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Anthropology (8)


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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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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Economics (55)


Raj Dhaliwal

BS Economics

Associate Attorney
Ray Quinney & Nebeker

Mr. Dhaliwal is an associate with Ray Quinney & Nebeker, practicing in the firm’s Corporate/Business, Employment, Real Estate, Cybersecurity and Privacy, and Health Care sections. Specifically, Mr. Dhaliwal focuses on business, real estate, and health care transactions, including entity formation and planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and corporate compliance.

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Mark Hardy

HBS Political Science
Economics

Managing Director
Deerwood Capital Group

Mark has spent his career in the Private Equity Market, either as a Private Equity Investment Professional or as an Advisory Consultant to Private Equity Firms and privately held businesses. Most recently Mark assisted privately held businesses prepare for realization, develop exit strategies and execute sales.

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Jewell Rasmussen

BS Economics

Chairman of Economics Dept. (retired)
University of Utah

Dr. Rasmussen graduated from Snow College in 1929 prior to attending the University of Utah where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics. He embarked on his teaching career at Granite High School and concurrently pursued his masters degree in economics at the University of Utah, receiving his graduate degree in 1936.

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Joel Clark

BS Economics
MBA

CEO & Founder
Kodiak Cakes

Joel’s story is a one of perseverance. When his brother Jon handed operations of Kodiak Cakes over to him in 1997, Joel was a 23-year-old economics major attending the University of Utah. Over the next 12 years, Joel juggled side jobs, earned an MBA from Oxford University, and he still found time to make Kodiak Cakes a success.

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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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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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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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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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Carol Heap

Family and Consumer Studies

Cook & Seamstress

Carol graduated from the University of Utah, magna cum laude, in home economics education in 1978. She was a member of Omicron Nu, the honor society for home economics majors (now known as Kappa Omicron Nu). She taught for one year at Hillcrest High School from 1978 to 1979. She married David Heap in 1979, and after the end of the school year, they moved to the Washington ,D.C. area for nine years, and then to Phoenix, Arizona in 1988.

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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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Geography (8)


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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Charles Sensiba

BS Geography

Partner
Troutman Sanders LLP

Charles Sensiba is a partner in the law firm of Van Ness Feldman, LLP, in Washington, DC. He provides strategic counsel and legal representation to public utility districts, state governmental entities, investor-owned utilities, water districts, independent power producers, and developers on the full spectrum of complex licensing, natural resources, and environmental issues related to hydropower development.

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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

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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Health, Society and Policy (6)


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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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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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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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)


Flynn A. Andrizzi

Master of Public Administration

President
Hoag Hospital Foundation

Dr. Andrizzi is the President of the Hoag Hospital Foundation and Senior Vice President for Development, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. In this role he serves as a member of Hoag’s senior management team and leads the overall development operations for Hoag. Dr. Andrizzi has spent over 25 years as a leader in the non-profit sector.

Read more about Flynn A. Andrizzi

Robert Spendlove

Master of Public Administration

Senior Vice President & Economic and Public Policy Officer
Zions Bank

Robert is a Senior Vice President and the Economic and Public Policy Officer for Zions Bank. In this capacity he monitors and reports on economic indicators and public policy developments for the bank. Founded in 1873, Zions Bank is Utah's oldest financial institution and it operates locations in communities throughout the Intermountain West.

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Phyllis Hockett

Master of Public Administration

Principal & Co-Founder
Pathway Associates

Phyllis Hockett is a dedicated philanthropist, and believes in the transformative power of the generosity of volunteers and of donors. Her philosophy of nonprofit sustainability is founded on the principle of abundance and the enormous potential that generosity holds for our world and the nonprofit organizations that serve it.

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Nichol Bourdeaux

Master of Public Administration

Chief Communications and Marketing Officer
Utah Transit Authority

Nichol Bourdeaux has over 20 years of experience working in communications and public administration. As the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer for the Utah Transit Authority she oversees, PR & Marketing, Customer Service, Community Relations, Customer Experience, and Innovative Mobility Solutions. Before serving in her current position at UTA, Ms. Bourdeaux served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Mayor Ralph Becker, in Salt Lake City.

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Master of Public Policy (3)


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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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.

