“I find great reward and satisfaction in doing equity, inclusion and cross-cultural understanding work. I've met some amazing people to work with.”

Ed is one of the family members who, along with Boise’s First Presbyterian Church, created Kessler Keener (Lectures) Foundation in 1997. He spent his working life first as an elementary school teacher then as a Presbyterian pastor. He retired in 2000 to return to Boise and carry on the justice and human rights legacy of his grandfather, Harry Kessler, and his mother, Margaret Keener.

Ed was one of the founders of the Interfaith Sanctuary Homeless Services in 2005. As Board President Ed, the Board, staff, and volunteers worked collaboratively with people of good will to shelter and serve individuals experiencing homelessness. Ed was arrested twice in the spring of 2014 blocking the state Capitol building hallways during the Idaho legislative session to try to force the legislature to add the words "sexual orientation and gender identity" to the Idaho Human Rights Act. That tough work continues.

Today Kessler Keener Foundation’s programs takes Ed to Idaho’s reservations and towns. "I've more excited than ever to help create the Native Voices of Idaho videos for public use. Our board of Indigenous and non-Indigenous persons has great energy and passion to share truth of Native peoples in Idaho."

Ed is an outdoor enthusiast, mule packing, camping, hunting, and fishing with his spare time. Ed has spent the last 54 years with his childhood sweetheart and wife, Martha. They reserve Mondays together as their day off together. Ed maintains an organic vegetable and flower garden on their three acres that also contains a labyrinth and walking paths open to the public for retreat and enjoyment. These acres will become the Boise Valley Indigenous Interpretive Park.

Antoinette Harney Cavanaugh is a Native Nevadan, born in Owyhee, Nevada and is a member of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. She spent most of her youth growing up in Owyhee, NV. She graduated from Boise State University in 1983, BA, and from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1989 receiving her MA in Educational Administration and Higher Education. She continued with additional graduate studies where she earned the Outstanding Graduate Student Award, presented by the Board of Regents of the University and Community College Systems of Nevada in 1995-96.

Antoinette began her career as an educator in 1983 where she taught English, literature and math at Owyhee Combined School and later became a vice principal. In 1993 she helped to establish the Spring Creek Junior High/High School as a vice-principal. As a new principal in 1997, Mrs. Cavanaugh was selected to plan, design and open the first middle school in Elko County School District at the Spring Creek Middle School. In 2002, Antoinette became the Director of Federal and Special Programs for Elko County School District, and in 2003, she was selected as the Superintendent of Schools for Elko County. She remained the superintendent until 2010 when she retired.

According to the Nevada Indian Commission, Antoinette was the first Native American in the history of Nevada to become a public school district superintendent. She has many educational awards reflecting service to public education at the state and national level.

In 2020, Antoinette, served as the Interim CEO for the Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. She currently serves on the Kessler Keener Foundation Board, the Nevada State Humanities Board and the Wassmuth Center’s Board for Human Rights.

“From a young age, family members influenced my enthusiasm and understanding toward human rights and equality through their examples and actions”

Serving on the Kessler Keener Foundation board since 2012, Bob is the grandson of Harry S. Kessler and nephew of Margaret Keener and cousin of Ed Keener. His mother, Katherine (Kessler) Armstrong, co-founded Kessler-Keener Foundation with Ed Keener in 1997.

Bob spent his career working in the field of music education teaching in British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Bob was awarded the 1985 Alaskan Music Educator of the Year by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, 1995 Educator of the Year, and the Treasure Valley Community College’s 2007 Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s Teacher of the Year. He retired from Treasure Valley Community College as the Director of Instrumental Music. Bob served as the musical director of several community organizations over the years including the Anchorage Community Band, the Lewis- Clark Community Band, and the Treasure Valley Community Band, the Treasure Valley Symphony, the Boise Community Band and currently the director of the Caldwell Centennial Band.

Bob met his wife Dana 49 years ago in the college choir. As an Alaskan bush pilot at the time, one of his first activities with her was to fly her in his ski plane to an Alaskan ski resort. . Bob is an active cyclist and currently plays the Euphonium with a local band.

Claire is a member of the Shoshone Paiute Tribes.

She was greatly influenced and inspired by her parents and role models . Her father Arthur Manning was one of the most respected Shoshone-Paiute tribal leaders. Her mother Leah K. Manning a dedicated social worker was instrumental in the development of the Indian Child Welfare Act. It promoted a better understanding of the importance of culture and placing children in the homes of their native families.

Claire earned a teaching degree from Arizona State University and an MA in Counseling at the College of Idaho. She retired after 34 years from the Elko County School District. She was persistent in organizing and developing the Great Basin Native Language Endorsement for the Native Language teachers.

