About Us

The Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare is a clinician-led, community driven organization that provides accessible and actionable data and medical insights for lawmakers, business leaders, and concerned citizens to engage them in the restoration of safe, evidence-based healthcare for all Idahoans. Our partners include professional medical organizations, advocacy groups, state legislators, academic researchers, business leaders, and members of the media.

We are a community deeply concerned about Idaho’s healthcare future. The Coalition is dedicated to preserving and growing an excellent and high-quality medical community by cultivating a culture that honors medical standards of care, protects the patient/provider relationship, and allows for the practice of medicine in an unambiguously legal environment.

Downtown Idaho and Capitol Building

Our History

As a result of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, the first iteration of the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare was born in August 2022 as clinicians across the state worked to comply with Idaho’s trigger bans. The new laws compromise the ability of medical experts to comply with nationally-recognized standards of care for pregnant women. Since then, we have expanded our scope to focus on other areas of legislative oversight that impacts healthcare in Idaho.

Our Members

Board Members

Executive Director

The Coalition is clinician-led and community driven. Our membership spans the state and includes concerned citizens, physicians, nurses, certified nurse midwives, advanced practice practitioners, nurse anesthetists, medical assistants, mental health professionals, community health care organizations, legal and advocacy organizations, and medical adjacent groups.

We invite you to join our movement by signing up for weekly updates on our work and opportunities to get more involved in ensuring safe healthcare to build a stronger Idaho.

  • Heather Burry, RN

  • Loren Colson, DO

  • Jennifer Dempsey, JD

  • Leanne Elisha, NP

  • Anne Feighner, MD

  • Caitlin Gustafson, MD

  • Leslie Gunnerson, RN

  • Heather Hammerstedt, MD

  • Duncan Harmon, MD

  • Amy Holly

  • Katherine Kerner, RN

  • Amy Klingler, PA-C

  • Stacy Lamb

  • Miranda Marquit

  • Kelly O’Neill, JD

  • Stacy Seyb, MD

  • Jim Souza, MD

  • Becky Uranga, MD

  • John Werdel, MD

Amber Nelson, MA is the Executive Director of the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare Foundation. She brings three decades of experience in healthcare, nonprofits, strategy, and leadership to her role. She previously served on the operations leadership team at Teladoc Health, the executive leadership team at Washington Permanente Medical Group, and on Microsoft’s global Customer Service and Support leadership team. Born and raised in  Boise, ID, Amber holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Boston University and a masters degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University.