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Anthropology (8)


Michael Bird

BS Anthropology

National Consultant
National Policy Council for AARP

Michael E. Bird is a Santo-Domingo/KEWA Pueblo Indian from New Mexico. Mr. Bird has more than 30 years of public health experience with Native American populations in the areas of medical social work, substance abuse prevention, health promotion and disease prevention, HIV/AIDS prevention, behavioral health, and healthcare administration.

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Marsha Gilford

BS Anthropology
BS Psychology

Southwest Regional Director, Corporate Affairs
The Kroger Co.

Marsha Gilford, Southwest Regional Director, Corporate Affairs for The Kroger Co., oversees government affairs, media relations, philanthropy and community relations for 139 Smith's store communities throughout a seven-state operational area. She has held her position as VP for the past 20 years.

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Earl Skidmore

BS Sociology
BS Anthropology

President (retired)
Northern California Chemical Association & Esbro Chemical

Earl S. Skidmore earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah where he majored in Sociology and Anthropology and earned minors in Zoology and Chemistry. Earl's studies at the University were interrupted by two years of service in the U.S. Navy. Later in his career, Earl returned to higher education earning a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University.

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Terri Fain

BS Anthropology
MS Sociology

Artist

Terri "T. C." Fain trained at the Skinner Museum of Art, Palo Alto Artist's League and University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She has also benefited from working with local artists and their styles including the abstraction of John Grillo, spare eastern beauty of Q Holmes, classical style of Barbara Johnson and spontanaiety of Louise Minks.

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Economics (55)


Jason Ware

BS Economics

Partner & Chief Investment Officer
Albion Financial Group

As the firm’s Chief Investment Officer Jason guides Albion and their clients through complex and ever-changing financial markets with a rigorous investment approach underpinned by a resolute core long-term philosophy. Jason, and the team of portfolio managers and analysts he leads, build durable evidence-based investment portfolios for clients in service to the financial planning his firm’s advisors (CFPs) do on the front end.

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Len Jordan

BS Economics

Managing Director
Madrona Venture Group

Len Jordan earned BS degrees in economics and finance from the University of Utah. Len served on the boards of twelve early-stage companies and on behalf of Frazier Technology Ventures currently serves on the board of Control4 (CTRL - Nasdaq).

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Douglas W. Jamison

MS Economics

Chairman & CEO
Harris and Harris Group

Mr. Jamison has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for the Harris and Harris Group since January 2009; as President and Chief Operating Officer from January 2005 to December 2008; as Treasurer from March 2005 to May 2008; as a Managing Director since January 2004; as Chief Financial Officer from January 2005 to December 2007; and as Vice President from September 2002 to December 2004.

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Jennifer Smith

HBA Economics
MS Economics

Executive Vice President & Chief Information Officer
Zions Bancorporation

Jennifer Smith is Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Zions Bancorporation. Smith previously served as director of Enterprise Operations and her responsibilities include executive leadership for the Customer Care Centers, as well as all Deposit, Treasury, and Lending Operations for Zions Bancorporation.

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Environmental and Sustainability Studies (4)


Sara Baldwin Auck

BS Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Regulatory Program Director
Interstate Renewable Energy Council

As IREC's Regulatory Program Director, Sara is responsible for managing the development of IREC's regulatory strategy, establishing priorities for engagement, and assisting with the strategy implementation.

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Brandon Lee

BA Political Science
BS Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Principal
ABS Consulting

Director, Environmental and Economic Policy and Regulation, Lee leads and manages projects related to environmental, regulatory, economic, and security risk-related issues for ABS Consulting, a maritime risk firm. He has led projects analyzing environmental impacts in the Western U.S., regional, national, and international air emissions and climate change, air and water regulations.

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Kelsey Howard

BS Geography
BS Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Research Consultant
Boulder Mountain Consulting, LLC

Kelsey Howard is currently attending graduate school at the University of Utah in the geography department. Her Master's research is focused on studying paleoecology and spring productivity in Utah's west desert by reconstructing past fire and vegetation histories, as well as past climates through the use of pollen and charcoal from wetland sediments.

