Idaho Firewise Board of Directors:

Audra Cochran, Chair
Audra Cochran is the University of Idaho Extension Educator in Clearwater County. She serves Clearwater County residents in their agricultural needs and also helps direct the county 4-H program. Audra grew up in Clearwater County in the cattle ranching and logging industries. A proud Vandal grad and alumna, Audra attended the University of Idaho for both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. She received her B.S. in Animal and Veterinary Science and went on to complete her M.S. in Natural Resources-Forestry. Her research area focused on Extension Forestry outreach and utilizing forest residuals on private forest lands. Finding her niche in outreach, she began her career with the University of Idaho in 2016 in student recruitment, and officially became a member of the Extension Forestry team in 2020. Audra’s teaching focuses on forest and land management for land owners, logger education, and youth education. Audra is the Board Chair for Idaho Firewise, and a member of the Society of American Foresters, and Association of Natural Resource Professionals. She also currently serves as the SAF Continuing Forestry Education Coordinator for the Inland Empire region. Outside of her role with the University of Idaho Extension, she owns and operates a commercial cattle ranch and logging business with her husband Casey, son Owen, and parents. She also volunteers with the Farm and Home 4-H Club in Clearwater County. In her spare time, she enjoys riding horses, baking, and traveling to new places and eating new food.

Michelle Youngquist, Vice Chair
Michelle Youngquist just retired from her role as the Education Program Manager for Project Learning Tree/Idaho Forest Products Commission, where she worked from 1994 to 2024. She earned an M.S. in Natural Resources from The University of Michigan, and a B.A. in Biology at Augustana College in South Dakota. She taught high school sciences in Nebraska, engaged students of all ages in field science at Keystone Science School in Colorado, and has worked as a naturalist at state and national parks. Youngquist has designed and led myriad professional development courses, including several on fire-related topics, for educators and others who work with youth. From her origins on the prairies of the Midwest to engagement in forests, the many roles played by fire have fascinated and intrigued Youngquist for decades. Her passion for educating people about this always-timely topic brought her to Idaho Firewise, where she has served on the Board of Directors for several years. In her spare time, you’ll find her hiking, birding, helping with post-fire restoration plantings, doing laundry for cat rescues, playing musical instruments, reading and relaxing with her husband and their cat, Annabelle.

Kip Kemak, Treasurer
Kip Kemak serves on the Idaho Firewise Board of Directors and has worked as the Fire Prevention and Mitigation Specialist for the Nez Perce Tribe since 2010. Kip’s passion for the world of fire started with working as a Firefighter/EMT with the city of Clarkston, Washington and as a Park Ranger for the state of Idaho, implementing prescribed burns. He has continued to gain passion and respect for the science involved in understanding wildfire behavior and helping educate communities on how they can mitigate against the threat. Kip’s a graduate of Washington State University, with a bachelor’s of science degree in Natural Resource Management. “Go Cougs!” Kip’s originally from New York, but quickly grew to love the Northwest after serving in the Navy on Whidbey Island, Washington. Kip enjoys spending time with the loves of his life, wife Kristin (who lived down the street from Kip in New York), son Keiran, and their cat Francis Louise. He also enjoys running, hiking, and just being outside.

Ed Button, Board Member
Ed Button, Fire Chief (retired) is a lifetime-member of the Idaho Fire Chiefs Association and retired as Fire Chief of both the Moscow Fire Department and the Moscow Rural Fire District after a 25-year fire-service career. As fire chief his responsibilities included public safety/fire prevention and suppression responsibilities for the City of Moscow & the University of Idaho campus, as well as 128 sq. miles of wildland urban-interface, forest, and agriculture lands. Chief Button is a graduate of the University of Idaho (B.S. degrees & M.Ed.-Industrial Technology Education) and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s “Executive Fire Officer Program”, a four-year chief fire-officer leadership development program. His training and education includes extensive participation in a broad variety of wildland-urban interface planning/preparedness, evaluation, and fire-suppression operations. He has also been trained in the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Firewise program for “Assessing Wildfire Hazards in the Home Ignition Zone.” Ed spent three years with FEMA as a Disaster Survivor Assistance Specialist with deployments to North Carolina and Texas for Hurricane recovery activities and has seen first-hand the devastation that weather and wildland fires can inflict on communities and families. His passion for public service includes other activities such as the State of Idaho’s Office of Emergency Management: Type 3 All-Hazards Incident Mgmt. & Support Team as Incident Command Safety Officer & Liaison Officer. Chief Button also volunteers with the Palouse-Clearwater Search and Rescue, and serves on the Board of Family Promise of the Palouse.

Madeline Goebel, Board Member (bio coming soon)

Charles Graham, Board Member (bio coming soon)

Haven Davis-Martinez, Board Member (bio coming soon)

Technical Advisors: 

Kelsey Brizendine, Bureau of Land Management (bio coming soon)

Dan Schults, Assistant Professor Horticulture, College of Western Idaho: In his technical advisor role, Dan has assisted in creating the Idaho Firewise Landscape Certification Program. He has consulted with Idaho Firewise collaborators on plant choices for the Idaho Firewise demonstration gardens across Idaho. His passion for wildfire education and mitigation stems from his desire to create beautiful and sustainable landscapes throughout Idaho. Dan believes that proper plant selection, landscape design and property maintenance can enhance the functionality and aesthetics of individual properties and Idaho communities at large. This passion led him to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in the biological sciences and a Master’s Degree in landscape architecture. He has continued to pursue his passion by teaching in the Horticulture Program at the College of Western Idaho. Outside the world of wildfire, Dan enjoys camping with his family, gardening, and staying active in his community.

Isabella Pritchard, Idaho Department of Lands (bio coming soon)

Currently recruiting Board Members and Committee Volunteers for non-profit support; please contact Ivy Dickinson (ivy@idahofirewise.org) for more information.