Class Notes | Spring 2017

Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association
Annual Member of the Alumni Association

• 1970s
  • Charles Kunkle BS ’78 recently retired from GW Plastics in Bethel, Vermont, where he had worked as an accountant since 1993. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1971 to 1991, accepting an officer’s commission in 1980. After retiring from the Air Force, Charles and his wife moved to Vermont, where he worked as a business manager for the Vermont Farm Bureau for two years prior to joining GW Plastics. He and his wife live in Williamstown, Vermont. 
  • Karmen Sanone BS ’78 is a government affairs liaison and advocacy specialist for the Salt Lake County Recorder’s Office. She previously advocated for senior citizens at the Utah State Capitol for more than 30 years. Karmen serves on the WSU Alumni Association Board of Directors as a finance and resource committee member. 

     

     

• 1980s
  • Kristine Heyrend Honein AS ’84, BSN ’90 is an informatics nurse for University of Utah Health Care. She and her husband, Tony, live in Taylor, Utah, and have one child. 
  • Mary Hall BS ’85 has spent the past 20 years in community service. In 2015, she received an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from WSU, where she has served on the Board of Trustees and as president of the Alumni Association. Other Weber State service highlights include terms on the National Advisory Council, the College of Science advisory board and the Olene S. Walker Institute of Politics & Public Service board. Hall was elected to a term on the Ogden City Council, which she chaired. For six years, she was executive director of the Ogden Nature Center, where, prior to her appointment as director, she taught nature education programs.
  • Gene Harvey BS ’85 is an information technology program manager and team leader for the Internal Revenue Service. He and his wife, Kathie, have two children and five grandchildren. They live in Ogden. 
  • Marianne Palacios BS ’86 has 25 years of experience as a progressive human resources executive. She is the principal of Palacios Leadership Consulting and remains involved as a mentor at Weber State through the WSU Alumni Association’s Leadership to Legacy mentorship program. 
  • In 2016, Scott Bennion BS ’89, M.Acc. ’91 became the CFO of Recurly, a subscription revenue management platform that delivers subscription revenue management and analysis tools to thousands of businesses worldwide. He has been a guest speaker for the Ralph Nye Lecture Series in WSU’s John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics. His family has a long history with Weber State, going back four generations when his great-grandmother attended Weber Stake Academy. Scott and his fiancée, Anni, live in San Francisco. 
  • Troy Child BA ’89 is an anesthesiologist in Ogden. After graduating from Weber State, he attended the University of Utah School of Medicine. Troy completed his residency at the University of Kansas in Kansas City. He is affiliated with McKay-Dee Hospital and cooperates with other doctors and specialists in the Mountain West Anesthesia medical group. Troy and his wife, Rena, live in Ogden and have two sons, one of whom is attending WSU. Troy established the O. Rex Child Medical Laboratory Sciences Scholarship at Weber State in honor of his father. 
  • Louise Richards Moulding BS ’89, M.Ed. ’95 has been a professor in WSU’s Department of Teacher Education since 2004. She currently teaches instructional planning and research methods. Louise has a doctoral degree in research and evaluation methodology from Utah State University. Prior to her Weber State career, she taught science and worked as the director of assessments at the Utah State Office of Education.   
• 1990s
  • David Richards BA ’90 is a leadership development manager at Intel in Portland, Oregon. He  is married to Pam Richards BS ’83. They have three children and six grandchildren. David and Pamela support WSU students through five scholarships named in honor of David’s parents and his paternal and maternal grandparents.
  • Vicki Stewart AS ’90 has worked in intensive care and post-anesthesia care at Davis Hospital for 27 years. Her husband, Shane Stewart AA ’91, BA ’93, received his MBA from Brigham Young University and is the managing senior financial planner for Deseret Mutual. Vicki and Shane have four children and live in Syracuse, Utah. 
  • Sheri Ellis BS ’91 is the owner of Certus Environmental Solutions. She works as an archaeologist, and an architectural historical and general environmental consultant. She received her master’s degree in American studies from Utah State University.  