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Jason Robison

BS Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Fellow
Harvard Kennedy School of Government at Harvard College

Professor Robison's research and teaching interests generally revolve around water law and related areas of environmental and natural resources law and policy. He began his work in this field while earning a B.S. in Environmental Studies at the University of Utah and subsequently completed a J.D. at the University of Oregon School of Law, as well as an LL.M. and S.J.D. at Harvard Law School.

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Family and Consumer Studies (14)


Abbirose Polityka

BA Family and Consumer Studies

Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Salt Lake County

Abbi provides services with respect for human dignity and promotes the individuality of the residents unrestricted by considerations of age, social or economic status, personal characteristics, sexual orientation or lifestyle. She strives to respect and promote residents’ rights of self-determination, making every reasonable effort to act in accordance with residents’ wishes.

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Melissa Freigang

BS Family and Consumer Studies

Executive Director
Weber Prosperity Center of Excellence

Melissa Freigang is the founding director of the Weber Prosperity Center of Excellence. The Center is unique, the first of its kind. It is a department of Weber County in partnership with the Weber-Morgan Health Department and Weber Human Services. Melissa blends her 25-years of experience in operational excellence with her expertise in human development, family resilience and intervention design to address the county’s most complex social challenges.

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Mary Chase Tommaney

BS Family and Consumer Studies

Advertising

Mary Chase Tommaney grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. She graduated from the University with a bachelor's degree in Home Economics and went on to the University of Southern California for a Masters in Merchandising. Returning to Salt Lake, she became Assistant Advertising Manager in a large fashion department store, later leaving for summer in Europe with school friends.

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Brooke Adams

MS Family and Consumer Studies

Communication Specialist
University of Utah

Brooke Adams is an award-winning veteran reporter who has covered everything from local government to technology and polygamy during the course of her career. She currently covers news for several departments and programs on campus as part of her role as communications specialist in the University Marketing and Communications Office. Brooke earned her master's degree in Human Development and Social Policy.

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Geography (8)


Richard A. Carter

BS Geography

Vice President of Government Relations
Pacific Gas and Electric Company

A native of Salt Lake City, Utah and a current resident of Arlington, Virginia, Rick Carter graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Utah's College of Social and Behavioral Science in Geography/Urban Planning and a Master's Degree in City and Regional Planning from The Ohio State University. He also affiliated with and was president of the Delta Sigma chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

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Merrill K. Ridd

BS Geography
MS Geography

Emeritus Professor
University of Utah

Merrill K. Ridd is an emeritus professor of geography. He graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in 1954 and MS in 1960. Ridd earned his PhD from Northwestern University in 1963. He is a Korean War veteran 1950-1956.

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Brian Haslam

BS Geography
MS Geography

President | CEO
Cityworks | Azteca Systems, Inc.

Brian Haslam earned his bachelor's degree from Geography in 1986, followed by his master's degree from Geography with a GIS emphasis in 1990 from the University of Utah. In 1986, he established Azteca Systems, Inc. to provide mapping update services for the US Forest Service Geometronics national mapping center located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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Don Lewon

BS Geography

Owner
Dixie Metal Recycling

Don Lewon has been an exemplary leader in and supporter of the University, the College, and the community. He received a B.S. in Geography from The University of Utah.

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Health, Society and Policy (6)


Elaine Peterson

BS Health, Society and Policy

Academic Program Manager
John A Moran Eye Center - University of Utah

Elaine started with the University of Utah in 1994, as part of the Health Sciences Development Office, and has been the Program Manager in Ophthalmology for 15 years. She oversees one ACGME-accredited residency program with a complement of twelve trainees, and seven non-ACGME fellowships with a total of eleven fellows.

