RIVDA - Key Persons
Brandy was born and raised in the suburbs of Salt Lake City, UT. She spent her child and teenage years focused on dance, music, and fostering stray animals in her bedroom without her parent's knowledge. In 2005, after graduating high school Brandy moved to beautiful Twin Falls, Idaho to attend The College of Southern Idaho. Throughout her 20s, Brandy worked as a legal assistant specializing in workers compensation, personal injury, criminal defense and family law. In 2017, she decided to move out of the legal world and began working for the TRIO Educational Opportunity Center on Campus at CSI. Her time at TRIO was spent focused on recruiting students, workforce training, and community events - including a PBS spotlight on the TRIO program. With the help of TRIO, her love for the southern Idaho community grew.
Feeling satisfied with her work at TRIO EOC, Brandy was excited to take on a new adventure at Region IV Development. As the new administrative assistant at RIVDA, Brandy is tackling several projects including her bread and butter: marketing. Brandy is excited about her future at RIVDA as well as being a part of the community growth of the eight Counties within Region IV of Idaho.
When Brandy is not working she enjoys spending time with her daughter Layla, cooking, gardening, exploring new music, DIY projects and practicing yoga.
Job Titles:
- Community Development Planner / Community Development Planner
Brenda grew up in a small rural farming community in northeast Nebraska. After graduating from high school, she attended Northeast Community College and later on, Kaplan University working towards her Bachelor's in Business Administration. In 2002, her career relocated her to Twin Falls, Idaho which later took her to Phoenix, Arizona. She decided Idaho was where she wanted to land. After meeting her husband Dan, they started their own business and currently own and operate an electrical contracting company in the Magic Valley. In her free time, she loves to explore everything outdoors.
Brenda joined Region IV Development in 2016. She is a certified Grant Administrator and is currently one of our Community Development Planners. She brings entrepreneurial skills as well as superb customer service and team building skills with her to the organization. Brenda has a passion for southern Idaho and enjoys being a part of helping our communities make it such an attractive place to live and grow.
has been involved in community and economic development since the late 1980's. With a degree in Economics from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, Carleen made her way to Idaho to accept an internship with the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.
She fell in love with the ruggedness of the state and evolved her career from financial analysis and systems auditing - to a focus on community planning and economic development. Carleen has been with Region IV Development Association since 1986 with success in creating collaborations and promoting balanced growth throughout the eight county area.
Her ability to work with diverse groups to solve problems has enabled the residents of southern Idaho to implement projects and strategies that have created more sustainable and vibrant communities. Carleen lives in Twin Falls with her husband Joe.
Job Titles:
- Loan Officer
- Senior Credit Analyst
Job Titles:
- Credit Analyst / Community Development Planner
- Region IV Development As a Community Development Planner
David joined Region IV Development as a Community Development Planner in July 2021. He is an Idaho native and was born and raised in Twin Falls, Idaho. In 2018, he graduated from Boise State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. While finishing his degree, he was hired by TitleOne where he worked as a Funder and Agricultural Escrow Assistant. During his time there, he worked on transferring funds at the time of closing for residential, commercial, and agricultural transactions across Southern Idaho. He also assisted with transferring water rights and documenting UCC fixture filings.
David is excited to be applying his knowledge and energy at Region IV Development where he can help grow the community that has had such a positive impact on his life. When David's not working, he enjoys playing tennis, hiking, and chess.
Job Titles:
- Community Development Planner
- Disaster Recovery Coordinator
With over a decade of experience in managing workforce of over fifty team members, Georgia Dimick offers a unique blend of leadership, vision and knowledge. She serves as a community development planner with Region IV Development Association since June, 2018. She brings a unique ability to this organization because of her background as a city council member and later mayor of the City of Oakley, Idaho.
Georgia is a strong team builder who believes that the foundation of any team are the individual team members. She has utilized the Human Performance Improvement (HPI) methods to reorganize the non-profit Senior Corps Programs; this allowed the three volunteer programs to function for three years. Her team also used the HPI method at Southern Field Welding and was able to reorganize the small business and take their net worth from 1.5 million to 10.4 million in five years.
Georgia holds a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership and Development from Idaho State University, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Resource Development. She is part of the Oakley Jr/Sr. High School after school program that assists students who want to further their education or entrepreneurial goals. This program has expanded into the Cassia, Minidoka and Jerome School Districts
Jeff was hired as President and CEO of Region IV Development Association, Inc. (RIVDA) in December 2019. Since 2004, Jeff has been involved in community and economic development activities in South-Central Idaho. He has a love for the work that he does, the Magic Valley, and for the State of Idaho.
Jeff is an Idaho native and was born and raised in Pocatello, Idaho. In 2004, he graduated from Idaho State University with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. After graduation, Jeff was hired by Region IV Development Association (RIVDA) and worked as a Community Development Planner, Grant Administrator Specialist, and a Loan Closing Specialist. During his first term of employment with RIVDA, he worked on projects throughout the region that ranged from water and sewer improvements, fire station construction and fire truck acquisition, senior/community center renovations, downtown revitalization, job creation, and much more. He also assisted the loan division with closings SBA 504 loan and internal loan programs.
