I have been given the opportunity to work as Administrative and Board of Director/PAC Support here at Disability Rights Idaho, where I continue to work with people of varying abilities. I have had the privilege to work in this community for over 10 years. I have a passion to help others. I hope that, as an organization, we can continue to reach more and more Idahoans each year. I strongly believe in our mission here at Disability Rights Idaho. I have finally found my “home”! I received my bachelor’s degree in Relational and Organizational Communication from Boise State University, while also minoring in American Sign Language. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my 2 dogs. We love to spend the summers camping and fishing.
I am a Non-Attorney Advocate in the Adult Unit at Disability Rights Idaho. I was born and raised in Colorado and moved to Idaho in 2018 to get my Bachelors in Business Administration and Nonprofit Management from Boise State University. My role at DRI is to advocate on behalf of people with disabilities and work towards an Idaho where equity is achieved, and differences are celebrated. I have had the privilege of working in this community in different capacities for over 10 years and the work I do every day truly fills my cup. Outside of the office, I enjoy listening to live music, skiing, and exploring nature.
Joining Disability Rights Idaho (DRI) in March of 2024 as a Non-attorney Advocate felt like a professional homecoming to me. While this is my first foray into disability advocacy, I bring over a decade of experience working with folks with disabilities across all age groups and in a variety of capacities, including education, behavioral health and physical therapy outpatient clinics, housing and/or homelessness services, senior services, and outdoor adaptive recreation instruction. I found my professional niche doing intakes and connecting clients to community supports and services at two other non-profi ts prior to DRI, but I wanted to use my skills and education (BA in Communication Science,Northwest Nazarene University) to serve the disability community directly. This role fits like a glove! In my first year here, I got to work on improving our internal intake processes and also took a leading role in the development of DRI’s Determined to Vote, our non-partisan and accessible Voter Toolkit for eligible Idaho voters with disabilities. Outside of work, if I am not reading or learning to cook semi-fancy meals, you can probably find me doing outdoorsy things with my red heeler mix, Riya.
My name is Briseida Trapero. I am a Mexican-American woman who grew up in Ontario, Oregon. I went to school at the University of Oregon and received a Bachelor of Science in General Social Science, with a concentration in Crime, Law, and Society with a minor in Spanish. My professional background involves working for various organizations and schools throughout Oregon. I have a passion working with children with all different backgrounds and abilities. At Disability Rights Idaho, I am a Non-Attorney Advocate for the youth unit. When I am not at work, you can find me getting lost in a mountain or lost in my kitchen trying new recipes.
I began my journey at Disability Rights as Administrative Support almost five years ago. I am now a PABRP Non-Attorney Advocate/Investigator. I work at DRI because I wanted to be a part of an organization that makes a difference in the lives of so many people.
I received my Administrative Assistance Certificate from Idaho State University. I have a background in office administration, investigation and research gained in my 22 years of working as the office manager and paralegal for a busy law firm.
At DRI my job is to do reviews of representative payees and interview beneficiaries as a P&A Reviewer for the Social Security Administration. The purpose of these reviews is to ensure that payees are performing their duties and beneficiary’s funds are being spent to ensure their needs are being met.
When I am not working I enjoy spending time with my family and grandbabies. I enjoy being outside and working in the yard. I have recently taken up the hobby of sewing and quilting.
I received a bachelor’s degree in Human Services from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2013. I started at Disability Rights Idaho as an Administrative Assistant in 2019 and became a Non-Attorney Advocate/P&A Reviewer. My main role is to review Social Security Representative Payees. My role combines my two passions: helping people and Microsoft Excel. Outside of work, I like to spend time with my family, watching television and tending to my indoor plants.
I am a Senior Non-Attorney Advocate here at DRI and this July will be my twelfth year serving Idaho’s finest. I have worked within the disability community for 27 years, and started my career as a paraprofessional in the Boise and Eagle area. I now live in Southeastern Idaho and work out of the DRI Pocatello office. In the summer, my spare time is spent in the South Fork and Stanley area, where my family practices their treaty rights of spearing salmon. And in the winter, we hunt the buffalo that migrate outside of Yellowstone park. I am also a fan of the paranormal; any and all movies or books that are based on true stories. I live for the Halloween season!
I am ecstatic to work with Disability Rights Idaho and lucky to have the chance to support people in Idaho with disabilities. After graduating from the University of Denver Law school we moved to Idaho and spent a few years playing in the rivers before finding DRI. Working for DRI as an attorney on the adult team is my dream job, and I love having the chance to continuously learn and advocate with such a wonderful team. Outside of work, I am a compulsive reader, movie-goer, river rafter, and downhill skier. I’m originally from Colorado but have moved around quite a bit and am happy to have landed in Boise with my fiancé and our cat, Long John Silver.
I am from Columbus, Ohio, and studied special education at THE Ohio State University before going to law school. I worked at 3 other protection and advocacy organizations before coming to DRI. Now I get to chase my passions as a staff attorney on our youth unit! I am most passionate about the power of education, d/Deaf rights, and accessible voting. Outside of work I spend all of my time outside. I love hiking, camping, running, and skiing.
I am excited to work as an Attorney in the Youth Unit at Disability Rights Idaho! I have been an advocate for the disability community since my younger brother and best friend, Sam Schulz, was diagnosed with Autism. Sam taught me the importance of seeing the best in everyone. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him. I received my bachelor’s degree in Social Justice and Inequality with a minor in Business from Hanover College in Indiana and my J.D. from Southern Illinois University School of Law in Illinois. I have worked at both the Indiana and Illinois P&A agencies and felt fortunate when an opportunity opened to join DRI to begin an impactful legal career. Outside of work I love traveling and seeing the world with my husband. My favorite place we have been so far is Norway.
