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Leadership Team
The leadership team for Community Council of Idaho, Inc. is composed of the agency’s directors and executive management. Together, along with the CEO, they strive to continue to move the agency forward.
Ruben Lugo, Chief Operating Officer
Ruben Lugo is the Chief Operating Officer for the Community Council of Idaho. He holds an AAS and bachelor’s degree from Boise State University. He also has extensive training and certifications in social services, grants management, federal regulations, and clinic operations. He’s been working in human services space for almost 30 years. In those 30 years Ruben has held several positions. One that he especially remembers is being Teacher for preschool children. It helped him develop a strong foundation of building curiosity and excitement for learning that helps him in his leadership role. Ruben is not native to Idaho but has called it home for 24 years.
Wanda Davis, Chief Finance Officer
COMING SOON
Liz Manz, Human Resource Officer
EManz@ccimail.org
COMING SOON
Korene Gonzalez, Employment and Training Director
In addition to being the Director of Employment and Training, Korene is also the Program and Grant Administrator of the Department of Labor National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) at the Community Council of Idaho. She brings over 21 years of effective leadership, program design, resource development and coalition building in Twin Falls County experience. In 2018 she celebrated 30 years of dedicated service with CC Idaho. She is a member of the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP), the Idaho State Board of Education Taskforce on Hispanic Education, and the Midwest Association of Farmworker Organizations (MAFO).
Arnold Cantu, Clinic Administrator
Arnold Cantu has been working for the Community Council of Idaho for 5 years. He is now the Clinic Administrator, and prior to that he worked for the State of Idaho for 23 years as a counselor at the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Arnold attended the University of Alabama for three years and completed his degree in Human Resources and Training Development at Idaho State University. He went on to complete his Masters in Counseling at Western Washington University. He recently completed the Executive Training program in Health Care Administration at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
Little known fact: He collects antique sports books.
Rose-Hermance Rony,
Immigration Director & Attorney
Rrony@ccimail.org
Originally from Haiti, Rose-Hermance Rony moved to the U.S as a teenager. She received a bachelor’s degree in History from La Sierra University, and from Concordia University received both a Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Instruction and a Juris Doctorate.
Prior to entering law school, Ms. Rony taught elementary and middle school students for over ten years, where she earned a teacher of the year award every year for nine years. While in law school, Ms. Rony was also awarded the 2020 Diversity Leadership, the 2020 Pro Bono, and the 2020 Civility award. She was also a recipient of the Cali Award for Law Practice Technology in 2019.
During her years in law school, Ms. Rony started a National Lawyers Guild chapter at the school, served as the student liaison for Domestic Violence Court and the International Rescue Committee, and was a student ambassador completing over 25 hours of service. Ms. Rony also completed over 300 hours of pro bono services and started a Legal Knowledge class for immigrants to learn more about U.S. laws. Her success in initiating this class was highlighted in the January 2020 edition of Idaho’s Advocate Magazine.
Ms. Rony interned for Legal Aid of West Palm Beach where she translated documents from English to French and Haitian Creole. She also volunteered for the Idaho Legal Aid and the International Rescue Committee, where she received an Intern of the Year commendation for her services. She also participated in both the housing and criminal clinic of her school, served as Guardian ad Litem for ADA county, was the 2020 Deputy Administrative Editor of her school’s Law Review Journal, and volunteered for Judge Ellis for the Parental Right Termination Court.
Ms. Rony is passionate about the plights of immigrants and is dedicated to helping them navigate the complex legal system of the United States. Since law school, she has continued working in immigration and improving her knowledge. She is attending the Idaho Academy of Leadership for Lawyers Program and will graduate in May 2022. She also serves as the Chair of the Idaho AILA Chapter. Ms. Rony is currently licensed to practice in the State of Idaho. She is a member of the Idaho chapter of American Inns of Court, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Idaho Woman Lawyers, and the Haitian Association of Lawyers.
Merissa Douglas, Occupancy & Compliance Specialist
Merissa Douglas is an Occupancy and Compliance Specialist with over thirteen years of compliance experience while working in the tax and finance arena. She received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 2009. Merissa specializes in affordable housing and housing management with an emphasis in economic and community development and is working on her certifications in Rental Housing Development Finance and Housing Development Finance. Though born in Virginia, she considers herself an Idaho native as most of her childhood and adulthood has been spent in Idaho, particularly the Treasure Valley.
Merissa lives in rural Idaho where she raises chickens and rabbits. She also loves graphic and website design and giving back to her community. She’s always ready for a fundraiser.