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Alexis Lee

BA Health, Society and Policy

Programs Manager
University of Utah

Alexis Lee is a Programs Manager in Wellness and Integrative Health at the University of Utah. On the WIH Team, Alexis primarily helps to manage department finances, Wellness Outreach events, and ongoing program development. Alexis is a proud University of Utah graduate with a BA in Health, Society, and Policy and a BS in Exercise and Sport Science.

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Marlowe Dazley

BS Health, Society and Policy

Senior Vice President, Managing Director
Health Catalyst

Marlowe Dazley is senior vice president and managing director at Health Catalyst, a leading provider of data and analytics technology and services to healthcare organizations, committed to being the catalyst for massive, measurable, data-informed healthcare improvement.

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Nathan Vassiliades

BS Health, Society and Policy

Dentist & Owner
Queen Creek Smiles

Nathan Vassiliades completed a BS in Behavioral Science and Health and then went on to complete dental school at the Marquette University School of Dentistry. Nathan has volunteered for Give Kids a Smile, Sealants for Smiles, the American Red Cross, and Cancer Wellness House.

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Master of Public Administration (23)


Dave Jones

Master of Public Administration

Co-Founder
Pathway Associates

Dave Jones is a co-founder of Pathway Associates, a regional fundraising consulting firm specializing in capital campaigns. With over twenty years of fund raising experience, and nearly forty capital and major gift campaigns to his credit, Jones brings a wealth of experience to his clients and a sincere passion for their causes.

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Susan Chandler

Master of Public Administration

President
California Association for the Physically Handicapped, Inc

When Susan Chandler graduated, she was privileged to win the Dalmas Nelson award for her Thesis! She also applied for and got accepted into the CA State University/Sacramento & CA Governor??s Executive Fellowship Program. She worked for 10 months at the Staff, Services Analyst level for CalTrans at the EEO office in the Disability Program.

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Amanda K. Covington

HBS Mass Communications
Master of Public Administration

Executive Vice President, Communications & Government Affairs
Larry H. Miller Group of Companies

Amanda Covington has more than 20 years of experience leading corporate communications and government relations strategies impacting financial communications, crisis communications, domestic and international media/public relations, corporate branding and advertising, digital media, employee relations, public policy and legislation, industry associations, and community relations.

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Renee Morita

BS Political Science
Master of Public Administration

Adjunt Professor
University of Utah

Renee Morita received a degree in Political Science and a graduate degree in Public Administration, with an emphasis in Human Resources and Labor Relations form the University of Utah. While attending college, Renee completed several Hinckley Institute of Politics internships at the American Educational Research Association (Washington, D.C.); the League of Women Voters (Salt Lake City); and the Winterim Symposium (Washington, D.C.).

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Master of Public Policy (3)


Florian Hernandez

Master of Public Policy

Executive Director
Philippines Humanitarian

Florian Hernandez is the Executive Director for Philippines Humanitarian, a non-profit organization, providing funding for the education of impoverished children in the Philippines. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Utah and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Utah State University.

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Shawn Teigen

MS Master of Public Policy

Research Director
Utah Foundation

Shawn Teigen is the Lumina Foundation Strategy Labs State Policy Adviser for Utah. Lumina is the largest foundation in the United States that focuses solely on increasing Americans?? success in higher education. It works to increase the proportion of Americans with postsecondary credentials to 60% by 2025. Shawn is utilizing the resources of Lumina??s Strategy Labs with Utah leaders and influencers in an effort to help the state reach its attainment goals.

Read more about Shawn Teigen

Michael Parker

BS Political Science
Master of Public Policy

Vice President of Public Affairs, Marketing and Senior Economist
Ivory Homes

Michael P. Parker earned both his bachelor's in political science and master's degree in public policy with an emphasis in regional economic policy from the University of Utah. He currently serves as the Director of Public Policy for the Salt Lake Chamber.

