Class Notes | Spring 2024

• 1960s

  • Cheryl Strong AS ’67, BS ’69, MS ’04 retired from Weber School District, where she taught physical education, business and English for 30 years. She volunteers for Friends for Sight, a local nonprofit providing free vision screenings, helping people of all ages and backgrounds access quality eye care. Cheryl also worked as an usher for Snowbasin and Weber State University Athletics. Her husband, Gary Strong BS ’69, is a retired educator and coach of 40 years from Weber School District, where he taught physical education, health, history and first aid. Cheryl and Gary have served three missions for their church.

  • Arthur Jones BS ’68 and Calleen Woolsey Jones BS ’69 met in a Weber State sociology class and were married in 1968. After graduating, Art pursued a master’s degree at Southern Illinois University. Afterward, they returned to Utah, where Art worked as a 4-H youth specialist and was later appointed assistant state 4-H leader. He completed a doctorate at the University of Utah in 1978. In 1981, Utah Governor Scott Matheson appointed Art to manage the Utah State Fair and the Division of Exposition. Art encouraged the International Association of Fairs and Expos to promote university training for fair managers. In 1986, Art helped create the curriculum and became the first professor of fair and exposition management at Georgia State University. In 1990, Art accepted a faculty position in the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Department at Utah State University. He taught for 20 years and served as department head for six years. Calleen taught four years of elementary school with the Fulton County School District in Georgia. After raising their four sons, she taught in the Logan City School District for 23 years. Art and Calleen enjoy life in Paradise, Utah, while keeping track of 19 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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• 1970s

  • Thomas R. Austad BS ’71 is a retired podiatric physician and surgeon of 34 years. He practiced at The Foot and Ankle Clinic in Roy, Utah, McKay-Dee Hospital, Ogden Regional Medical Center, and Davis North Hospital, now Holy Cross Hospital - Davis. He earned a Doctorate of Podiatric Medicine from the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, now Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine, in 1977 and held diplomate status with the American Board of Podiatric Medicine and the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. Tom was also a fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Orthopedics and Medicine. He served a medical humanitarian mission to the Marshall Islands in 2011. Shawnee Harrop Austad BS ’70 is a retired elementary teacher from Valley View Elementary in Roy, where she taught first, second and third grade. Tom and Shawnee both served on the WSU Alumni Association Board of Directors. They are proud parents of eight children and recently completed a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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• 1980s

  • David Williamson BS ’82 attended Weber briefly before joining the United States Navy in 1972. He served as a nuclear power reactor operator and was stationed on the George Washington submarine. After his time in the Navy, he returned to Utah and resumed his studies. He held various positions with Envirotech, a data processing center in Salt Lake City, before working with the Utah State Board of Education as a computer programmer. During his 35-year career with USBE, he applied evolving software technologies to provide easier access to data. David was also part of a small team that wrote the Integrated Rehab Information System (IRIS), a program that supported vocational rehab education. He was president of Utah-based user groups for SoftwareAG and Computer Associates International, now known as CA Technologies.

  • Jennifer Hunter Denhalter AS ’84, BS ’86 is a guidance counselor at Cedar High School in Cedar City, Utah. She earned a Master of Social Work degree in 1991 from the University of Utah. Prior to moving to Cedar City in 1998, she worked as a school social worker in Salt Lake County. She loved her time at Weber, where she met her husband. They volunteer summer evenings at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. They have three adult children and look forward to grandchildren.

  • William Ormond BS ’84, BS ’11 is a language arts and U.S. government teacher at Clearfield Job Corps. He also works as an independent attorney specializing in wills, trusts and evictions. He received a Juris Doctorate in 1988 from J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. He is a member of the Utah Council of Teachers of English and the Utah State Bar. He served as a member of the Ogden School District Board of Education for four years and a local Boy Scouts of America troop leader for over 20 years. He received the Silver Beaver Award for pro bono services. William’s wife, Natalie Smith Ormond MS ’08, taught math at Ben Lomond High School for 35 years. She also taught for two years at Carbon High School and Dixie College, now known as Utah Tech University. She is retired and helping to care for their grandchildren in Hurricane, Utah, and Liberty, South Carolina.

  • Kale Syme BA ’88, MS ’00 has taught math at South Ogden Junior High School for the past 10 years. He previously taught at Weber High School and Sand Ridge Junior High School. Between teaching stints, he worked as a CPA for seven years and then as the accounting manager at an Ogden electrical contractor. He earned a Juris Doctorate from Brigham Young University in 1992. His wife, Tracy Syme BA ’91, is currently an educational aide at Burch Creek Elementary in South Ogden. She previously worked for Davis School District as an elementary classroom teacher and reading specialist.

  
  
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• 1990s

  • James “Luke” Roberts BS ’90 is retired from healthcare as a cardiovascular sonographer. He worked for 10 years as an independent provider through Colorado Valley Radiology, providing care in many states, including Hawaii, Maine and Alaska. He then worked for the University of Texas before retiring in 2023. As a student, Luke transferred from Baylor University to Weber State and immensely enjoyed his experience and Utah’s beauty. He and his wife have started a real estate business, R Squared Property Solutions, serving Northeast Texas and Dallas. They have two children and live in rural Texas.

