Search Committee

Javier Chavez Jr.

Javier Chavez Jr. was appointed to the Utah Board of Higher Education in 2023. Born and raised in Ogden, Utah, he is an attorney and small business owner. With over 20 years of experience in legal services, corporate, and start-up sectors, Javier brings a unique perspective to the Utah Board of Higher Education.

Javier earned a B.A. in History from the University of Utah in 2002, with minors in Latin American Studies and Spanish. During his undergraduate studies, he was a member of the debate team, made the Dean’s List, and was recognized as a Steffensen Cannon Scholar. For his high academic achievements, he was selected as the College of Humanities graduation speaker.

He later attended Boston College, where he earned both a law degree and an MBA in 2006. After graduation, Javier practiced law in New York City and California, working with international law firms and Fortune 500 companies.

Driven by entrepreneurial passion, Javier returned home to Utah to launch his own ventures. He established a commercial law practice, founded Cerveza Zólupez Beer Company, and continues to provide counsel for his family’s restaurants.

Javier is deeply committed to community service. He serves on the Board of Directors for Give Me a Chance, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to educating at-risk youth and empowering disadvantaged women in northern Utah. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Ogden Regional Hospital.

Fluent in English and Spanish, Javier is married to his wife, a medical doctor, and they have two young children—a daughter and a son. He enjoys hiking Utah’s wonderful mountain trails with his family and cheering on the Ogden Raptors baseball team and the Utah Jazz basketball team.

Ally Isom

Ally Isom is passionate about bringing people together and tackling tough issues. She is a community leader and strategist where brand, policy, communication, and public engagement intersect. With an inclusive and affirming leadership style, she is uniquely skilled at fostering gender intelligent teams and building capacity in future leaders.

Ally is the chief marketing and external affairs officer for Clyde Companies, a century-old, privately held enterprise, with seven subsidiaries spanning the construction, building materials, insurance, and land development sectors across fifteen states with more than 6,000 employees. In 2022, Ally left an executive role in nanotech to run as a Republican candidate for the United States Senate. She previously headed up global branding and messaging for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; served as the Utah Governor’s deputy chief of staff, communication director, and spokesperson; and spent several years in state agency leadership, with extensive experience as a political, legislative, and campaign consultant.

Highlights from Ally’s extensive civic contributions and community involvement include service as chair of the Utah Behavioral Health Commission, Weber State Board of Trustees, the Kaysville City Council, and boards for the Women’s Leadership Institute, Primary Children's Hospital, Utah Valley University, and Enbridge.

A testament to the power of education as a portal out of poverty, Ally has a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University. Ally and her husband, Eric, have four children and six grandchildren. When she finds free time, she relishes historical fiction and biographies, preferably on a beach, personal silent retreats in Utah’s breathtaking mountains, and mole poblano, pretty much anywhere.

Mia Foster

Mia is a first-generation college student from Las Vegas, Nevada, majoring in Political Science, with a minor in Marketing at Weber State. Professionally, she wants to work on political campaigns, fundraising, and in nonprofit leadership. She served as the Executive Vice President as a sophomore and ran a team of 23 student senators. She is now serving as the Student Body President, overseeing the Weber State Student Association. She is also a Weber State Admissions Ambassador, where she works to help recruit a wide range of students to Weber's open-access policy. Her future plans include getting a master's degree or going to law school.

Jason Francis

Jason Francis is the 2025–26 Faculty Senate Chair and a professor and librarian at Weber State University.

He holds an MLS degree from the University of North Texas and a bachelor’s degree from Weber State. Francis has worked at WSU for more than 30 years, serving in a variety of roles throughout his tenure and on the Faculty Senate since 2022.

As a member of Weber State’s Digital Literacy Task Force, he has integrated digital assignments into information literacy instruction and continues to advocate for accessibility accommodations for all students, work that has shaped both his teaching and research. He has been recognized with two Hemingway Collaborative Awards and the Gwen Williams Prize, and his research has been featured in Medical Reference Services Quarterly.

 

Tammy Gallegos

Tammy Gallegos joined the Weber State University Board of Trustees in 2023. She serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing & Strategic Engagement Officer at America First Credit Union, where she oversees marketing and advertising, member and employee engagement, training, public relations, community outreach, charitable initiatives, corporate partnerships, government relations, events, physical facilities, and operations.

