Laura Johnson
Bureau Chief
Laura joined the Market Development Division in 1991. As Bureau Chief she oversees the division’s domestic and international programs. Laura is a 1996 graduate of Leadership Idaho Agriculture. In 2005, she received a “40 under 40” recognition by American Food and Ag Exporter Magazine as one of 40 individuals across the country under 40 with significant contributions to agricultural exports.
In 2007, she was recognized by Produce Business Magazine as one of the nation’s “40 Under 40” young leaders in the produce industry. She is currently a member of the Meridian FFA Alumni and is a past Idaho FFA State President. She received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the College of Business at Boise State University in 1990. Prior to joining the Department, Laura was a Marketing Assistant at Les Bois Park. She is an avid equestrian and competes at hunter/jumpers shows. She has one daughter who is also an alumni of Boise State University.
Erica White
Idaho Preferred Program Manager
Erica joined the Market Development Division in Early 2021.
A Pacific Northwest native, Erica grew up in a mill town humming with diverse small businesses and has always been motivated by the passion, persistence, and impact that goes into building a long-lasting staple in a local community.
Naturally, her enthusiasm led her to earn her BA in Business concentrating in Small Business, Entrepreneurship, and Marketing, and has coupled it with her love for food, art, and community. For the last 15 years, she set her sights on championing business growth for diverse companies in the health/specialty food, nonprofit, and arts industries working and freelancing as a Brand, Operations, and Digital Marketing Manager.
Erica is excited to carry forward her mission alongside the Idaho Preferred Team to amplify and enhance the program’s initiatives, in turn strengthening the local economy and community connection to our Idaho agriculture and its producers.
Caily Woods
Idaho Farm and Ranch Center Program Manager
Caily Woods has been with ISDA since the summer of 2022 as an Ag Investigator Sr. Caily is from a small town in Northern New Mexico. She moved to Idaho at the kindly behest of her sister and brother-in-law who have lived in Idaho since 2018. Caily worked for the New Mexico Department of Agriculture throughout college while pursuing her bachelor’s in Communication Studies. After college, Caily continued to work for NMDA as a Weights and Measures inspector, a position that allowed her to work alongside cattle ranchers who shared their stories of working closely with her own family in the ranching industry. In her time as an investigator with ISDA, she had the privilege of working closely with produce farmers as well as their families and learning their history in the farming industry. Caily’s experience with both the producer and regulator perspective has allowed her to empathize with the struggles and successes that come with working in agriculture, especially multigenerational operations. Caily is excited to follow her passion of becoming an advocate for ag families and learn more about agriculture in this beautiful state she now calls home.
Chelsea Conlon
Trade Specialist
Chelsea joined the Market Development Division in April 2017. Chelsea has a bachelor’s degree in International Business from Boise State University with a minor in Japanese. She also spent nearly a year at Hosei University in Tokyo in the Japanese Studies program. Fluent in Japanese, she has experience in marketing plan development, consumer research, and presentation tools and software.
Most recently she worked at the Idaho Industrial Commission as a Benefits Analyst where her responsibilities included coordinating workshops and conducting presentations (among many other things). She has been active in numerous service organizations and comes to the Marketing Division with a great deal of enthusiasm for marketing Idaho agriculture around the globe.
Erika Leon
Trade Specialist
Erika León joined the ISDA Market Development Division in September 2023. Erika has a bachelor’s degree in International Business from the ITESM university in Mexico.
Born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico, fluent in Spanish. Erika worked as Trade Specialist at the Idaho-Mexico Trade Office, were she found her passion supporting Idaho companies promoting and selling their products internationally. For her, there is no better feeling than to see Idaho products on local stores shelves. She is heavily customer service driven, always eager to promote trade and investment, connecting Idaho companies with the right partners.
Her love for Idaho made her move to Boise in 2017. Prior to joining the ISDA she served at the Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce consulting and supporting businesses.
Nothing makes Erika happier than spending time with her daughter and son. Her favorite hobby is weaving projects on her loom while enjoying a cup of her home roasted coffee.
Michelle Silva
Trade Specialist
Michelle Silva joined the Marketing Development Division in January 2022. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness with an emphasis in Marketing Management from Murray State University where she discovered a love and passion for all things agriculture. Most recently she worked within the alcohol industry and brings with her knowledge that surrounds compliance and regulatory.
Michelle comes to us from the corn belt in St. Louis, Missouri and has enjoyed her time also living and adventuring in both Kentucky and Wyoming. In her downtime she enjoys all things equine and outdoors and exploring new places to eat and enjoy good bourbon.
Dawn Larzelier
Idaho Preferred Marketing Specialist
Dawn joined the Marketing Development Division in December 2021. Her varied background in the nonprofit and public sector includes membership coordination, event management, social media and content marketing, sales and operations. Immediately prior to joining ISDA, Dawn operated a private culinary tour business with an emphasis on local wineries and farm-to-fork experiences. She brings a great deal of enthusiasm for building community through digital marketing and special events and looks forward to her role with the Idaho Preferred program.
Dawn was raised in the Sunnyslope area of Idaho Wine Country, and has travelled across the United States, Europe and Morocco. While Dawn always enjoys travel, one of her favorite things in the world is that feeling of returning home again. She studied Communications and Psychology at the College of Western Idaho. She “reads cookbooks like others might read literature,” enjoys wine tasting and gets creative with vintage furniture rehab. After the last year of pandemic scares, she absolutely cherishes her Sunday dinners with her five adult children and their growing families.
Brock Cornell
Administrative Assistant
Brock Cornell joined the Marketing Development Division in July 2016. From a military family, Brock has lived all over the U.S. as well as parts of Asia. He has lived in the Boise area for much of the last 15 years. Brock studied Marketing at CWI. He brings years of experience in I.T., web/ graphic design and public relations to the marketing division.