Staff

Ruth York is the Executive Director of the Idaho Federation of Families. She received a Master of Public Health degree from Columbia University early in her career and spent time in hospital and pharmaceutical research settings for 10 years following that. Ruth moved to Boise in 1998 and worked for St. Alphonsus Health System in project management and St. Luke’s Health Children’s Services as the Director of Family Support Services prior to becoming the Executive Director of the Idaho Federation of Families in 2018. Ruth’s lived experience with youth mental health impacts of adoption and trauma motivated her to re-focus her career on family support services in the mental health area.

Michelle Batten’s life experience of growing up in a home with foster siblings and an adopted sister motivated her to learn more about the impact of early abuse and neglect. Her studies in human development and Trust Based Relational Intervention, and her experience as a parenting coach, provide her with the foundation of her understanding of mental health needs in youth and the support families need in their journey. During her off time you can find her on a river paddleboard in summer or downhill skiing in winter.

Cindy Shotton is the office manager for FYIdaho. She has been with us since 2005, not counting two brief retirements. Cindy has deep empathy for families struggling with mental health issues, as she and her family have lived experience. She firmly believes in the mission and vision of our organization and has long been proud to be part of it. Most of her spare time is spent keeping up with her son, daughter-in-law and their 2 children and all their activities. She also frequently travels to Canada, while working for us remotely, to visit her daughter and son-in-law and their 4 young grandchildren who live in Victoria, B.C. She has a strong commitment to the mission of IFF as she has lived experience within her own world and the ones she loves. Her natural ability to be empathetic and supportive drives her to be a part of the IFF community.

Emma James is the Boise Brick House Lead for FYIdaho. She is a current undergraduate student at Northwest Nazarene University studying Social Work and International Relations. After working and learning in various settings, she has grown a passion for partnering with and supporting individuals who face mental health struggles in all walks of life. Through her lived experience, it has become evident how proper support can genuinely transform people. She has now seen the value in pursuing this in her career and desires to support teens and show them how a place such as the Boise Brick House can be a safe and comforting environment to thrive in. Her heart for this work is shown in a desire to empower youth to reach their full potential and advocate for themselves and others under the support of people who genuinely desire to see them grow.

Parker Luce received a Bachelor of Social Work from Boise State University and joins FYIdaho as the Program Specialist Lead. He was born in Jeremie, Haiti and lived in Boise, Idaho his entire life. For the last 11 years he spent time in the health care industry as a CNA/Caregiver and has worked with a variety of people in a variety of stages of life. In his free time Parker enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures and broadening his horizons. He also likes baking, painting and anything to do with aviation.