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Anthropology (8)


Caroline Gleich

BS Anthropology

Professional ski mountaineer, Adventure Athlete, and Environmental Activist
Big Mountain Dreams

Caroline Gleich moved west from the frozen hills of Minnesota age at 15 and began to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a professional skier. Now she is sponsored by the likes of Patagonia, Zeal Optics, Clif Bar, Atomic skis, Thule, Nemo, Glide stand up paddle boards, Quickblade paddles, among others, and shreds with the best nearly every day of the season.

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Edward R. Christensen

BS Anthropology
MS Anthropology
Ph.D. Anthropology

Docent
Utah Museum of Natural History

Edward R. Christensen has achieved wide intellectual, accomplishments in a variety of academic and professional fields, and is devoted to civic and social service. He graduated from the, University of Utah in 1948 with a B.S. in Chemistry and an M.S. in, Chemistry in 1949. Edward then completed his Ph.D. in Anthropology, in 2009.

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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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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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Economics (55)


Sean Slatter

BS Economics

CEO
Logistic Specialties, Inc.

Sean Slatter is internationally recognized as a leading expert in government business. For over two decades, Slatter has consulted with 43 of the top 50 Fortune 500 companies. His list of clients includes Lockheed, Boeing, IBM, Raytheon, and General Dynamics.

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John Pingree

BA Economics

Executive Director
Semnani Foundation

John Pingree received his undergraduate degree from the U in economics and went on to get his MBA from Harvard University in 1966. He was regional manager for sales planning for Xerox Corporation from 1967 to 1970 and then moved on to Memorex Corporation, where he was director of marketing from 1970 to 1975.

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Samantha Terry

BS Economics

Client Services Manager
Investor Reporting

Ms. Terry graduated from the U in 2007 with a degree in Economics. After graduating, she moved to Los Angeles, California where she works as an Investor Services Associate with CBRE Global Investors in downtown Los Angeles.

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Michael Anderson

BS Economics

Vice President, Trade and Industry Affairs
Corn Refiners Association

Michael Anderson is Vice President, Trade & Industry Relations for the Corn Refiners Association (CRA), the trade association representing the corn milling industry. He has over 25 years of experience in international trade, agriculture, and economics in the government and private sector.

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Environmental and Sustainability Studies (4)


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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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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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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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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Family and Consumer Studies (14)


Barbara Vance

BS Family and Consumer Studies

Professor
Brigham Young University

Barbara Vance earned a bachelor's in family and consumer studies from the University of Utah in 1956. She received a master's in human development from Brigham Young University in 1959 and went on to earn a Ph.D. in counseling from Stanford University.

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Karen White Fairbanks

BS Family and Consumer Studies

Owner
Fairbanks, Inc.

Karen White Fairbanks,a lifelong resident of Ogden, manages Fairbanks, Inc., a national purchasing cooperative in the underground piping industry, with her husband Rick. Previously, they owned and operated the industrial piping firm W.R. White Company. Karen earned her bachelor's degree in Home Economics.

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Steve Alder

BS Family and Consumer Studies
MS Family Ecology

Chief, Division of Public Health
University of Utah

Stephen C. Alder, Ph.D., is a two time graduate of the College of Social and Behavior Sciences at the University of Utah through the Department of Family and Consumer Studies. He received a Bachelor of Science in Environment and Behavior 1992 and a Master of Science in Family Ecology 1996.

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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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Geography (8)


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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Teri Klug

BS Geography

President & Founder
Strategic Development LLC

Teri Klug is the community outreach director for Visit Salt Lake and is responsible for engaging with all constituents of Salt Lake County, with a learn, serve, grow together approach to the Visitor’s Economy. She also helps people better understand importance and value of visitors and define individual product offerings inside the fabric of each of 17 communities within Salt Lake County.

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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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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.

Read more about Kelsey Howard


Health, Society and Policy (6)


Frank Ulibarri

BS Health, Society and Policy

Market President
Aetna - Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi

As President of Aetna, Mr. Ulibarri is responsible for leading local markets in Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi overseeing sales, network development, and operations for commercial group, individual and government businesses. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer for Coventry Health Care of Florida, and was later named Aetna Market Executive Director in 2013.

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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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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)


Julie Newland

Master of Public Administration

Contract Specialist
Department of the Interior, National Park Service

Julie Newland graduated from the Executive MPA program in 2008. Since graduation, she has worked as a Contract Specialist for the Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

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Jennifer Seelig

Master of Public Administration
Ph.D. Political Science

Community Empowerment Director
City of Salt Lake

Jennifer Maurine Seelig has been involved in politics and public service for more than decade at a policy-making and leadership level. She was a policy and research analyst for the Salt Lake City Council between 1995 and 2000, handling such sensitive and critical issues relating to crime control, budget compliance within the administrative office, community relations, and public meetings involving the City Council.

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Leonidas Ralph Mecham

BS Political Science
Master of Public Administration

Director
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

Leonidas Mecham graduated from the University of Utah with highest honors,receiving a B.S. in Political Science in 1951, a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard University in 1963, and a J.D. from George Washington University.

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Janine Donald

Master of Public Administration

Executive Director
Elements Traverse

Janine is the Executive Director at Splore, a nonprofit adventure company which specializes in providing life-changing outdoor adventures for people of all abilities. Donald is an alumna of Pacific University in Oregon and in 2012, received her Master in Public Administration from the University of Utah.