  • Andrea Woodring BA ’94, BA ’98 has been an educator for over 25 years and is Weber School District’s principal assigned to Weber Adult Education, the 2022 Utah Adult Education Program of the Year. As a teacher and a school librarian, she has taught on every level in the K–12 setting. She was president of the Utah Educational Library Media Association and also started PDS Conferences, offering professional development services for educators. She was named the 2008 Utah Educational Library Media Association School Librarian of the Year and the 2022 Utah Adult Education Leader of the Year. She is also an Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce Athena Award finalist. She holds a library media endorsement from Utah State University; master’s degrees in both educational leadership and curriculum design, along with an English language learners endorsement, from Western Governors University; and graduate certificates in integrating technology in K–12 classrooms, adult learning, and elementary reading and literacy from Walden University.

  • Carolyn Austad BS ’98 became marketing manager for Destination Cinema and publications editor at the Utah Travel Council during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games following graduation. She currently owns and manages two VRBO locations in Florida and St. George, Utah, and serves on the Salvation Army board in Ogden. She has four children with her husband, Tom Austad AA ’01, a general dentist at Clinton Dental Group and Orthodontics. He attended Dalhousie University’s dentistry school. Carolyn and Tom are avid Weber State fans and live minutes away from the university. Their oldest daughter, Lauren, recently attained her associate’s degree through WSU’s Concurrent Enrollment program while in high school and was accepted to WSU’s School of Nursing. They are proud to have the WSU tradition continue in their family.

  • Cami Peterson AA ’98, BA ’00 is a case manager and peer sports specialist with Davis Behavioral Health, where she helps patients with parenting skills and cultivating nurturing home environments. She has worked as a reading specialist for Ogden School District and, through Davis Behavioral Health, prevention specialist with Title I schools in Davis County. As a prevention specialist, she helped students in grades three to six with setting goals and avoiding peer pressure. Her husband, Brandon Peterson AA ’98, BA ’99, took part in running a family business, Jeremiah’s Restaurant and Best Western High Country Inn, which his grandfather established in 1979. Brandon oversaw accounting, hotel operations and a major renovation beginning in 2003. He earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of Utah in 2004. They have five children.

  • Diana Meiser AA ’99, BA ’04 is an assistant professor and librarian for the College of Engineering, Applied Science & Technology at Weber State University. Diana serves as a student mentor and an advocate for first-generation students. Diana also serves as a volunteer with the Ogden City Christmas Village Committee and the Pilar Pobil Legacy Foundation.

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• 2000s

  • Jacob Hansen AS ’00, BS ’03 is a project manager for WSU Campus Planning & Construction. After graduating from WSU, he worked with youth in a wilderness setting through RedCliff Ascent Wilderness Therapy Program. Afterward, he worked on a gas pipeline from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas with Sterling Construction. He found his way back to WSU as the Wildcat Stores receiving manager before becoming the Wildcat Design & Print manager and then moving into his current position.

  • Ben Nadolski BS ’00 supervises operations in northern Utah for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. He is a member of the Ogden City Council and was elected Ogden mayor in 2023. He worked as a biologist before overseeing legislative affairs and working on public lands issues with the governor’s office. In 2008, he completed a Master of Science in Fisheries Biology from Utah State University. He is active in youth sports and numerous local initiatives such as the GOAL Foundation, Wildcat Club and Weber River Partnership. His wife, Jaynee Paskins Nadolski BS ’02, is the senior associate commissioner of the Big Sky Conference and oversees governance and compliance for all conference schools. She is the sport supervisor for volleyball, women’s basketball and tennis. Jaynee has served as president of the Junior League of Ogden and has been recognized for her leadership in the community by a variety of organizations, including being named the JLO Difference Maker and receiving the 2019 ATHENA Leadership Award presented by the Ogden- Weber Chamber’s Women in Business. She is currently an honorary commander at Hill Air Force Base. Jaynee is a fierce advocate for youth sports and has volunteered her time mentoring and coaching young girls in the Ogden Untamed program for the last five years. She and Ben live in Ogden with their two daughters.

  • Jenny Bald Stone AS ’07, BA ’12 has a passion for helping young people achieve their goals despite challenging circumstances. Her love for education and advocacy began at Youth Impact Ogden, where she learned from youth and mentors alike. This work led to a connection with Nurture the Creative Mind, where she has instructed multiple creative writing workshops. She has now  taken her experience to public education, where she incorporates valuable social and life skills into her language arts curriculum at Two Rivers High School in Ogden. Jenny is a member of the TRHS leadership team and was a speaker at the 2022 Utah Alternative Education Association conference. In 2023, she received her Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University. She lives in Utah with her family, but regularly visits her old stomping grounds in Southern California.

