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Bill Sedivy
Executive Director
 Bill joined the Idaho Rivers United staff in May 1999. Bill has been canoeing and rafting rivers throughout North America since 1978. A river activist since the early 90s, Bill first got involved with Idaho Rivers United working as a volunteer on the Bear River relicensing. He also has worked as a volunteer Regional Coordinator for American Whitewater, has served on American Whitewater's board of directors.
Formerly a journalist, Bill was the top editor at award-winning newspapers in Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia, and taught journalism for two years at Utah State University.
In 1995 he published a book on river-running called River's End: A collection of bedtime stories for paddlers. Bill and his wife, Maryl, who live in Boise, enjoy bird watching, camping and skiing when they're not paddling Idaho's fabulous rivers.
Kevin Lewis
Conservation Director
 Kevin came on board at IRU in November 2004. He has a strong background in environmental policy, non-profit management and team building, and expertise in the complex work of relicensing hydropower dams and collaborative watershed management. He also brings with him a passion for free-flowing rivers, and an on-the-ground knowledge of many Idaho rivers gained over years of paddling.
Jessica Hixson
Development Director
 Jessica Hixson joined the Idaho Rivers United team in the summer of 2002 and has implemented innovative approaches to encouraging river lovers to get fired up about the work we do on behalf of Idaho's rivers.
An Idaho native, Jessica loves to help people feel empowered to take action about issues they care about. Prior to joining the IRU staff, Jessica worked at the Snake River Alliance doing outreach across the state.
If you have any questions about membership, events or donating to IRU please contact Jessica.
Amanda Peacher
Salmon Program Coordinator
 Amanda Peacher developed a passion for environmental issues while working on her BA at Albertson College of Idaho, where she studied Environmental studies and English. She was welcomed to the Idaho Rivers United staff in November of 2005. She has worked for the Forest Service in Stanley, Idaho as an environmental educator and a backcountry ranger. An avid writer, Amanda has also dabbled in freelance journalism and still occasionally writes for the Boise Weekly.
Amanda is passionate about the remarkable qualities of Idaho that provide her the opportunity to do what she loves: backpack, hike, boat and explore.
Brigid Leake
Administrative/fundraising assistant
Brigid brings a broad range of world experiences to the IRU staff. She has a communications degree from Portland State University and has traveled to over 20 countries in Europe, Asia and North America. After traveling the world, Brigid decided that she had to come back to her home and her favorite place Idaho.
An avid cyclist, skier, river runner and outdoor enthusiast, Brigid is very excited to be working for Idaho Rivers United to help to protect the places she loves.
Brigid has been working part time for both Gernika and IRU since May and started working full time at IRU in August.
Nikki Karpavich
Outreach & Membership Coordinator
 Nikki is the newest staff member at IRU. She comes to IRU after working for a nonprofit smart growth organization in Whitefish, MT, and a strong passion for environmental issues.
An Idaho native, she has returned after a number of years furthering her education and pursuing life in the great outdoors. Her passion for the environment began at an early age: annual family camping trips to Stolle Meadows, fishing CJ Strike, Horsetheif and the South Fork of the Boise River, and dirt biking the Owyhees. Her environmental passion continued at Eastern Washington University as a Geography and Interdisciplinary Studies major, and furthered while working in Glacier National Park at a rafting and backcounty guide company.
An active outdoor enthusiast, Nikki can be found perfecting the fine art of skiing, backpacking, mountain biking, enjoying the rivers, and exploring the many wonders Idaho has to offer.
Liz Paul
Campaign Coordinator
 Liz Paul got a start in environmental activism as a college student at the University of California. Since receiving her BA in Environmental Studies and moving to Idaho in 1979 she has worked professionally and as a volunteer on environmental, peace and justice issues.
Liz served as Executive Director of the Snake River Alliance from 1987-1990, where she coordinated successful campaigns to stop nuclear weapons production. She worked for Friends of the Payette during their historic 1991 fight to win state protection for the North Fork Payette prohibiting new dams. Liz worked at Idaho Rivers United from 1992-2000 coordinating citizen campaigns to protect the Owyhee Canyonlands, stop new dams on the Middle Snake, win state protection for the Henry's Fork and other rivers, and much more.
In 2001 Liz helped found the Idaho Peace Coalition to promote peace and justice. Liz rejoined the Idaho Rivers United staff in 2005. Liz lives near the Boise River in Garden City with her husband and two children.
Brenda Schweitzer
Eastern Idaho Outreach Coordinator
 Brenda has been a passionate crusader for Idaho's salmon for close to 10 years. She has worked collaboratively with IRU on the salmon/dam issue in her past conservation staffer positions as well as in her work as a river guide on Hells Canyon and all forks of the Salmon River. Brenda came on board as IRU's Eastern Idaho Outreach and "salmon army" coordinator in 2007. She has been a river runner/enthusiast and a salmon advocate ever since her first river trip on the middle fork of the Salmon River -- where she witnessed first hand salmon returning to their natal streams. |
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