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International Affairs and Global Enterprise (3)


Kyle Gray

MS International Affairs and Global Enterprise

Storyteller, Professional Speaker and Bestselling Author

Right after graduation Kyle was adjunct faculty teaching an entrepreneurship class called The Foundry, helping local Utah entrepreneurs. It was his experience during his degree program and later teaching that helped him get a job with a startup, whose business he helped to grow with annual recurring revenue using just online marketing.

Read more about Kyle Gray

Mark Pittman

MS International Affairs and Global Enterprise
BS Political Science
BS Economics

Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Blyncsy

Prior to starting Blyncsy, Mark worked in areas as diverse as political campaigns, start-ups, and even a Fortune 500 Company. Mark was Director of the Lassonde New Venture Development Program at the Pierre Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the University of Utah.

Read more about Mark Pittman

Jeremy Lindsey

MS International Affairs and Global Enterprise

Chief Operating Officer
Alpha Warranty Services

Jeremy Lindsey is a winner of the 2017 Utah Business Magazine CXO of the Year award and AE Magazine's Top 40 Under 40.

Read more about Jeremy Lindsey


Political Science (84)


Bill Crim

BA Political Science

President & CEO
United Way of Salt Lake (UWSL)

Bill Crim serves as President and CEO of United Way of Salt Lake (UWSL). Most recently, he worked as UWSL's Senior Vice President of Collective Impact and Public Policy. He has worked for over 23 years on issues related to economic opportunity, health care, education and poverty, first as a research fellow for the Coalition on Human Needs in Washington, D.C. and then as a researcher, policy analyst, community organizer, lobbyist, and executive director for Utah Issues.

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Renee Morita

BS Political Science
Master of Public Administration

Adjunt Professor
University of Utah

Renee Morita received a degree in Political Science and a graduate degree in Public Administration, with an emphasis in Human Resources and Labor Relations form the University of Utah. While attending college, Renee completed several Hinckley Institute of Politics internships at the American Educational Research Association (Washington, D.C.); the League of Women Voters (Salt Lake City); and the Winterim Symposium (Washington, D.C.).

Read more about Renee Morita

Yándary (Zavala) Chatwick

BS Political Science

Executive Director of Communications and Community Relations
Salt Lake City School District

Yándary recently moved back to Utah after five years in Washington, DC to take on the role of Communications Director for the Utah Democratic Party. She was previously Deputy Communications Director for Voto Latino, a non-partisan national nonprofit focused on using digital tools to bring 18-34 year old, English-speaking Latino Millennials into the US political process.

Read more about Yándary (Zavala) Chatwick

Brent Larsen

BS Political Science

Attorney & Partner
Deaner, Malan, Larsen & Ciulla

Brent Larsen is an attorney and partner at Deaner, Malan, Larsen & Ciulla in Las Vegas, Nevada. Brent's areas of legal practice are Real Property Law, Eminent Domain, Probate Litigation, Trust Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Business Organization and Real Estate Transactions. Brent holds bar admissions to the States of Nevada and Utah in addition to the U.S. District Court Districts of Nevada and Utah as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit.

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Psychology (31)


Maziar Nourian

BS Health, Society and Policy
Minor Psychology
Minor Chemistry

Mentor
LEAP College of Health Program

Maziar M. Nourian is a graduate from the University of Utah College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. He received his Bachelor of Science in Health Society and Policy as well as minors in Psychology and Chemistry ('13). Nourian will continue his education to complete a Doctor of Medicine in 2019.

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Mitchell Cox

BS Psychology

International Program Manager
Lucid Software

Mitchell Cox graduated with an Honors B.S. in Psychology from the University of Utah in December 2014. Passionate about people and technology, Mitchell enjoys building great tech products that provide exceptional user experiences. Outside of his professional work, Mitchell coaches CrossFit, is passionate about sexual assault education and prevention, and enjoys Utah's beautiful outdoors.

