Class Notes | Fall 2021
- 1950s
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Marlene Barnett AS ’51 was named 1950 Homecoming Queen, and was involved in the Singing Musettes, a performing student group. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Utah in 1953, she moved to the East Coast, where she taught elementary school for 23 years in Washington, DC, New York City, and State College, Pennsylvania. Marlene returned to Utah in 1981, and taught for an additional 17 years in the Weber School District, retiring in 1998. Motivated by the years of music experience she had at Weber, she has been in singing groups for most of her life. Marlene served for eight years on the Weber County Library Board, and 12 years on the Symphony Association Board. In 2009, Marlene was honored by Ogden City in the Mayor’s Awards in the Arts with a Lifetime Contribution to the Arts award. Marlene has three children and lives in Ogden.
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- 1960s
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Orrin J Sharp BS ’67 is a retired president and CEO of Dows Investment Corp. Industrial and Commercial Developments in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He attributes his career success to the manufacturing engineering program at 91Ƶ. He has been married to Suzanne Shepherd Sharp since 1967. They have three children and nine grandchildren.
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Donald Godfrey BS ’68 is an Arizona State University professor emeritus of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. He is the author of 15 journalism, history, and family history books, including titles such as In Their Footsteps (2018), C. Francis Jenkins, Pioneer of Film and Television (2014) and Methods of Historical Analysis in Electronic Media (2006). He is a producer and media consultant, and worked in corporate communications from 1985–2012 doing advertising, public relations and corporate video. He worked in television production, as an IBEW sound engineer for KIRO Television, in Seattle, Washington, from 1969–1981, where he worked in news and production. He was the recipient of the Broadcast Education Association’s BEA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. He lives in Queen Creek, Arizona.
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- 1970s
- J. Bryan Gilbert BA ’78 received his doctor of dental surgery (DDS) in 1982 from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. He founded, owned and operated Gilbert Family Dental in Ogden, Utah, where he worked for nearly 40 years. He is a member of both the American and Utah Dental Association, and has served as the Weber Dental Society President. He retired in December 2020. During his first year at 91Ƶ, he was on the swim team. His wife, Ann Avondet Gilbert BS ’79, was a student athlete as well, and competed in volleyball, basketball and softball for all four years. They married in 1983. Ann taught English, and coached volleyball, basketball, and track and field at Davis High School. She later became a stay-at-home mother. They have four children, three of whom are 91Ƶ graduates.
- 1980s
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Steven “Steve” Mayfield BS ’81 retired in 2019 after 38 years in law enforcement, where he worked on high- profile cases that made US national news, such as the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case. He worked for 25 years as a crime scene photographer and crime lab tech for the Salt Lake City Police Department. He previously worked as a file clerk for the FBI in San Francisco from 1973–1977. He also worked as a deputy sheriff in Jefferson County, Colorado, from 1981–1990. He lives in Layton, Utah.
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Brent Jacobsen BS ’83 is the president and CEO of Big Prairie Ventures Inc., a distribution and logistics enterprise. Previously, he served as VP and general manager of Life Science for IMI Precision Engineering. Brent received his MBA in general management from Brigham Young University. Brent has worked in various commercial, strategy and new product development roles with global, publicly traded medical device companies, such as C.R. Bard, Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic, as well as venture-funded startups. Brent and his wife, Tammy, and their family live in the Denver metro area.
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Former US Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins Katzfey BS ’85 is a CPA by trade. She served for a decade in Congress, representing Kansas. She served as vice chair of the Republican House Conference, and on the Ways and Means Committee as chair of the Oversight Subcommittee. Prior to her time in Congress, she served six years as the Kansas state treasurer, and one term in both the Kansas House of Representatives and Senate. She received an associate’s degree from Kansas State University in 1985. She is currently working as a senior policy advisor for Capitol Hill Policy Group, focusing on federal policy issues relating to tax, trade and healthcare. She and her husband, Jerry Katzfey, live in Eudora, Kansas.
