WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) today announced the following senior staff promotions and hires in his regional and Washington, D.C. offices:

Mike Mathews, who has been with Senator Risch since joining the U.S. Senate in 2009, has been promoted to Idaho Deputy Chief of Staff. Mathews has nearly 30 years of experience, including positions with Senators McClure and Craig. He will continue to serve as Regional Director of Twin Falls and work out of the regional office as he assumes his new administrative duties.

Rachel Burkett has accepted her promotion to State Director, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the state in addition to her role as Boise Regional Director. Burkett, who likewise has been with Senator Risch since the beginning of his Senate tenure including almost 10 years in Washington, D.C., will continue to operate out of the Boise office.

Mike Roach, who served as Senator Risch’s Natural Resources Director since 2009 and previously held positions running Senator Risch’s Lewiston office and serving on a Resource Advisory Council for the Bureau of Land Management, is retiring at the end of the year. Roach served as the senator’s eyes on the ground, building relationships and solving problems in every corner of Idaho. He is an influential voice in the resource management community, lending his expertise on issues like public rangeland ecology and sage grouse management. His leadership will be missed.

Replacing Roach as State Natural Resources Director is McCall native Darren Parker. Parker was an original member of the legislative team assembled in Senator Risch’s Washington, D.C. office where he served for nearly 10 years as a Legislative Assistant and subsequently as Legislative Director. He is an expert on natural resources issues, ranging from forestry to species management, and will assume his new role out of the Boise regional office.

Marty Cozza, who joined the office in 2019 as Senator Risch’s Press Secretary, will now serve as Communications Director. Cozza (née Boughton) grew up in Hailey and Boise and her parents, Lynn and Jeff Wood, now reside full-time in McCall. Before arriving in Risch’s office, Cozza previously worked in the House of Representatives. She will continue to operate out of the Washington, D.C. office as she assumes her new role.

“I am fortunate to have a very dedicated and competent staff in both my Idaho and Washington, D.C. offices, many of whom have been with me for more than a decade,” said Risch. “Each of these individuals is committed to serving the state of Idaho, and I am confident they will continue to ensure a standard of excellence well into the next Congress and beyond.”

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