  • Steve Johnstun BS ’91 is the owner and president of Steve Johnstun & Associates. He recently finished a three-year term on the WSU Alumni Association Board of Directors. He and his wife, Wendy, have three children, one of whom is attending Weber State. 
  • Matt Morgan AS ’92, BA ’95 is the site president for Citigroup, a global financial firm. He and his wife, Shelly R. Kirk Morgan ’92, have two children and live in Layton, Utah. Matt serves on the WSU Alumni Association Board of Directors.
  • Sherilyn Olsen AA ’92, BA ’94 worked for the state of Utah and is currently teaching workshops for the Department of Workforce Services. She is a published author, and her book, Search the World Over for Elie; An International Adoption Story, was released in 2016. Sherilyn has served in volunteer leadership roles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including stake Young Women’s president. Sherilyn was also a volunteer for the MarLon Hills Elementary and Bonneville High School PTAs. She and her husband, Brady, have four children. 
  • As a bilingual family physician, David Miner BA ’93 practices medicine at Intermountain Healthcare’s Taylorsville Clinic in Salt Lake City. He attended medical school at the University of Utah and completed his residency at the University of Illinois. Dave is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Medical Association. He and his wife, Kerry Miner AS ’95, have five children. 
  • Brent Weil BS ’93 is the CEO and president of EmpRes Healthcare, which provides management consulting and other services to health care communities across California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Brent’s wife, Mikelle Barberi-Weil BS ’14, is the director of the Alan E. Hall Center for Sales Excellence at WSU and serves as the emeritus direct past board chair of the GOAL Foundation. Brent and Mikelle have three children and live in Ogden. 
  • Glen Neeley BS ’94 is the founder and president of Glen W. Neeley, Attorney at Law P.C. He earned his juris doctorate from the Oklahoma City University School of Law. Glen specializes in criminal defense law. He and his wife, Laura, have three daughters and live in Ogden. 
  • Danielle Croyle BS ’96 is a police lieutenant for the Ogden Police Department, where she has served the community for more than 23 years. She is vice president of the WSU Alumni Association Board of Directors. Danielle and her husband, Bob Croyle BS ’92, live in Ogden. Bob obtained his MBA from Utah State University in 2002. He is a business analyst for Autoliv, where he has worked in a number of roles over the past 23 years. He currently works in the information technology department, where he is responsible for plant implementations and software development.
  • Chris Swaner BS ’96, M.Acc. ’97 is the CFO and co-director of Cottages of Hope, an organization that provides no-cost programs and services that help individuals and households in the Ogden/Weber area realize their potential and achieve greater levels of financial stability. Chris is involved in program development, tax site coordination, fundraising, volunteer coordination, client financial/job coaching and the finance function. He and his wife, Emily, have six children and live in West Haven, Utah.  
  • Roxanne Hinds AA ’99, BA ’00 is an adjunct faculty member at West Hills Community College District in the Fresno, California, area. She serves as a board member for Circles Fresno, an organization that helps communities and families resolve poverty and thrive. Roxanne is a member of the National Women’s Political Caucus. She also serves on the board of Professional Women’s Resources, which provides grant resources and economic opportunities for women. 
  • For six years, Melissa Leonard Stuart BS ’99 served as a program coordinator for WSU’s Alumni Association, where she developed and supported engagement opportunities, such as the annual golf tournament, for current students and alumni groups. She was formerly a WSU women’s volleyball coach and student-athlete advisor. Melissa and her husband, Justin, have one son. She is currently a stay-at-home mom.
• 2000s
  • Dale Johns BS ’00 is the CEO of Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, where he served as chief operating officer in 2009. He previously served as the CEO of Town and Country Hospital in Tampa, Florida. He received his initial health care training and certifications while serving in the U.S. Army. In 2005, Dale received his MBA from the University of Utah. He and his wife live in Kaysville, Utah. They have one daughter and two sons, with one on the way. 
