Graduate of Salmon River High School, Riggins; 38 years of business experience founding multiple businesses with husband, Guy, encompassing logging, trucking, ranching, tourism, aerial firefighting, back country freight, and powerline construction; member of the Salmon River Community Church; past Grangeville JSD#241 school board member and founding Salmon River JSD#243 school board chairman; current secretary of the Helicopter Association International (HAI) Restricted & Experimental Category Aircraft (RECA) Working Group and member of the HAI Utilities, Patrol, and Construction (UPAC) Working Group; resides on the family ranch along Salmon River which has been in the Carlson family for almost 100 years; spouse: Guy, married for 40 years; four children; eight grandchildren.