Theme: Beyond the Peak

Back for the fourth year, this year's event examines ideas and dreams 'Beyond the Peak'. Our theme signifies what the future would look like if we overcame all the obstacles facing our world, the things that make it hard for us to clearly see what the future could hold. Beyond the Peak begins the conversation around what we can do see the future more clearly and to think outside the box about the obstacles in our way.

Administration Auditorium
Campus Drive
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho, 83843
United States

Allysha Yasuda

Allysha Yasuda was born in Fruitland, Idaho. She graduated with an undergraduate degree in microbiology and is applying to medical school. Her mantra for the year is: read more, run more and travel more. Throughout her time at University of Idaho, she was involved in her research lab that investigates Type 2 diabetes, a member of her sorority Alpha Phi, Career Services and Resonate Church. She also works with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.

CR Pete Petersen

Pete was morbidly obese for almost 30 years. Doctors diagnosed him with diabetes, depression, fatty liver, and high blood pressure along with neuropathy, partial blindness, and sleep apnea. He lost 115 lbs about seven years ago and kept it off with a reversal of several health issues. He’s spent most of his career working with people with disabilities and is a diabetes prevention coach.He’s a member of the board of directors and Chair of the board for the Upper-valley Center for Domestic Violence and chair of the Madison County Community Council.

Erin Peterson

Erin received her Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education through the rigorous PACE Program at Lewis-Clark State College, earning the distinction of the Provost’s Award for community service and academic achievement as well as Student Teacher of the Year. Her passion for serving the children in Title 1 schools has led her to focusing on a career in intermediate education at Ness Elementary of West Valley School District in Spokane, Washington, and currently serves as an English Language Arts Fellow for Washington State.

Laura Landgraf

Laura Landgraf, acclaimed author, speaker, social activist, champion for change and empowerment, retreat leader, and life coach, will awaken hope in you. Laura attributes much of her success in life to lessons learned from her challenging childhood experiences and her fight for her own freedom and the safety of her children. She uses those experiences to assert that anyone can tap into their strength, overcome adversity, create positive change, and succeed despite all odds. Her children now grown, Laura lives life filled with family, music, laughter, standup paddle boarding, and supporting the empowerment of others. http://lauralandgraf.com

Margaret Donelick

Margaret has a bachelors (UC Santa Barbara), masters (University of Wyoming), and Ph.D. (Dalhousie University) degrees in geophysics and has worked for six years for a large international oil company generating oil prospects and for eighteen years for her own small geotechnical company dating rocks. In 2015 she founded BiMBy Power along with her husband, and they applied for patent protection for an idea to use abandoned mine sites for energy storage facilities for renewable energy sources. BiMBy Power placed second in the Be the Entrepreneur Bootcamp in 2016 and won the largest potential impact award from the Cascadia CleanTech Business Accelerator in 2017 for the BiMBy concept. Margaret is CEO of BiMBy Power Corporation.

Mary Alice Taylor

Mary Alice Taylor is a sophomore at the University of Idaho majoring in political science and economics and minoring in Spanish and climate change.She’s a member of the sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma and serves as House Chairman and was recently appointed Director of Philanthropy for ASUI. After graduation, she hopes to join the Peace Corps and volunteer with their environmental department.

Paola Branco

Paola Branco is an animal lover above all things. She has always focused her efforts on better understanding the animal world, with a special interest in African wildlife. She graduated in veterinary medicine and specialized in animal anesthesia in Brazil, her home country, and since then she has worked in many animal hospitals and in different field projects. Paola is finishing her Master’s degree at the University of Idaho, where she researched human-elephant conflicts in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. Her research has taken her to the US, Kenya and Tanzania to gather experience with other scientists, and many months of work in her study sites. Besides understanding the relationship between elephants and local people, she is trying to use strategies to promote the coexistence between the two species, with the goal of providing a safer environment for the remaining elephant population.

Sydney Inman

Sydney Inman is a high school student in 12th grade who is looking towards the future. Sydney is currently working on getting through her junior year making a violin for physics, getting her senior project hours approved for the summer, taking the SAT as well as AP tests, and getting A's in all her classes. She enjoys playing her many instruments in band as well as researching new methods of designing prosthesis. She is currently taking lessons on learning how to play the violin as she tries to conquer a whole new instrument to add to her collection. She hopes to be able to get a degree in biomedical engineering from the university of Idaho in the future, and get a job designing new types of prosthesis that feel like normal body parts.

Talon Owens

Talon was born June 20th, 2000 and passed on November 23rd, 2017 from injuries sustained in a car accident near Mountain Home, ID.Talon was an amazing big brother to all of his sisters and made friends where ever he went, worked, high school or the gym. Everyone knew and loved Talon! Talon spent the last year of his life being a beacon of hope to many because he wanted others to know "there is so much more to life"! He lived life with purpose and on purpose. He loved deeply; he worked hard and always gave 110%! This talk was given in memoriam to honor his passion for preventing teen suicide.

Tawnia Woodhouse Owens

Tawnia is a single mom of 4 beautiful, amazing children and spent the majority of her adult life training and mentoring others. Tawnia works as a Real Estate Agent for Dreamcatcher Realty and is also the CEO and president of the non profit organization HART inspired which was named after a friend’s son Nick Hart who committed suicide. The goal of HART is to help teens discover their strengths and find purpose and a reason to look forward to tomorrow. Tawnia is currently writing a book titled ‘Braving the Storm’ to shed light on an uneasy to talk about topic. She hopes to help others find hope and have faith in dark moments. Her motto is: Live in the moment. Find the silver linings, practice gratitude, and find joy in lifting others. Happiness is a choice. So is living life on purpose and with purpose.