A proud Weber State alum and lifelong Weber County resident, Tammy is deeply committed to her community. She chairs the America First Care-A-Lot employee assistance program and the America First Charitable Foundation. She also serves on the boards of Utes with Wings, the University of Utah Corporate Board for Athletics, the Ogden CAN Foundation, and is a member of the Utah Royals Advisory Council.

Tammy and her husband, Eric, have been married for 34 years and live in West Haven. They have three sons, two daughters-in-law, and one grandchild. In her free time, Tammy enjoys spending time with family, golfing, and relaxing in Bear Lake.

 

Marc Gangwer

Marc Gangwer is the Director of Financial Aid at Weber State University. He has fourteen years of financial aid experience. Marc graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Utah and is currently working on his Master of Education. Marc is the staff advisory council chair at Weber State. He has also served on the board for the Rocky Mountain Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. He is currently president-elect for the Utah Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

In his personal time, Marc likes to play pickleball, hike, paddleboard, be with family and friends, and is always on the search for the next “Dad joke” he can share with his office.

 

Mark Halverson

Mark Halverson was named as the Vice President of Administrative Services at Weber State University in June of 2025. Mark joined the Weber State family 18 years ago and has held several leadership positions, including Director of Campus Planning & Construction, Associate Vice President for Facilities & Campus Planning, and Interim Vice President for Information Technology. In these roles, he has overseen large teams, financial resources, physical assets, and human resource functions, driving key university initiatives in areas such as capital construction, space utilization, and the campus's carbon-neutral efforts.

Mark has an MBA from Weber State University and recently completed his doctoral degree in higher education administration from the University of Southern Mississippi.

 

Jodi Hart

Jodi Hart was appointed to the Utah Board of Higher Education in 2025. She is known to those in the governmental arena as one of the most effective government relations professionals in Utah. Her expertise and knowledge of public policy issues is respected by policy makers, business leaders, and government relations practitioners alike. Jodi represents a variety of nationally known Fortune 100 companies, Utah-based companies, trade groups, municipalities, and associations.

Jodi is a frequent political affairs guest lecturer at schools, colleges, and universities throughout the state. She is actively involved in serving her community and participates on many boards and associations, including President and Founder of Advantage Arts Academy Charter School, President of Capitol Hill Association, Former President of the Utah Alliance for the Boys and Girls Clubs, and Board member of the National Association of State Lobbyists.  

Jodi holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Interpersonal Communications with a minor in Political Science from Southern Utah University. She is a proud T-Bird and served on the Southern Utah University Board of Trustees for eight years, including three years as Chair. Jodi and her husband are proud parents of one son. As a family, they enjoy exploring the outdoors in their side-by-side, RV, and boat.

Steve Starks

Steve Starks is the Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors at the Larry H. Miller Company. In this capacity, Starks leads a multi-generational family business with a diverse portfolio of platforms that include real estate, senior health, sports and entertainment, and investments. Starks also serves as Alternate Governor for the Utah Royals FC.

Previously, Starks was the president of the NBA’s Utah Jazz, where he led the franchise through an organizational transformation that resulted in a dramatic increase of revenue, fan experience, and the team’s return to the NBA Playoffs, including achieving the top seed in the Western Conference. He also oversaw the award-winning renovation of the Delta Center in 2017 and the successful bid to host the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.

Starks is active in the community. He currently serves as vice chair of the Organizing Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Starks serves as an alternate governor to the NWSL’s Utah Royals professional soccer franchise. He also leads Big League Utah, the coalition aimed at bringing an MLB expansion team to Salt Lake City. Starks is the past chair of the Salt Lake Chamber Board of Directors, the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, and served on the Utah board of Higher Education and Weber State University Board of Trustees. Starks has two honorary doctorate degrees: one from his alma mater, Weber State University, and one from Snow College.

Starks’ background is in strategy, team building, branding, mergers and acquisitions, and helping organizations through strategic transformations. He was named CEO of the Year in 2021 by Utah Business and 40 under 40 by Sports Business Journal in 2017. He received the South Valley Chamber’s Titan Award and was named a CEO to Watch by Family Business Magazine.

Starks resides in South Jordan, Utah, with his wife and three daughters.