I’m an Attorney in the Adult Unit at Disability Rights Idaho (DRI). I joined DRI in 2019 and since then I’ve handled a variety of cases, including, guardianship, disability discrimination in healthcare settings and postsecondary education, and investigations into allegations of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and other rights violations. I graduated from the University of California – Davis, School of Law and the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. Prior to working in disability rights, I practiced immigration law and served in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps. I came to Idaho from Green Bay, Wisconsin, where cheese is its own food group, and you watch the Packers on Sunday. I live in Boise with my husband and daughter.
My name is Ken Salerno, and I come from a diverse professional background. Over the years, I’ve held roles as a General Contractor, Auditor, University Accounting Manager, Assistant Controller, and Healthcare Administrator. I’ve also served as a Business Manager for both a nonprofit radio station and a construction design firm. Currently, I am the Director of Fiscal Operations at DRI.
Before joining DRI, I wasn’t familiar with the organization, but I was pleased to learn about the important work they do. As the father of an autistic daughter, I recognize how beneficial DRI’s services could have been during her school years.
Outside of work, my wife and I enjoy a range of outdoor activities, including camping, waterskiing, snow sports, and hiking. We’ve traveled extensively and spent 25 years showing dogs. Our love for nature often takes us to the mountains, where we appreciate the beauty and tranquility of the outdoors.
I joined DRI in 2016, starting in our Fiscal Department. While I certainly appreciate the power of a well-crafted Excel formula, I found that spreadsheets alone didn’t quite fulfill my passion for purpose-driven work. As our agency grew, so did my role, and in 2019, I transitioned into Operations to help support and enhance the impact of our organization. In my current role as Director of Operations, I oversee the daily operations of DRI and have the privilege of witnessing firsthand the dedication and incredible work of our team. I thrive on the variety and complexity of my position, continuously seeking ways to improve efficiency, support our staff, and strengthen our mission. More than anything, I strive to foster a culture of inclusivity and empowerment. My passion for social justice and my commitment to lifelong learning fuel my work and keep me motivated. Outside of work, I find joy and balance in nature, cooking for my loved ones, and embracing the simple pleasures of life.
I came to Disability Rights Idaho from San Francisco California, where I spent 6 years working on disability rights issues in the Bay area. I moved to Idaho to work in the first independent living center as a disability rights advocate. I began my career with DRI as a non-attorney advocate where I have worked my way up to the Director of Grant Services. I have spent my entire career advocating for the rights of individuals with disabilities throughout Idaho. My favorite activities are hosting family dinners for my 3 children and my 6 grandchildren and gourmet chocolate making.
I am the Legal Director for the Adult Unit at DRI. Before joining the team, I worked for many years in legal services, running Idaho’s pro bono program and representing low-income clients in a variety of civil legal matters. I moved to DRI to focus my work on the disability community. People with disabilities are constantly confronted with a society that has yet to embrace full accessibility for all. I am committed to using my education and training to increase access to justice for individuals with disabilities through individual and systemic representation. I am an East Coast transplant, who has made her home in Idaho for almost 20 years, first in Pocatello and now, in the Treasure Valley. In my free time, I enjoy exploring Idaho’s trails and rivers with my family.
I am an Attorney as well as the Legal Director for the Youth Unit at Disability Rights Idaho (DRI). I have worked out of DRI’s Boise office since March of 2012. In addition to representing clients in guardianship, disability discrimination, and Medicaid appeal cases, I have also worked on various public policy issues through the state administrative rule and statutory change process and have worked on investigating allegations of abuse and neglect involving facilities or providers who offer care and treatment to individuals with disabilities. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated with a law degree from the University of South Dakota. In addition to being an avid Nebraska Cornhuskers fan, (GO BIG RED!), I spend my free time enjoying the Idaho outdoors with my family.
When I started my career at DRI as a staff attorney in 1996 I had no idea how many incredible people I would meet and have the honor to help through legal advocacy. As an attorney I helped adults and children with disabilities to receive Medicaid benefits, Social Security benefits, necessary assistive technology, and live in non-abusive environments. I assisted numerous individuals with guardianship issues to demonstrate they did not need a guardianship and could live in the community of their choice by using alternatives such as supported decision-making. I participated in groundbreaking litigation to ensure deaf inmates had access to equal communication opportunities and that national protection and advocacy systems have a right under federal law to coroner’s reports when conducting abuse or neglect investigations. I also helped Idaho Medicaid create a statewide Early, Periodic, Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) policy. I served as the secretary/treasurer of the Diversity Section of the Idaho State Bar. In 2014, I transitioned to Legal Director where I oversaw a systemic project that led to a change in statewide practice regarding the use of restraint and seclusion in hospitals psychiatric units and the completion of our first public report to shine the light on abuses at the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center. DRI was nationally recognized for this work. I was a member of the Idaho Supreme Court Guardianship and Conservatorship Committee for nine years and a 2021 delegate at the 4th National Guardianship Summit. I serve on the board for the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities. In 2020, I received the Idaho State Bar Professionalism Award. In October of 2021, I was appointed the Executive Director. I now have the honor of leading this great organization and our great team of attorneys, non-attorneys, and support persons into the future. One of my first accomplishments as executive director was to work with our staff to create a set of core values and associated behaviors that guide our work and environment:
Integrity, Quality, Dignity of Risk,Teamwork, and Inclusivity. I am very proud of our new Mission Statement: Educate, advocate, investigate, andlitigate to protect and advance the rights of Idahoans with disabilities. And our first ever Vision Statement: An Idaho where people are empowered, voices are heard, equity is achieved, and differences are celebrated.
I want everyone to know that not only does DRI do great work, but it is a great place to work.
In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, playing tennis, hiking, gardening, and being outdoors.