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Stephanie Kawamura AS ’89, BS ’91, MS ’94 received her PhD in educational psychology in 2004 from Capella University. She is the coordinator for 91Ƶ Student Support Services - STEM (SSS-STEM), a grant-funded program that provides academic support primarily to first-generation and low-income students with majors in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
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- 1990s
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Michael Wilcox BS ’93 is an opthamologist for Utah Eye Centers, specializing in cataract, LASIK and glaucoma surgery. He received his MD from the Medical University of South Carolina, with honors and national recognition for his research in ocular lens implants. He completed his ophthalmology residency at the University of Utah. Dr. Wilcox is one of the few select surgeons who instructs other surgeons worldwide with the latest technologies and refinements in cataract advancements at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery conference every year. Over the past 20 years, he’s performed over 20,000 cataract and LASIK procedures, and has been recognized as one of the top 100 LASIK surgeons in the nation. He is also an accomplished instrument rated pilot. Michael serves as a mentor in the 91Ƶ Leadership to Legacy Program. He and his wife, Stephanie Wilcox BA ’94 live in Farmington, Utah.
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Miller Atagi ’94 is a social worker with the Ogden School District. For 27
years, he has helped show incarcerated youth a better path in life through education. He is also a hospice social worker. Miller is currently serving on the 91ƵAA Board of Directors. He and his wife, Jennifer Atagi AA ’92, live in South Weber, Utah. -
Aimee Martinez Thoman BA ’95 is a member of the investigative council for
the Utah Judicial Conduct Commission. In addition to her education from 91Ƶ, she earned a Juris Doctorate from Brigham Young University in 1998. She has worked in public service for seven years. She works with Weber State students to edify the Utah Chinese Immersion program. She is currently serving on the 91ƵAA Board of Directors. Her husband, Ash Thoman MBA ’11, is a civil engineer with Weber County. They support 91Ƶ athletics and on-campus forums available to the community. They have two daughters, and live in North Ogden, Utah. -
Christina “Chris” Haddow Millard BS ’95 retired after 20 years in Advancement at 91Ƶ. She served as the 91Ƶ director of government relations, and previously worked as the director of the Office of Sponsored Projects. Chris has also taught English for 91Ƶ, Utah State University and Brigham Young University-Hawaii. She and her husband, Rick Millard, served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Laie, Hawaii. Together, they have three children, 12 grandchildren and five great- grandchildren. They live in St. George, Utah.
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Stacie Simmons BS ’96 is a teacher with the Davis County School District. She has served in many callings within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including Young Women’s president, Primary Presidency first counselor and primary teacher. She has also served in the Relief Society as a second counselor, teacher and music leader and she is currently on the activities committee. Stacie is currently serving on the 91ƵAA Board of Directors.
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Jason Smith BS ’96 is the director of family services for Lindquist Mortuaries and Cemeteries. He serves in his community with Boy Scouts of America, Davis County Chamber of Commerce, Davis Education Foundation and in his family and church. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sacramento, California. He lives in Layton, Utah, with his wife, Melanie. They have five children, two of whom are attending Weber State. Jason is currently serving on the 91ƵAA Board of Directors.
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Steven Peterson BS ’97 is the president and CEO of Zeus Industrial Products, Inc. Steven previously worked as vice president and general manager for TE Connectivity in Shanghai, China. He also worked as vice president head of sales for Samsung. Upon receiving his degree from 91Ƶ, Steven worked for General Electric for 14 years in a variety of roles, completing his time as a general manager. He received his MBA in 2003 from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. He has volunteered with Helping Hands, providing disaster relief to individuals and families in the US since 2010. He is married to Lisa Peterson, who also studied at 91Ƶ. They have been married for 29 years and live in Charleston, South Carolina. They have four sons, and two grandsons.
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Emily Vause Oyler BS ’98 is the executive director of the Weber School Foundation for Weber School District, where she has worked for five years. She currently volunteers for a variety of organizations, such as the Breakfast Exchange Club of Ogden, the Rotary Club of Ogden and the Weber-Davis Boys and Girls Club. Emily is the chair of the Women in Business Committee and a spiker through the Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce. She has three children, two of whom are current 91Ƶ students.
