PUBLIC RESEARCH DOSSIER · ORGANIZATION

Idaho Leaders United

4 published research records · Latest research 2026-09-15

LIVING DOSSIER

About Idaho Leaders United

Idaho Leaders United’s own updates page attributes numerous 2024 posts to Amanda Watson, including member profiles and issue statements. Watson is independently identified by Atlas Strategic Communications and public records as Atlas’s founder/president; Atlas’s own materials describe the firm as an issues-centric communications/public-affairs agency specializing in strategic communications, public engagement, media, paid media and stakeholder work. Idaho Leaders United’s current leadership separately includes retired Brig. Gen. Bill Shawver. Contemporary Idaho Business Review reporting from 2017 says Shawver retired from Idaho Power and co-founded a public-relations firm, Atlas Communications, while later/current Atlas materials describe Amanda Watson as founder. The precise historical ownership/formation sequence therefore needs corporate-record reconciliation. The evidence establishes (1) Watson personally authored substantial ILU website content, (2) Watson leads Atlas, and (3) ILU leader Shawver has a documented historical Atlas connection. It does NOT establish that Atlas is or…

From the published research record Idaho Leaders United content/personnel route intersects Atlas Strategic Communications (2026-09-15). Recorded status: Verified authorship/personnel-history overlap; paid vendor/client relationship between Atlas and Idaho Leaders United NOT established. Read the record for sources and qualifications. This excerpt has not yet been composed into an editorial biography.

Recent sourced additions

Newer published records appear here as excerpts. Their recorded status and qualifications remain attached to the full source record.

A Journal of Democracy article says Common Ground USA, Over Zero and the Carter Center are among national organizations partnering with or helping local groups such as Idaho Leaders United to reduce political violence.
DO NOT MERGE: Common Ground USA is Search for Common Ground’s U.S. program, not Dixon’s Common Ground—United We Stand · 2026-09-15
Recorded status: Verified separate organizational identities. Preserve as an explicit identity firewall.

15–16, 2026 public immigration-history program in the Wood River Valley is presented in partnership with Idaho Solutions, Idaho Leaders United, MWEG, St.
Idaho Solutions now partners with Idaho Leaders United, whose leadership includes Defend and Protect Idaho chair Gary Raney · 2026-09-15
Recorded status: Verified current program partnership and personnel/PAC leadership bridge; no Idaho Solutions→Defend and Protect funding or coordination established.

They do NOT establish that Atlas was a Reclaim vendor, that Amanda Watson personally performed the 2018 Atlas work, or that later Atlas/Idaho Leaders United/Idaho Solutions relationships were part of continuous coordination.
Primary Idaho filings map the 2018 Medicaid campaign’s Fairness Project, Reclaim-founder, health-system and Atlas relationships · 2026-09-15
Recorded status: PRIMARY VERIFIED campaign-finance relationships; no cross-cycle control or continuing vendor relationship inferred.

FOLLOW THE RECORD

Connections

These links have a specific explanation in a published research record. Open each record for the source, date, relationship type, and limits.

People

Gary Raney

Stated in published research

Idaho Solutions now partners with Idaho Leaders United, whose leadership includes Defend and Protect Idaho chair Gary Raney.

Read record and sources →

Other names appearing in the same research (14)

These are research overlaps for discovery, not documented relationships. Read the underlying records before drawing conclusions.

People

Amanda Watson · 2 shared records
Bill Shawver · 1 shared record
Charlie Conrad · 1 shared record
Chenele Dixon · 1 shared record
Emily Strizich · 1 shared record
Gary Raney · 1 shared record

PACs

Defend and Protect Idaho · 1 shared record
Way Back PAC · 1 shared record

Organizations

Atlas Strategic Communications · 2 shared records

SOURCED RECORD

Research & sources

These dated records accumulate as research is published. Each retains its original status, context, and source references.

Connection research · 2026-09-15Idaho Leaders United content/personnel route intersects Atlas Strategic Communications

Recorded status: Verified authorship/personnel-history overlap; paid vendor/client relationship between Atlas and Idaho Leaders United NOT established.

Idaho Leaders United’s own updates page attributes numerous 2024 posts to Amanda Watson, including member profiles and issue statements. Watson is independently identified by Atlas Strategic Communications and public records as Atlas’s founder/president; Atlas’s own materials describe the firm as an issues-centric communications/public-affairs agency specializing in strategic communications, public engagement, media, paid media and stakeholder work. Idaho Leaders United’s current leadership separately includes retired Brig. Gen. Bill Shawver. Contemporary Idaho Business Review reporting from 2017 says Shawver retired from Idaho Power and co-founded a public-relations firm, Atlas Communications, while later/current Atlas materials describe Amanda Watson as founder. The precise historical ownership/formation sequence therefore needs corporate-record reconciliation. The evidence establishes (1) Watson personally authored substantial ILU website content, (2) Watson leads Atlas, and (3) ILU leader Shawver has a documented historical Atlas connection. It does NOT establish that Atlas is or was a paid Idaho Leaders United vendor, that Watson authored the posts in her Atlas capacity, or that Shawver currently owns/works for Atlas.

Sources

Idaho Leaders United — Updates — 2024 update bylines
Atlas Strategic Communications — About Atlas — About Atlas
Idaho Business Review — Debra Leithauser hired to lead Idaho Power communications — Shawver retirement/Atlas reference
Idaho Leaders United — Leadership — Bill Shawver bio

This dossier reflects published research, including its uncertainties. Inclusion or association alone does not establish wrongdoing. Submit a correction or additional evidence →