Read more about Mitchell Cox

Sydnie Simmons

BS Psychology
BS Sociology

Clinical Psychologist
OB/GYN Psychcare, PLLC

Sydnie Simmons is a licensed clinical psychologist currently specializing in maternal-infant health through a program I developed called OB/Gyn Psychcare. Her program has a focus in bringing awareness of the obstacles women, their partners, and their families face regarding emotional struggles during pregnancy and postpartum adjustment.

Read more about Sydnie Simmons

Jeremias Solari

BS Psychology
BS Economics
MS Economics

Assistant Director
Department of Workforce Services

Jeremias Solari graduated from the University of Utah in 2017, 2015, and 2012 with a masters and bachelors in economics, and a bachelors in psychology. Jeremias immigrated at the age of 10 to the United States from Argentina; profoundly impacting his perspective on work, society, economics, and culture.

Read more about Jeremias Solari


Sociology (23)


Nubia Peña, J.D.

BA Sociology

Director
Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs

Ms. Nubia Peña is the Director for the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs where their mission is to promote an inclusive climate for Utah's growing diverse community through training, outreach and youth leadership development. Ms. Peña is immensely grateful for the extensive experience acquired during the past 15 years working as a community organizer, advocate, and ally for marginalized populations.

Read more about Nubia Peña, J.D.

Earl Skidmore

BS Sociology
BS Anthropology

President (retired)
Northern California Chemical Association & Esbro Chemical

Earl S. Skidmore earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah where he majored in Sociology and Anthropology and earned minors in Zoology and Chemistry. Earl's studies at the University were interrupted by two years of service in the U.S. Navy. Later in his career, Earl returned to higher education earning a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University.

Read more about Earl Skidmore

Terri Fain

BS Anthropology
MS Sociology

Artist

Terri "T. C." Fain trained at the Skinner Museum of Art, Palo Alto Artist's League and University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She has also benefited from working with local artists and their styles including the abstraction of John Grillo, spare eastern beauty of Q Holmes, classical style of Barbara Johnson and spontanaiety of Louise Minks.

Read more about Terri Fain

Sara Starkey

BS Sociology

Vice President & General Counsel
Larry H. Miller Dealerships

Sarah Starkey joined the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies in October 2010 as Staff Attorney and now serves as General Counsel for Miller Automotive Operations. In her role, Sarah provides a broad range of legal counsel to Larry H. Miller Dealerships including acquisitions and divestment, state and federal automotive sales and service compliance, manufacture contracts and compliance, contract review and management, litigation, advertising review, risk management, employment and government relations.

Read more about Sara Starkey


Friend of CSBS (15)


Ibi Guevara

Friend of CSBS

Vice President of Business Development and Marketing
Hunt Electric

Ibi has been active in the Utah business community. She is a member of the Salt Lake Chamber, EDCUtah, Corporate Alliance, and the Society of Marketing Professional Services, and currently serves on the board of Urban Land Institute and serves on several NAIOP committees.

Read more about Ibi Guevara

Desmond C. Barker

Friend of CSBS

President
Des Barker Associates, Inc.

Desmond C. Barker is the president of Des Barker Associates, Inc., which provides public relations, government affairs, and business-to-business marketing consulting to the tourism, land development, manufacturing, mining, and telecommunications industries, areas he has specialized in for 12 years. He serves on the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce government affairs and transportation committees, among others.

Read more about Desmond C. Barker

J. Ralph Brown

Friend of CSBS

National Citizenship Chairman
National P.T.A.

J. Ralph Brown graduated from the University of Utah in 1935. While at the U, he was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity, served as a class officer, business manager of the campus magazine, and was selected to be part of both, Skull and Bones and, Owl and Key groups.

Read more about J. Ralph Brown

The Bright Future Foundation

Friend of CSBS

Non-Profit Organization

The Bright Future Foundation is a registered US non-profit organization and works to make a quality education more readily accessible to students domestically and those living in developing nations. This effort is based on the belief that education empowers individuals to pull themselves out of poverty.

Read more about The Bright Future Foundation

Last Updated: 4/28/23