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- 2000s
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Holly Bowden AS ’01, BM ’02 works at 91Ƶ as the technical services manager in the Stewart Library. She received her Master of Library Science degree from the University of North Texas. She is a full-time performer with the New American Philharmonic Orchestra and board president of the non-profit music group NEXT Ensemble, based out of Ogden. She lives in South Ogden. Her partner of 19 years, Justin Torres AS ’98, AS ’99, BS ’00, BA ’05, is a professional oboe player in northern Utah. He is a member of the Ballet West Orchestra, Cathedral of the Madeleine Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra Ogden. He is also a board member and performer with the New American Philharmonic. In addition, he is a recording artist for feature films, TV, radio, musicals and records and plays in bands and orchestras for traveling Broadway shows and traveling headliners.
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Luke Rasmussen BS ’01 is the newly appointed superintendent of Ogden School District. In 2019, he received the Principal of the Year Award from the State of Utah Association of Secondary School Principals for his work toward increasing student achievement and school growth at Ogden High School. Luke also teaches courses for 91Ƶ in the Educational Administration program for aspiring school leaders. His wife, Amber, is an educator in the Ogden School District. They have three children and live in North Ogden, Utah.
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Mel Witharana AS ’02 is a proud first-generation American, originally from Sri Lanka, who came to the US to attend 91Ƶ. He is the founder and owner of Janadhi & Company, which provides IT services for small-to-medium-sized businesses. The company has designed over 2,500 websites, and provides technological needs from hardware to software. Janadhi & Company has provided services for Tesla, the US Senate and Proctor & Gamble, but they are most proud of services they provide to local small-to-medium-sized businesses. Their IT services also include residential technological support. Mel’s daughter is carrying on the tradition as a Wildcat, attending 91Ƶ as of fall 2021. He lives in South Ogden, Utah.
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Nancy Jarvis BS ’05, MA ’14 is a /wsumagazine/fall-2021/louderandprouder 91Ƶ alum, adjunct professor and 91Ƶ employee of 20 years. She continued her education by earning the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certification from Axelos Global Best Practices and the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute. She served as the president of the 91Ƶ Chapter of Utah Women of Higher Education in 2020. The positions she has held at 91Ƶ have added value to the university and made a difference toward student success.
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Nicholas Carr AS ’05, BS ’19 is a sixth grade teacher in the Davis County School District. Prior to becoming a teacher, he served the community for 10 years as a police officer with the Commerce City Police Department in Colorado. He was awarded a Silver Star for valor. His wife, Camie Carr BS ’05, is a registered nurse and a personalized primary care coordinator with Castell Healthcare, part of Intermountain Healthcare. They have one daughter, three dogs and live in South Ogden, Utah.
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Afton Barksdale Hinckley BS ’05 is an active volunteer in her church and community. She has served with the Junior League of Ogden for seven years, including two years on the board of directors. Her husband, Eric Hinckley MAcc ’06, is the assistant controller at Ogden Regional Medical Center, and volunteers his time with a local church youth group. They have one daughter and live in Ogden, Utah.
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Trevor Haynes BS ’06 received his doctorate from Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine in 2012. He is a double board certified foot and ankle surgeon. Dr. Haynes founded Elite Foot & Ankle Associates, which has four locations around the Portland, Oregon, area. He and his wife, Karie Haynes AS ’05, have four children.
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Aloha Flores Reynolds BS ’06 is a program manager for the United States Air Force. Her husband, Nathan Reynolds BS ’11, is a refurbishment value stream manager for G.E. Healthcare. Aloha is a member of Junior League of Ogden and volunteers in the local community. They live in West Haven, Utah.
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- 2010s
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Nathan Roberson BS ’12 is a software engineering manager for O.C. Tanner. He holds two graduate degrees from Grand Canyon University: a PhD (2019), and a master’s degree (2014), both in industrial and organizational psychology. He will receive a second master’s degree in data analytics and information technology from Western Governors University in fall 2021. Nathan serves as adjunct faculty at Neumont College of Computer Science, teaching both psychology and Quality Software Engineering. He is a volunteer educator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Nathan is engaged to Sara Lamoreaux, and together they have three children.
