Who Is Cheryl Thompson?
Cheryl Thompson is a corporate attorney and executive whose expertise centers on corporate transactions, securities, governance, and commercial law. She currently holds the position of Corporate Secretary for both IDACORP and Idaho Power.
Her appointment became effective May 25, 2024, following the retirement of longtime corporate secretary Pat Harrington. IDACORP and Idaho Power announced the promotion as part of a broader series of leadership changes.
The role places Thompson within an important part of the companies’ corporate governance structure. Although corporate secretaries are often less visible than chief executives or other senior officers, the position involves significant responsibility for governance processes, corporate records, board matters, and shareholder-related requirements.
IDACORP’s current leadership profile identifies Thompson as its Corporate Secretary and describes her previous role as Lead Counsel and Deputy Corporate Secretary for Idaho Power.
Facts about Cheryl Thompson Epicor
| Fact | Details |
| Full Name | Cheryl Thompson |
| Profession | Corporate Attorney and Executive |
| Current Position | Corporate Secretary |
| Companies | IDACORP, Inc. and Idaho Power |
| Appointment Date | May 25, 2024 |
| Previous Position | Lead Counsel and Deputy Corporate Secretary |
| Joined Idaho Power | 2016 |
| Legal Specialties | Corporate Law, Securities, M&A, Governance and Commercial Transactions |
| Previous Law Firm | Holland & Hart LLP |
| Earlier Employer | Bingham McCutchen LLP |
| Undergraduate Degree | B.A. in Political Science |
| Undergraduate University | Tufts University |
| Law Degree | Juris Doctor (J.D.) |
| Law School | Santa Clara University School of Law |
| Additional Education | University of Idaho Energy Executive Course |
| Energy-Sector Experience | 10+ years at Idaho Power as of 2026 |
| Career Focus | Corporate Governance, Securities, M&A and Energy Law |
| 2013 Recognition | Idaho Business Review “Leaders in Law” |
| Primary Professional Base | Boise, Idaho |
Educational Background
Cheryl Thompson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Tufts University before completing her Juris Doctor at Santa Clara University School of Law. Her law-school background provided the foundation for a career focused on corporate transactions and business law.
Her professional education continued beyond law school. In 2024, she completed the University of Idaho’s Energy Executive Course, adding specialized industry knowledge to her existing legal and corporate expertise. Idaho Power’s official biography confirms all three educational credentials.
Early Legal Career
A 2008 announcement from Holland & Hart states that she joined the firm’s Boise office as an associate in its business entities and transactions practice. The firm described her experience as including corporate matters such as mergers and acquisitions, commercial and intellectual-property transactions, private-equity financings, securities, and investment-fund evaluation.
Before Holland & Hart, Thompson worked as an associate in the Silicon Valley and San Francisco offices of Bingham McCutchen LLP. That experience placed her in an environment heavily involved in sophisticated corporate transactions and business law.
Her move to Boise in 2008 represented an important transition. Instead of remaining exclusively within the major California legal market, she continued developing her corporate-law career in Idaho, eventually moving from outside counsel to an in-house legal position.
Career at Idaho Power
Thompson joined Idaho Power in 2016 as the company’s Corporate, Securities and M&A Attorney. According to Idaho Power, her responsibilities included securities reporting and compliance, debt and equity securities, corporate finance and governance, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial and strategic transactions.
As an in-house attorney, Thompson was no longer advising clients from an external law firm alone. She became part of the company she was advising, allowing her legal work to operate directly within the company’s broader business and governance strategy.
Over the following years, she advanced to Lead Counsel and Deputy Corporate Secretary. That progression reflected an expanding role in corporate governance and positioned her for the corporate-secretary appointment in 2024.
Appointment as Corporate Secretary
In May 2024, Thompson reached the most senior publicly documented position in her career when she was appointed Corporate Secretary of IDACORP and Idaho Power.
The appointment followed Pat Harrington’s retirement after serving as corporate secretary since 2007. Thompson’s promotion therefore represented both a leadership transition and the continuation of an established governance function.
The position is more substantive than its title might initially suggest. A corporate secretary commonly helps maintain the formal infrastructure of corporate governance, including board and shareholder documentation, governance records, meeting processes, and related compliance responsibilities.
For a publicly traded utility holding company such as IDACORP, these duties are particularly important because corporate actions and shareholder matters must be documented and managed within a complex legal and regulatory framework.
Cheryl Thompson Career Timeline
| Year | Position or Milestone | Organization |
| Before 2008 | Associate, corporate law | Bingham McCutchen LLP |
| 2008 | Joined business entities and transactions practice | Holland & Hart LLP |
| 2016 | Corporate, Securities and M&A Attorney | Idaho Power |
| 2023 | Lead Counsel and Deputy Corporate Secretary | Idaho Power |
| May 2024 | Corporate Secretary | IDACORP and Idaho Power |
| 2024 | Completed Energy Executive Course | University of Idaho |
The timeline should be treated as approximate. The major career transitions are supported by company and law-firm sources.
What Her Career Says About Corporate Governance
Thompson’s career provides a useful example of how legal expertise can evolve into corporate leadership.
Her early experience in mergers and acquisitions and business transactions gave her exposure to complex commercial decisions. Her transition to Idaho Power allowed that legal knowledge to be applied within the operational environment of an energy company. Her subsequent advancement into corporate-secretarial responsibilities expanded her focus toward governance and organizational oversight.
Conclusion
Her career nevertheless offers a compelling example of how specialized legal experience can develop into senior corporate leadership. From private-practice M&A work to in-house counsel and, eventually, Corporate Secretary, Thompson has built her professional path around the legal and governance needs of complex organizations.
For readers researching her background, the most reliable conclusion is straightforward, Cheryl Thompson’s documented professional identity is rooted in corporate law, governance, and the energy sector, with IDACORP and Idaho Power at the center of her current career.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Cheryl Thompson?
Cheryl Thompson is a corporate attorney and executive who serves as Corporate Secretary of IDACORP and Idaho Power. She joined Idaho Power in 2016 and previously served as Lead Counsel and Deputy Corporate Secretary.
What did Cheryl Thompson study?
She earned a B.A. in Political Science from Tufts University and a J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law. She also completed the University of Idaho’s Energy Executive Course in 2024.
Did Cheryl Thompson work at Epicor?
There is no reliable evidence in the corporate and professional sources reviewed showing that the IDACORP executive Cheryl Thompson worked for Epicor. Her documented career includes Bingham McCutchen, Holland & Hart, and Idaho Power.
When did Cheryl Thompson become Corporate Secretary?
She became Corporate Secretary of IDACORP and Idaho Power effective May 25, 2024.