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International Affairs and Global Enterprise (3)


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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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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Political Science (84)


Carl Churchill

BS Political Science
MBA

Chief Coffee Officer
Alpha Coffee

Carl and his wife Lori co-founded Alpha Coffee starting in their basement on Sept 11, 2010 as an online purveyor of specialty coffee, roasted fresh in small batches and mailed directly to customer’s homes. Since then Alpha has grown to over $1M in annual sales and includes a wholesale program, 2 brick and mortar stores at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon and in West Jordan , a coffee truck, and an expanded online presence and Amazon Prime.

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Kem C. Gardner

BA Political Science

Chairman
The Gardner Company

Kem C. Gardner earned a bachelor's in political science from the University of Utah in 1967 and a juris doctor from the S.J. Quinney College of Law in 1970.

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Jason Barlow

BS Political Science

Senior Vice President
Global Marketing Operations & Analytics at Gallagher

Jason Barlow has been a U fan since childhood and is passing along his enthusiasm for the University of Utah to his children. A founding member of The MUSS, he treasures the camaraderie and tight-knit family of sports fans that have become his lifelong friends.

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Ross Romero

BS Political Science

Principal
Inclusion Strategies

Ross Romero is a Salt Lake City-based attorney & consultant with an extensive background in commercial litigation, labor and employment, and government relations. Ross currently is the Principal at Inclusion Strategies. Ross assists clients with government relations needs at the local, state and National level and is consulting in the diversity and inclusion area, with an emphasis in workforce and talent development.

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Psychology (31)


Hollie Pettersson

PhD Psychology
MS Education Leadership & Policy
MS School Psychology, Special Education

Partner
Cicero Group/Ed Direction

Hollie started her career teaching adjudicated youth in 1994, over the years she broadened her experience by teaching in elementary, middle and high school classrooms. As a licensed psychologist she worked with individuals, families, and schools to build trauma informed practices and increase social and emotional learning.

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Lace Padilla

PhD Psychology

Assistant Professor
University of California Merced

Dr. Lace Padilla is an assistant professor in the Cognitive and Information Sciences department at the University of California Merced. She received a Ph.D. in Cognitive and Neural Sciences and an MFA in Design from the University of Utah. Padilla and collaborators were recently awarded an NSF RAPID award to study uncertainty in COVID-19 data visualizations.

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D. Brent Scott

BS Psychology

Past President of the Alumni Association
University of Utah

D. Brent Scott had a remarkable history of leadership throughout his life. After a short stint in the U.S. Navy from 1945-46, Mr. Scott earned his B.S. in psychology from The University of Utah. He founded Scott Machinery Company, where he served as its president for many years. He served as chair of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Utah, as a member of the Board of Governors of the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, and as a member of the Utah House of Representatives.

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Sean Meegan

MS Psychology
Ph.D. Psychology

Adjunct Professor
University of Utah

Sean Meegan was born and spent his childhood in New York and moved around a good deal. He did a BS in Psychology at St. Louis University in 1993 and a PhD in Developmental Psychology at the U. in 1999.

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Sociology (23)


Douglas L. Anderton

BS Economics
MS Economics
Ph.D. Sociology

Chair of the Department of Sociology at the College of Arts and Sciences
University of Utah

Dr. Douglas L. Anderton, a renowned researcher in the growing field of social epidemiology and epigenetics, is the Chair of the Department of Sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Carolina.

Read more about Douglas L. Anderton

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

Shawn Newell

BS Sociology

Vice President of Business Development
Industrial Supply Company

Shawn is the Vice President of Business Development at Industrial Supply Company where he has worked for the past 35 years. He serves as a community integrator working as the vice president of the Salt Lake Branch of the NAACP, a former Commissioner on the Governor’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Human Rights Commission and is on the executive Board of the Utah Black Round Table.

Read more about Shawn Newell

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.


Friend of CSBS (15)


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

April Northstrom

Friend of CSBS

Grant Writing & Prospect Research Associate
Pathway Team

April Northstrom is a Grant Writing and Prospect Research Associate with the Utah Nonprofit Consultants Pathway team. She began her nonprofit career as an intern with the Make-A-Wish Foundation?? of Utah and has since worked as a development professional with nonprofits across the United States, including the American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana, Goodwill Industries of Northeast Indiana and Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

Read more about April Northstrom

Matthew Theel

Friend of CSBS

Special Education Teacher
Canyons School District

William Matthew Theel graduated from the University of Utah in May of 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Ethnic Studies. Formerly under the College of Social and Behavioral Science, it is now housed under the School of Social and Cultural Transformation.

Read more about Matthew Theel

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

Last Updated: 4/28/23