  • Jeffrey Bell BS ’02 is a certified computer/mobile device forensic examiner who currently works for the U.S. government in digital forensics. He holds several certifications and is a Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC)-certified forensic examiner. Jeff also owns and operates Mountain West Forensics & Consulting LLC with his son, Ryan. Prior to working for the government, he worked in law enforcement for 22 years before retiring in 2012. 
  • Eric Coats BS ’02, M.Acc. ’03 is a managing director in the audit practice of Deloitte & Touche LLP, which provides audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies. He specializes in financial service companies. Eric and his wife, Angie, have four children. They live in Auburn, Washington. 
  • David Joos BS ’02 is an orthopaedic surgeon at Intermountain Healthcare’s Utah Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Provo, Utah. He pursued his Doctor of Medicine degree at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and completed his residency at the University of Michigan hospital system in Ann Arbor, Michigan. David also completed a fellowship at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society. David is on the medical executive committee for Orem Community Hospital. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three daughters and live in Orem, Utah. 
  • Joe McGill BS ’03 is a business manager for Savitsky, Satin & Bacon, a business management firm that helps entertainment and sports clients maintain and grow their wealth. He is a certified public accountant. He and his wife, Asmeeta, are actively engaged with animal rights and at-risk youth nonprofits. They live in Los Angeles with their Shih Tzu/poodle mix. 
  • Chad Witcher BS ’03 is the director and senior vice president of Zions Bank’s National Real Estate Department. He has worked at Zions Bank for more than 13 years, holding various positions, including credit analyst, loan officer and department portfolio manager. Chad and his wife, Naomi Witcher AA ’03, BA ’05, live in Syracuse, Utah. They have three children.
  • Ryan Thornock BS ’04 is a regional sales manager for Rockwell Window Wells. He serves on the WSU Alumni Association Board of Directors as the executive committee chair of student relations. Ryan and his wife, Natalie, live in South Ogden, Utah, with their four children. 
  • Elizabeth Kay BA ’06 is an English faculty member at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska. She is the author of the book, Monsters: A Love Story, and serves as editor and publisher of Spark Wheel Press. Liz holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Nebraska, where she was the recipient of an Academy of American Poets Prize. Her work has appeared in Willow Springs, Nimrod, RHINO, Sugar House Review, and Beloit Poetry Journal, and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best New Poets anthology. Kay lives in Omaha with her husband and three children. 
  • JJ Webb BS ’06 is the licensed administrator for Apple Valley Post-Acute Rehab, a 95-bed, skilled nursing facility with a 5-star rating from Medicare. He is also a licensed preceptor, which allows him to train others to become nursing home administrators. JJ and his wife, Rachel, live in Sebastopol, California. They have four children. 
  • For the past five years, Rebecca Macias BA ’07 has worked as the marketing coordinator for Eide Bailly, the third largest accounting firm in Utah. She is a board member for the Family Counseling Service of Northern Utah and has served as president of the Junior League of Ogden. 
  • Angela Choberka MA ’08 works for United Way of Northern Utah as the assistant director of Ogden United Promise Neighborhood. She and her husband, WSU visual  arts associate professor Matthew Choberka, live in Ogden, where Angela volunteers for the Junior League of Ogden. She is involved in advocacy for social justice and equity issues. 
  • Matt Glass BFA ’08 co-founded the company HCT.media and the documentary web series Half Cut Tea. The company produces a wide variety of content, from documentaries to music videos. HCT.media’s clients include Paramount Pictures, The Jim Henson Company, BBC, New Form Digital, LINK TV and KCET. The company’s work has been featured on MSNBC, NPR’s Fresh Air, A.V. Club, Yahoo, Huffington Post and Entertainment Weekly, and its documentaries have been licensed all over the world. Matt lives in California. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree in photography from Cranbrook Academy of Art. 