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Master of Public Policy (3)


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.

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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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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)


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.

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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.

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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.

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Political Science (84)


Ellis Ivory

BS Political Science

Founder & Retired CEO
Ivory Homes

Ellis R. Ivory ( B.S. Political Science) is the founder and retired CEO of Ivory Homes,Utah's top homebuilder for 22 consecutive years, with nearly 50 locations along the Wasatch Front and St. George. Ellis began his real estate business in 1964, after graduating from the University of Utah.

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Matthew Wilson

BS Political Science

Dean, Temple University Japan Campus
President, Temple Educational Support Services Ltd.

Matthew Wilson was recently appointed by Temple University as head of its campus in Tokyo. Temple University, Japan Campus serves approximately 4,000 undergraduate, graduate, professional, and non-degree students in Tokyo. Before accepting this post, Wilson served as President of the University of Akron and Missouri Western State University.

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Christian Gardner

BS Political Science

President & CEO
The Gardner Company

Christian Gardner is president and CEO of The Gardner Company, a full service real estate company specializing in the development of corporate office, retail, industrial and medical buildings. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah and holds a master of science in real estate development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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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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Psychology (31)


Jed Elison

BA Psychology

Assistant Professor
University of Minnesota

Jed T. Elison was born in Blackfoot, Idaho. With the exception of a formative year spent in Boston as a young child (developing into a Red Sox fan), he grew up in southeast Idaho. While both of his parents and 3 of his 5 older brothers took bachelors degrees from Brigham Young University, Jed earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology (2005) and English Literature (2005) from the University of Utah.

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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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Jane Hahn

BS Psychology

Owner & Educational Consultant
My College Advocate, LLC

Jane Hahn is the President of My College Advocate, LLC, a comprehensive college counseling practice that works closely with students to help them discover the best educational path for their goals and objectives,while fostering an environment that builds their confidence, self-advocacy, productivity, and personal success.

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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


Sociology (23)


Leigh VandenAkker

BS Sociology

Teacher/Author
Salt Lake City School District

Leigh M. VandenAkker is Utah's 2012 Teacher of The Year and winner of Utah's 2011 Golden Apple Award. She is a 2015 recipient of the prestigious Huntsman Award and the 2016 PeaceKeeper Award. As co-author of Techniques for Tough Times TM, Leigh has trained teachers nationwide, providing insight and support by educating teachers in classroom management and how to teach SEL. She presented recently on Whole Child vs. No Child at SXSWEDU.

Read more about Leigh VandenAkker

Mark Arego

BS Sociology

Case Manager
Salt Lake County Felony Drug Court

Mark graduated from the Master of Social Work program in 2013, after completing two undergraduate degrees in Social Work and Sociology. He now works for Salt Lake County Felony Drug Court as a case manager. His ultimate goal is to a therapist within drug court program.

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Geraldine Mineau

Ph.D. Sociology

Researcher
Huntsman Cancer Institute

Geri Mineau PhD is an Investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and Research Professor at the University of Utah. Dr. Mineau is a demographer (with a doctorate from the Sociology Department at the University of Utah) who was the director of the Utah Population Database from 1994 to 2010.

Read more about Geraldine Mineau

James (Jim) Brass

BS Sociology

City Council Member
City of Murray

Jim Brass has more tenure on the city council than any other elected official in Murray. He is serving his fourth term as District 3 council member, taking his first oath-of-office in 2004. Prior to election Jim was a commissioner on the Murray City Planning Commission providing a wealth of land use experience.

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Friend of CSBS (15)


Theresa Martinez

Friend of CSBS

Associate Professor of Sociology
University of Utah

Theresa Martinez completed her Ph.D. in Sociology in 1990 at the University of New Mexico and is currently Associate Professor of Sociology and former Assistant Vice President for Academic Outreach at the University of Utah. Her teaching and research deal with issues of race, class and gender, deviant behavior, juvenile delinquency, and popular culture.

Read more about Theresa Martinez

Irwin Altman

Friend of CSBS

Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science & VP for Academic Affairs
University of Utah

Irwin Altman earned a bachelor's from New York University in 1951. He continued to pursue his studies in psychology at the University of Maryland, where he earned a master's and a Ph.D. in 1957.

Read more about Irwin Altman

R. Christian Sonne

Friend of CSBS

Practice Leader
Self Storage Valuation Group at CBRE

R. Christian Sonne is a Executive Managing Director at Cushman & Wakefield and the Specialty Group Manager of the Self Storage Industry Group. An appraiser and real estate economist by training, Chris started Self Storage Economics in 2002 because of the growing sophistication of the self storage asset class and market demand for quantified self storage data and conclusions.

Read more about R. Christian Sonne

Stanley Mulaik

Friend of CSBS

Retired Professor
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)

Stanley Allen Mulaik has had a long association with the U. In 1939, at age 4, he began his schooling at the University of Utah in the Nursery School in the Home Economics department. (His parents were students, then faculty in the biology department next door). He next attended kindergarten in 1940 in Stewart School diagonally across the street (which later became the Anthropology Department) and went on for the next 9 years there to 'graduate' in 9th grade In 1950.

Read more about Stanley Mulaik

Last Updated: 4/28/23