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Ashlee Sheehan BS ’14 is a teacher in Davis School District. She has been teaching Utah studies, world geography and AP human geography at North Layton Junior High for seven years. She also served as a Latinos in Action (LIA) advisor for four years. Ashlee married Andy Sheehan BS ’20 in 2018. Andy is a marketing and communications specialist for Savage Services. They have one daughter and live in Fruit Heights, Utah.
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Laurence Merl Nelson III BA ’14 is the General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. Memorial Research Fellow. As such, he is writing a US Marine Corps history of the occupation of Haiti. Laurence is finishing his PhD in history at Texas A&M University. His dissertation covers the US occupation of Nicaragua, 1927–1933. Laurence and his wife, Emma C. Nelson, have three children.
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Nathan Meyer AS ’14 is an information technology and cybersecurity instructor for Davis Technical College. Previously, he was the IT Security and Network specialist for the City of South Salt Lake. Nathan is currently attending Western Governors University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Cloud Computing. He is an active member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. He and his wife, Amanda, live in Kaysville, Utah. They have one daughter.
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Ryan Mulcalhy AS ’15, BS ’15 is a materials and process engineer at BLUE ORIGIN. He received his master’s degree in welding engineering from The Ohio State University in 2019. He received an Additive Manufacturing Certificate from CAM-T in 2019. He also completed a Central Certification Program Level II from The American Society for Nondestructive Testing, and received his certificate in 2019. Prior to attending 91Ƶ, he received an associate’s degree in welding technology from Ferris State University in 2010. He is a certified welding inspector (CWI) and is a member of the American Welding Society. He lives in Bend, Oregon.
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Todd Oberndorfer BFA ’15 is the outreach manager and advisor for the Department of Visual Art & Design at 91Ƶ. Todd is the co-director of Arts in the Parks, a free summer outreach program that travels to different Ogden city parks. He is an adjunct professor at 91Ƶ. He is a founding member of The Banyan Collective media company and co-hosts the Nine Rails Arts Podcast, Ogden Outdoor Adventure Show and the Van Sessions.
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Lorie Buckley BFA ’15 is the arts coordinator for Ogden City. She directs public art initiatives, the art grant program, First Friday Art Stroll, Mayor’s Awards and more. Lorie works to change the face of Ogden using the arts. The Don Rimx murals on Grant Avenue and the Dumke Arts Plaza are among her projects. Lorie and her husband, Eddie Buckley, have two children and reside in Layton, Utah.
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Valleen Day BIS ’15 is the owner of a healing and wellness company, Emerald Hive, where she is a master foot-zonologist and teacher. She is working towards being a functional wellness coach. She owns a small logo and T-shirt design shop. Valleen volunteers for the Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue Association. Valleen is married to Frank Day. Together they have three children and live in Ogden, Utah.
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Matthew Ross Barker BS ’15 currently manages the Swenson/Stromberg Complex at 91Ƶ. Matthew is a volunteer coach for Weber State Weightlifting. His wife, McKay Barker BS ’16, BS ’18, currently teaches PE and health, along with coaching volleyball at Davis High School. They have two dogs and live in South Ogden, Utah.
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Andrea Salcedo BS ’17 received an MEd in educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah in 2019. She works as a mentor advisor for 91Ƶ, and oversees 91Ƶ’s peer mentor program. Previously, Andrea worked at 91Ƶ in Career Services as a student employment coordinator. She has also worked at the University of Utah as a graduate assistant for leadership development and training. Andrea lives in Ogden, Utah.
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José De Avila BA ’18 works at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) as a college recruiter and admissions advisor. While his day-to-day duties vary, helping students in his role is his passion. He received his associate’s from SLCC in 2016, and after graduating from 91Ƶ, began working for the University of Utah as an academic advisor for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah.
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Sara Ellefson MSAT ’19 is a certified athletic trainer. She is currently pursuing a PhD in athletic training from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. In 2017, Sara received her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and sports science from the University of South Dakota. She is also CPR and BAT certified. Sara previously worked at The Orthopedic Partners in Park City, Utah. Her team specialized in acute knee injuries, as well as total knee arthroplasties. She conducted her own post-operative clinic. She lives in Indian Harbour Beach, Florida.
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