  • Jennifer Matthews AS ’08 is a graduate research assistant for Arizona State University, where she is earning her doctoral degree in physical activity, nutrition and wellness. She received her bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science from the University of Utah and her master’s degree in exercise and wellness from Arizona State University. Jeni is a self-employed personal trainer and certified yoga instructor. She is the student chair of the national Society of Behavioral Medicine and is a grant reviewer for the Graduate and Professional Student Association of ASU. Jeni and her chihuahua live in Phoenix. 
  • Alexa Hurd AS ’09, BS ’11, MBA ’15 is the sales and marketing operations manager at MarketStar, providing business intelligence analysis, corporate processes and systems integrations, and business strategy execution. She co-chairs the Mentoring Initiative for MarketStar (MIM) Group, which seeks to support, empower and mentor female employees as part of the statewide ElevateHER challenge. She is a member of WSU’s Young Alumni Council. Alexa and her daughter live in Layton, Utah. 
• 2010s
  • Gary Bingham AS ’11, BS ’12 is a financial business analyst for Deseret First Credit Union and serves on the Syracuse City Planning Commission. Gary and his wife, Jenessa, live in Syracuse, Utah, with their two children.  
  • Cami Higgs BFA ’11 is the marketing manager for Weber State Credit Union. For three years she also owned and operated a graphic design business, Cami Higgs Design. She and her husband, Brock Higgs AS ’14, AS ’16, live in Plain City, Utah. Brock is a registered nurse. They have one daughter. 
  • A board-certified radiology practitioner assistant, Iris Chen BS ’13 co-founded Flexogenix, a company that helps patients with musculoskeletal conditions achieve active and pain-free lifestyles by offering innovative non-surgical solutions. She has been the CEO/chief financial officer since the company was founded in 2013. Iris and her husband, Sean Whalen, live in Los Angeles. 
  • Spencer Boyce BS ’14 is the marketing project manager and a producer at Unicity International in Orem, Utah. He helps create strategies and develop marketing campaigns for the company’s new product launches in various markets across the globe. Spencer received his MBA from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. He is a certified scrum master. Scrum is a methodology that allows teams to self-organize and make changes quickly, in accordance with agile principles. He lives in Salt Lake City and currently serves on the WSU Young Alumni Council. 
  • Erik Frazier MBA ’14 is a senior specialist in store operations finance with J.C. Penney at the company’s headquarters in Plano, Texas, where he lives with his wife and two children. 
  • Justin Neville BA ’14 works for BioFire Diagnostics as a human resources generalist in Salt Lake City. In 2016, he received his Senior Professional in Human Resources certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute. Justin serves as the secretary of the Young Democrats of Utah and as a Housing Appeals Advisory Board member for Salt Lake City. He also serves on WSU’s Young Alumni Council. 
  • Cierra Valdovinos AS ’14, BA ’16 focuses on creative work, including painting, drawing, writing and sewing. She and her husband, Carlos, live in Payson, Utah, with their red heeler border collie mix, Quaker parrot and Jenday conure. 
  • Viviana Felix BA ’15 is the diversity affairs officer for Ogden City. She works in the Mayor’s Office of Diversity Affairs doing community outreach and collaborating with community organizations and individuals to promote equity, cultivate positivity, and identify and resolve issues within the community. She and her husband, Jorge, live in Roy.
  • Jiakun Li BS ’16 works in accounts payable at Maverik. He is a mentor for the WSU Alumni Association’s Leadership to Legacy mentorship program. 
  • Retired from the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps, Suzanne M. LaForest BS ’16 has worked more than 30 years as a registered nurse, with more than 20 years in nursing management. Previously, she served as element chief in large family practice clinics and as nurse manager in internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology and aerospace medicine clinics. As part of the U.S. Armed Forces’ Project Retiree, which honors 20 veterans across the country annually, Suzanne’s military photo and story were displayed at the Pentagon in November 2015. She volunteers weekly at the Hill Air Force Base pharmacy clinic. She and her husband, Glen LaForest BS ’72, live in South Ogden, Utah. They have one son.