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Staff

Doug Paddock, Interim Co-Director (He/Him)

Doug coordinates campaigns to help facilitate grassroots, member-led advocacy, leads grassroots lobbying efforts at the Idaho Legislature, and organizes IORC’s Climate & Energy Campaign. 

He joined the IORC staff as an organizer in October of 2014. Before that, he worked and volunteered to help clean up the legacy of pollution left from the nation’s nuclear weapons complex. 

Doug is a graduate of Boise State University. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Environmental and Natural Resources Policy and a B.A. in History. In his free time, he enjoys live music, camping, hiking, swimming and playing fetch with his personable retriever Elliot. You may contact Doug at dpaddock@IORCinfo.org.

 

Irene Ruiz, Interim Co-Director (She/Her)

Irene Ruiz is the daughter of Mexican Immigrants, she grew up in Hazelton, ID where she also worked in the fields with her family. She received her Master of Arts in Hispanic Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago and her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Boise State University. Irene currently lives in Boise, ID.

Irene has been an activist for over 20 years. She currently works for the Idaho Organization of Resource Councils. She is a board member for the ACLU of Idaho the Stay at School Quinceñera program, and Indigenous Idaho Alliance. She is also a co-organizer of StoryFort at TreeFort where she helps tell stories of activism in Idaho. Irene also co-founded and organized a coalition of 11 non–profit organizations to support the Latinx, immigrant, and farm working community called the Idaho Immigrant Resource Alliance that started in 2020 to support those communities during COVID-19 pandemic and issues arise.

Irene was recently selected as one of 28 women to be a part of the U.S. Grassroots Accelerator Program from the Women’s Earth Alliance that will support her work on environmental justice while building alliances with other powerful leaders working to protect the environment.

Irene Ruiz es la organizadora bilingüe de la comunidad para IORC. Su meta es tener contacto con la comunidad Latina para incrementar la membresía y también identificar líderes para crear una base para latinos. Irene es hija de inmigrantes mexicanos. Ella creció en Hazelton, ID donde también trabajo en el campo con su familia. Recibió su maestría en la Universidad de Illinois en Chicago y su bachillerato en español en La Universidad Estatal de Boise. Irene vive en Boise, Id. Le gusta pasar el tiempo leyendo, ir de viajes, corriendo afuera y con su familia y amigos.

Megan Carter, Membership and Communications Coordinator (She/Her & They/Them)

Megan Carter is a local LGBTQ activist, organizer, education advocate, parent, and student. In addition to their work at IORC, they help lead a human rights advocacy non-profit and recently founded an organization that works at the intersections of movement, healing, and community. Megan studied for a degree in liberal arts at College of Western Idaho and a Bachelor’s of Communication at Boise State University. They are committed to liberatory social justice practices that center marginalized communities and strives to use frameworks that are accessible for everyone. Megan lives in Meridian, Idaho and loves to go on adventures with their animal-loving kiddo.

Samantha Guerrero, Bilingual Agriculture and Food Community Organizer

Samantha Guerrero is a first-generation Idahoan and a daughter of Mexican immigrants. She graduated in 2017 from the College of Idaho with her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology/Sociology and Political Economy. Before joining IORC, Samantha worked as an immigration law paralegal and personal injury legal assistant. As an activist for human rights and as a community organizer for IORC she hopes to connect with Idahoans who want preserve democracy, help improve the lives of our citizens and work towards a more sustainable Idaho. Samantha lives in her hometown of Caldwell with her son Joshua. She enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, and traveling.