Sharon Burke

President

Sharon Burke serves as the Board President for the Idaho Federation of Families.  Sharon has worked in the Behavioral Health Care System in Idaho in a number of capacities including her work at the Idaho Supreme Court, Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections and Office of Drug Policy and most recently at Optum Idaho.   She is passionate about creating effective and efficient systems for families in need of these vital services in our state. Sharon received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho and a Master of Public Administration from Boise State University.

Morgan Knab

Treasurer

Morgan Knab has been the Treasurer since 2016. She is a parent of two children with SEDs as well as having her own lived experience. Additionally, she and her husband have been foster parents for the last three years.

Morgan brings extensive accounting and finance experience to the IFF Board of Directors as she is the Controller and CFO of a local insurance company. Her desire is to be part of a program that provides youth and families with the tools they need to navigate the mental health care system in Idaho, as well as supporting families navigating life with a youth with a SED. All of this, and more, is where her passion for Idaho Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health comes from.

Morgan’s combined lived experience and work experience makes her a great match for the IFF Board of Directors.

Cheryl Mulvihill

Secretary

cmulvihill@q.com

Cheryl Mulvihill and her husband Dave live in Meridian. They have been married almost 17 years. Cheryl is the mother of 3 daughters ages 45, 24 and 22. Dave and Cheryl adopted a son in 2005 and were told that he could have some issues later in life as he had been exposed to drugs before, during and after his birth. He appeared to be happy and healthy until the onset of puberty.

We accessed all available resources and discovered that there really weren’t many options for children with mental health issues living in the State of Idaho. The Federation was helpful in getting information and resources for our family. They were able to connect us with other resources as well as walking beside our family through the Wraparound program including IEP’s and 504’s. Our son is currently 16 years old and living in a residential treatment facility in Utah and making progress.

In July 2016 I was elected to the Board of Directors of the IFFCMH. It has been a great learning experience for me personally. The Federation was a lifeline when I got here and I now feel that I can cope with our situation and still be a resource to others. I hope that someday we won’t have to send our children out of state in order to receive the help they need.

Vanessa Morgan

vanessa.h.morgan@gmail.com

Vanessa Morgan is the mother of four children ages 15, 8, 4, and 2. Two of these kids have mental health needs. She has been involved in the Youth Empowerment Services project since its beginning, and was the first chairperson of the Interagency Governance Team for that project. Through lived experience, she has become an expert on early childhood trauma and attachment. She is determined to use her experience and voice to help other families going through similar experiences.