach programs.

Lana has a degree in Communications, and Law, Societies, and Justice from the University of Washington and over a decade of experience in the fields of public relations and communications.

Lana lives in the Collister neighborhood with her husband and two children. She loves the outdoors, running, and exploring the foothills.

Sarah Mawhirter has been teaching in higher education for 20 years, the last 12 of which within the Sociology Department at Boise State University. As a Lecturer at BSU, she teaches a variety of courses that focus on systemic inequality and institutional and structural barriers to equity in society. These courses have included classes inside prisons in Idaho and Oregon using a pedagogical model that allows for students from the outside to join with students from the inside in an “educational exchange” for a semester. Sarah has a Master of Arts in History from Boise State University, Boise, Idaho and a Master of Studies in Women’s Studies from Oxford University, Oxford, England. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Sociology with a minor in Gender Studies as a Top Ten Scholar at Boise State University in 2001. In addition to her commitment to increasing higher education to those currently experiencing incarceration, she is committed to working within educational structures to foster community between those currently incarcerated and the communities into which they will one day enter. Sarah has an amazing daughter and lives on a budding farm in Fruitland, Idaho. She enjoys working outside with plants, doing projects on the old farmhouse, and being with good friends, family and animals.

Kendal is a voting rights advocate for an organization that promotes active and informed participation in government. She coordinates outreach to traditionally disenfranchised groups, including people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, non-native English speakers, young people, and formerly incarcerated people. Helping people to register and vote, who are currently incarcerated for non- felony offenses, is a priority project for Kendal.

Kendal and her husband started a non-profit for funding respite care for non-paid family caregivers. Their organization is currently funding events providing respite for caregivers of neurodiverse children and young adults.

Before returning to her home state, Kendal lived and worked overseas for 15 years with her husband and two children. Over that time, she worked with refugees, taught IB history, worked for local government, and earned a graduate degree in history.