In 2013, Jeff was presented with the opportunity to work for the City of Rupert as their Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer. He left RIVDA and accepted that position in 2013. While with the City, he managed all financial transactions and records, prepare annual operating budgets, managed payroll and human resources, was the City's grant specialist and continued to maintain his Certified Grant Administrator status, was part of the City's Economic Development Team and served as the City of Rupert's Urban Renewal Agency Finance Officer.
Jeff's most notable work at the City was his work in project development and grant writing. The City of Rupert accomplished several projects and received grant funding that benefited the MC Fitness and Community Center, Inc., the Rupert Square, the Rupert Outdoor Shooting Complex, Minidoka County Senior Center, and several businesses in the area.
Jeff's accomplishments lend to his impressive leadership skills. His knowledge and passion in economic and community development in the southern Idaho region encompass the position of President at Region IV Development. In his new role as President, Jeff is excited to work with the Region IV Development team by creating sustainable partnerships to work together toward a growing, vibrant southern Idaho.
Jeff lives in Twin Falls, Idaho with his wife Leslie and their four children.
Job Titles:
- Closing Manager
- Loan Closing Manager
Jennifer grew up in the small town of Eden Idaho, farming with her dad. After graduating from Valley High School, Hazelton, ID she then attended the University of Idaho. She returned to the Magic Valley where she worked in the title industry for 9 years. Jennifer joined the loan division team at Region IV Development in 2007. She is the Loan Closing Manager and Assistant Credit Analyst. Jennifer also services all the loans. She loves to help the small businesses in the communities that she grew up around.
In her free time Jennifer enjoys outdoor activities, traveling, spending time with family and friends and taking on new projects.
Karen first came to work at Region IV Development while still in high school in June of 1978 as a summer youth participant in the CETA program. After graduation from high school and while attending the College of Southern Idaho, Karen was elected as a student body Senator, and as such, was approached by the RIVDA Director to serve on the Area IV Manpower Planning Board of Directors for the region representing youth. This kept her in contact with the RIVDA staff while attending CSI -- and when there was a job opening the summer of 1981, Karen was asked to rejoin the staff of RIVDA. Through that time, Karen served in the capacity of secretary, then office manager, and for a time, as the bookkeeper! Upon her marriage in 1991, Karen once again left RIVDA to move to Boise while her husband pursued graduate school.
In December 1992, Karen received a call, once again, from the Director of RIVDA stating that they heard that her soon-to-be expanding family may be moving back to Twin Falls, and if so, would she be interested in coming back to RIVDA to work primarily in the loan department. With that, Karen was back at RIVDA for her third, and should be final stint with the organization. With her now 40 years of on-the-job-training with RIVDA, Karen not only works in the Loan Division as the Loan Portfolio Manager, she also assists anywhere needed within the Association; from clerical, to block grant editing, to administrative duties to name a few. Currently, Karen and her husband Bruce are empty nesters who live on their 180 acre family farm south of Twin Falls.
Mary was hired in August 2022 to be the new Economic Development Professional for the Rural Economic Development Services (REDS) program. Mary grew up in Rupert and attended the College of Southern Idaho, before transferring to the University of Idaho where she received her bachelor's degree in Political Science and Psychology. After graduating from U of I, Mary worked in the non-profit sector, tackling major issues of disproportionate corporate taxes on small business and tax avoidance of large multinational corporations. In her previous work, advocating for small domestic businesses has been a top priority to Mary and she is excited to bring her passion for helping others to the rural communities of South-central Idaho.
Outside of work, Mary enjoys fictional novel, practicing yoga, exploring Idaho, and checking out the latest movies.
Job Titles:
- Community Development Planner / Community Development Planner
As a Community Development Planner with Region IV Development Association (RIVDA) in Twin Falls, Idaho Dr. McFarlane works in partnership with regional cities and counties to solve common problems and help with the ever-growing demands of the communities. Michele's diverse background allows her to bring a unique perspective to projects. Michele grew up on a 4 th generation dairy farm in Wendell. After high school, she earned an Associate's degree from the College of Southern Idaho and a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from Boise State University. She returned to the Magic Valley where she spent six years as a teacher and debate coach before transitioning to the College of Southern Idaho where she served various roles including Assessment Specialist, Research Analyst, and Registrar. Michele went on to earn a Doctor of Education from University of Idaho. As part of the Economic Development team at RIVDA, she works on a variety of projects including grant writing, grant administration, strategic planning, and Brownfield project management.
Rob worked for Wells Fargo Bank for the last 23 years. His business lending experience has included retail, manufacturing, real estate, transportation, and agriculture. He graduated from the University of Idaho with a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics. Rob and his wife Laurie have six grown children and 16 grandchildren.
He enjoys hiking in the mountains, tennis, traveling to see beautiful places, and spending time with his family.
Job Titles:
- Fiscal Operations Manager
Tedi grew up in southern Idaho in the small town of Paul. She graduated from Minico High School and attended Boise State University where she obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. She promptly returned to the Magic Valley where she and her husband raised two daughters.
Tedi joined Region IV Development in 2015 as their Fiscal Operations Manager and loves being a part of the purpose they serve. In her free time, she enjoys running, attending almost any sporting event and TRAVELING. She has currently visited 44 states with her family but Idaho is still her favorite.