ICEN BOARD
Tara Malek | Board Member
Litigator and Co-Owner, Smith + Malek | Former Candidate for State Senate
Tara is an Idaho licensed attorney practicing in state and federal Court in business and commercial litigation. Tara has experience in both civil and criminal law. Previously, she worked as a Kootenai County Deputy Prosecutor, a Special Assistant United States Attorney, and an Assistant United States Attorney at the United States Attorney’s Office in Boise. She is a litigator at Smith + Malek and a co-owner. One of Tara’s biggest career accomplishments is a reversal of a jury verdict in federal court that is now on appeal at the Ninth Circuit.
Tara was born in England, but she grew up in Washington State and Arizona. She holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Arizona in Tucson, and she moved to Idaho in 2008 to attend the University of Idaho College of Law. She graduated with her J.D. in 2011.
In 2018, the Idaho Business Review named Tara among Idaho’s Women of the Year honorees, in 2019, she was named among the publication’s Leaders in Law and in 2021 she was named as a Top 30 Under 40 winner by the Kootenai County Young Professionals. “My personal ‘why’ is the pursuit of justice. I chose a career in law because lawyers have the ability to change the world for the better and to pursue justice on behalf of our clients,” says Tara.
Tara is dedicated to the communities in which she works and lives. When she is not in court, she serves on a number of boards including Building Hope Today, Idaho for All, Your Health Idaho and the University of Idaho Law Advisory Council. In her free time, Tara enjoys volunteering in the community, backpacking, hiking, skiing and fly-fishing with her spoiled dog, Tequila.
Kelley Packer | Board Member
Executive Director, Idaho Association of Cities | Former State Representative
Kelley Packer is a dedicated public servant known for her service in Idaho politics. She's a Marsh Valley High School graduate with an Associate of Arts degree in business management from American Intercontinental University. In her professional life, Kelley currently serves as the Executive Director of the Idaho Association of Cities. She has served as a City Councilor in McCammon and contributed to the McCammon Beautification Committee. Kelley also chaired the Bannock County GOP from 2010 to 2012, shaping the Republican Party's direction. She served three terms in the Idaho House of Representatives, influencing state policies. Kelley is also a civil discourse facilitator for the National Institute for Civil Discourse. Her legacy is one of community engagement, political leadership, and a passion for civil discourse, leaving a lasting impact on Idaho.
Laurie Lickley | Board Member
Owner & Operator, Winecup L Cattle Company | Former State Representative
Laurie Lickley is a native of Salmon, ID and a 1990 graduate of the University of Idaho with a B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics. She and her husband raised their two children on the family’s century farm and ranch in Jerome. Along with the day-to-day ranch and farm operations in Idaho and Nevada, Laurie served as president of the Idaho Cattle Association, director of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, president of the Jerome Rotary, and food director of the Idaho Foodbank.
Laurie represented Idaho’s District 25A in the state House of Representatives from December 2018 to 2022. She ran for election to the Idaho State Senate representing District 26, narrowly losing to Democratic candidate Ron Taylor. While in the legislature, Laurie sat on the Environment, Energy and Technology Committee; Health and Welfare Committee; and the Resources and Conservation Committee.