  • Bonnie Russell BA ’09 is an engineering operations platform manager at Zions Bancorporation. In 2022, she earned an Executive MBA from the University of Utah. Bonnie has completed the American Bankers Association Business of Banking Program and the YWEmpowered development program. She is an Equality Utah Ally, serves on the Board of Directors for the Salt Lake City Library and teaches yoga. She lives in Salt Lake City and loves to spend as much time outside as possible.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
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• 2010s

  • Kerri Clement BA ’11 graduated as a nontraditional student from the Teacher Assistant Pathways to Teaching program. After teaching elementary school for 10 years, she decided to take a different career path amid difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. With her love of baking, she created Jake’s Bakes Dog Treats. The quickly growing company, which specializes in healthy, gourmet dog treats, is nearing two years in business. Custom packaged Jake’s Bakes treats were featured at the WSU Alumni Purple Paw Parade. Kerri is excited for what the future of her business holds.

  • Weston Larsen BA ’13, AS ’22 has worked as a computer and network specialist for WSU’s Division of University Advancement since 2014. He holds a certificate in Pro Tools, a digital audio workstation developed and released by Avid Technology for Microsoft Windows and macOS. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Music Technology at Southern Utah University.

  • Antonio Moya BFA ’13 is an award-winning graphic designer for WSU’s Department of Marketing & Communications. He has contributed to major university projects such as Wildcat magazine, annual reports and the university’s Ever Upward marketing campaign. Prior to his role at Weber, he was a graphic designer at FranklinCovey. He has also been a cast member in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Addams Family at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse in Washington Terrace, Utah.

  • Mikelle Barberi-Weil BS ’14 joined Weber State’s Department of Professional Sales as assistant director of the Alan E. Hall Center for Sales Excellence after 10 years of sales management experience, raising her children, and serving in many executive board positions. She was named sales center director in July 2015 and recently accepted a full-time position as assistant professor. After serving as president of both the GOAL Foundation and the Community Foundation of Utah’s boards of directors, Mikelle co-founded the Ogden Circle of Giving, which funds programs that promote positive change through creativity, innovation, education and enhanced well-being. Her research interests include leadership, prosocial theory, business communication and human skill/career life design. She earned an Executive Master of Leadership from the University of Southern California and a PhD from Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology. Her husband, Brent Weil BS ’93, has served in resident care for over 25 years and is the president and CEO of Eden Health based in Vancouver, Washington. He joined Eden Health in 2023 after his tenure as chief operations officer, and then chief executive officer and president at EmpRes Healthcare. His career in healthcare began as a certified nursing assistant at a skilled nursing facility in Ogden. He later became administrator of Aspen Care Center. Before joining Eden Health and EmpRes, Brent served Sun Healthcare Group as divisional vice president, where he oversaw the company’s western operations. They live in Huntsville, Utah.

  • Corbin J. Standley BS ’15 earned a PhD in 2023 and a Master of Arts in 2019 in the psychology field from Michigan State University. As a leading voice in suicide prevention, Corbin has presented research and served as a keynote speaker, featured speaker, panelist and moderator, both nationally and internationally, including engagements with the International Summit on Suicide Research, the World Congress of the International Association for Suicide Prevention, the International Conference on Community Psychology and the American Psychological Association. Corbin’s research examines how social and systemic contexts impact suicide risk and prevention. He is the director of impact communication and continuous improvement at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and currently lives in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

  • Elaine Cope AAS ’17, BAS ’18, MS ’23 is a systems engineer with BAE Systems, an aerospace company that provides technology led defense and security solutions. At BAE Systems, she supports the Air Force’s Sentinel program. She is also the owner of Endurance Laserworks, which offers custom engravings for products.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
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• 2020s

  • Jasmine Liechti AS ’20, CP ’23, BS ’23 is a student success specialist at the Ogden-Weber Technical College Student Success Center, where she helps students with resumes, mock interviews, elevator pitches and job placement. She also helps oversee the operations of a self-serve food pantry, hygiene station and the Zen Den stress relief center. Prior to her role at OWTECH, Jasmine was a medical receptionist at Mountain View Eye Center. She volunteers for Wasatch Wanderers, a nonprofit animal rescue organization.

  • Denise Call BS ’21, MPC ’22 is the interim program director at Catalyst Accelerator Ogden, a company that empowers startup technology companies to accelerate their involvement in the Department of Defense ecosystem by providing training, connections, mentorship and business development in a collaborative setting. In this role, she works with tech startup companies nationwide, teaching them how to effectively create contracts with Hill Air Force Base and other Department of Defense organizations. This brings newer, faster and better technologies to serve the Department of Defense needs. Prior to this, she worked as a research assistant for Susan Madsen’s Utah Women and Leadership Project and is the current Weber County lead for the UWLP’s A Bolder Way Forward Initiative.

  • Billie Hatch MCJ ’21, MPC ’23 is a support staff member for Weber County. She competed for WSU in cross country in 2020–2021 and track and field in 2021–2023, earning several Big Sky Conference honors, including the 2022 conference MVP. Billie recently competed in the 2023 Chicago Marathon, where she qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials, finishing 23rd overall out of more than 40,000 runners. She married teammate Kevin Kirk MED ’23 in September 2023.

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