Claire and her husband Richard raised their family on a small ranch. Richard passed on and she currently takes care of her 98-year-old Mother-In-Law.

She has been serving on the Kessler Keener Foundation Board for four years, currently serves on the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Owyhee Community Health Facility Board, is the National Vice President of the Gold Star Wives of America Inc. (military service organization who assist widow/widowers and their children of veterans), and is active with many local events on the reservation.

Linda is a native Idahoan who grew up in Moscow, Idaho.

She earned her undergraduate degree in Management and Master’s in Management and Organizational Leadership from George Fox University.

Linda retired from a 32-year career at HP in 2021 where she worked for over 25 years in the Human Resources Organization. Linda worked in multiple capacities including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and as an HR Business Partner supporting Executives in various Organizations.

She is a Docent with the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights, volunteers at her grandchildren’s school, serves on the Leadership Council of St. Michael’s Episcopal Cathedral and volunteers for Casting for Recovery, a retreat for Breast Cancer Survivors.

Linda and her wife Heather live in Boise and enjoy spending time with Linda’s daughter and their 2 grandchildren, traveling, going to movies, and enjoying the outdoors.

Nicolette Clark (she/they) is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. They’re a JD candidate at the University of Idaho College of Law and an adjunct professor of writing. Nicolette hopes in their work in academia and law that they can be a steward of language and a fierce advocate.

Along with the Kessler Keener Foundation Board, Nicolette also serves on Boise Philharmonic’s Board of Directors and Jesse Tree’s Advisory Board. Nicolette is passionate about serving their community and hopes to promote sustainable and positive change in their varied communities.

Nicolette is a skier, runner, major Cormac McCarthy fan, and a whiskey enthusiast.

“Hello my name is Phill Allen and I am an enrolled member of the Nez Perce tribe and currently reside in my hometown of Lapwai, Idaho. My educational background is my Bachelor's is History and public law and my masters is in history from the University of Idaho while my PhD work is in Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education at Washington State University. My cognate is Curriculum and Instruction with my research including how Covid has affected tribal students in their pursuance of higher education.

My teaching experience includes teaching and/or creating approximately 30 plus courses in history, political science, native studies, native history, student development, and education. The institutions I have taught at are North Idaho College five years, Lewis-Clark State College four years, Northwest Indian College eleven years, University of Idaho six years and Washington State University for three years. Some of my current projects include Native Voices for Kessler Keener foundation and Nez Perce Tourism work for Stacia Morfin here in my home area.”

Trina Finley Ponce is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. She is also a diversity, equity, and inclusion professional who is passionate about building bridges between people with different narratives. She is committed to fostering an environment of inclusion in the workplace and in the community so people from all backgrounds have a sense of belonging and the ability to thrive.

Trina has an undergraduate degree from Stanford University and MBA from the University of Montana. She comes from a proud family of military service and served 16 years in the U.S. Army Reserve. Trina also serves on the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights Board of Directors and Salish Kootenai College Foundation Board of Directors.

Trina is a proud mom of two competitive soccer players, and she and her husband love spending their weekends at games cheering from the sidelines.

Valerie Miller is a member of the Stockbridge Munsee Band of Mohican Indians. She received her BA in English and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Valerie continued her education at Boise State where she acquired her teaching credentials as an English teacher 6-12th grade and as a Special Education teacher K-12th grade. Valerie is married to Dana Miller, a member of the Menominee tribe of Indians in Wisconsin. They have one son, daughter in law, daughter and a granddaughter. Valerie is currently on a leave of absence after working in Idaho education for the past 17 years. Valerie is splitting her time between Idaho and Wisconsin where she lives part-time with her aging parents. Valerie loves hiking with her dog, quilting, reading and watching football.

Barbelyn, or ‘Barbe’, Tom is a proud member of the federally recognized tribe of the Te-moak Western Shoshone Tribe of Nevada. She was raised with her siblings by her parents Davis Gonzales, Melanie Phillips, and Greg Phillips. Fun fact about her parents is that they all served on multiple tribal leader roles both on and off their respective reservations. Barbe followed their leadership path all the way into her undergrad career where she led in different spaces. She was one of the lead organizers of the Seven Arrows Powwow that happens every April on Boise State Campus; President, along with other executive roles, for Latina sorority Alpha Pi Sigma Incorporated; and an advocate for Indigenous voices on campus. Barbe graduated Boise State University in 2022 with her Bachelors in Business Administration, minor in Nonprofit Management, and certificate in leadership and human resources. She now works at Boise Cascade as a DEI Specialist while continuing to be involved with the Indigenous community.