Conference Speakers and Panelists

We have a great lineup of speakers and panelists for this year's conference. Get excited by reading more about them below!

Keynote Speaker: Thomas Carter

Professor Emeritus, University of Utah

"Going Local: How Those People Became My People and My Book Became Our Book"

Professor Carter spent nearly 30 years teaching architecture and history in the University of Utah’s College of Architecture and Planning. Before that, he worked for the Utah State Historic Preservation Office as both a surveyor and an architectural historian. Much of his initial work in the Sanpete Valley was supported by a contract with the Utah SHPO.

Speakers and Panelists

Chris Anderson

Spring City Mayor | Preservation Pathways: Navigating Zoning, Historic Building Codes, Planning, and Land Use Laws for Community Revitalization

Chris Anderson is a business attorney and past Chair of the Board of Preservation Utah. About 19 years ago, Chris and his wife, Alison purchased a prominent but dilapidated historic property in Spring Spring City, and worked to bring it back to life. They have since become heavily involved in Spring City community life, working with Spring City Arts to promote the local artists and their work, and with Friends of Historic Spring City as it completed the restoration of the Old Spring City Elementary School and repurposed it as the Spring City Hall and Community Center. They are now working with the City on the restoration of the old Junior High School, located east of the City Hall, which is now housing the Spring City Arts gallery. Chris served a term on the Spring City Council and has just completed the third year of his four year term as Spring City Mayor.

Sarah Bailey

Director of Development and Alumni Relations |

Wasatch Academy Historic Building Tours

Sarah joined Wasatch Academy in July 2023 and oversees all aspects of development and alumni relations. Shortly after joining, she also took on the unofficial role of school historian, helping to preserve and share the rich legacy of Wasatch Academy. Her background is in humanitarian philanthropy, where she has worked to create meaningful impact through fundraising and community engagement. She is passionate about building strong connections and fostering a culture of generosity and support.

JANSEN bENNETT

Preservation Architect | Preservation Pathways: Navigating Zoning, Historic Building Codes, Planning, and Land Use Laws for Community Revitalization

Jansen Bennett is the preservation architect with the Utah State Historic Preservation Office. He loves delving into the nitty gritty details of historic buildings and assisting with the daunting task of fixing them. Jansen received a Master of Architecture degree and Historic Preservation Certificate at the University of Washington after studying Business Administration and Art at Weber State University. With over a decade of experience, he enjoys the challenges and rewards of preserving our built heritage. When not exploring the intricacies of historic structures, Jansen can be found baking delicious treats, immersing himself in a good book, or chasing after his two energetic children.

JIM BERLIN

Facilities Manager, Campus Fire Marshal

| Preserving Wasatch Academy

Jim was born in Rochester Minnesota. His family moved around the state for his fathers company which was North Western Bell Telephone company. In 1969 he moved to Utah because he always wanted to live in the West. He worked in all phases of building construction most of his life. He worked for small builders and huge corporations, mainly as a carpenter and in project management. He was involved with building housing, schools, national parks, and lodges. He worked for Wasatch Academy for over 30 years and was very involved in the restoration of the older buildings, eight houses, and construction of new ones. He is now retired.

Monte Bona

Director | Mount Pleasant Main Street Tour

Monte Bona is the Director of the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area, Mt. Pleasant Community Development and Renewal Agency, and the Mt. Pleasant Local Building Authority. A longtime advocate for historic preservation and community development, he served on the Mt. Pleasant City Council for 20 years, helping to shape the region’s growth.
His contributions have been recognized with awards from the Utah Heritage Foundation, Utah Division of State History, Six County AOG, National Association of Development Organizations, and the prestigious Pioneer of Progress Award.

christian clarke

Coordinator | Mount Pleasant Main Street Tour

Christian Clarke is the Mt. Pleasant Main Street Coordinator and Associate Director of the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area (MPNHA). Previously, he was the Utah Main Street Coordinator, working statewide on historic preservation and economic development.
With experience in grants, development projects, and community revitalization, he supports local businesses and public spaces while preserving heritage. He has a background in art, design, digital technology, and machine learning, bringing innovative problem-solving to his work.
Christian formerly owned and operated a community center and art gallery in Chicago, fostering creative and cultural initiatives. Originally from Utah, he is also a foster parent, balancing community development with family life.

Jeff Eakle

Rehab-it Right Workshop

Information Coming Soon

AMANDA FOUNTAIN-SCHEUERMAN

Historian | Telling Stories through the National Register

Amanda Fountain is a public historian with over 10 years of experience consulting throughout the Great Basin and American West. Amanda is a historian for Logan Simpson, a multidiscipline consulting group that collaborates with public and private entities throughout the Western United States. Amanda’s work includes NRHP nominations, public history website development, architectural surveys, and ethnographies. Amanda also leads Black in Utah, which utilizes oral histories to explore the history and lives of Black Utahns.

Alena Franco

CLG Coordinator | Investing in the Past, Building the Future: Collaborative Impact and Financing Solutions for Historic Preservation and Main Street Revitalization

Alena Franco is the Certified Local Government Coordinator for the Utah State Historic Preservation Office. As a dedicated advocate for historic preservation, she has managed federal and state grant programs that support the preservation and rehabilitation of cultural resources throughout Utah’s many communities. She believes that every community's unique history is worth preserving, and encourages local governments to preserve their heritage through strategic grant management and community engagement.

Aaron Hooper

Facilities Manager | Wasatch Academy Historic Building Tours

Aaron has over thirty years of construction experience. He is a journeyman ironworker and a journeyman carpenter. He spent twenty years in historic restoration working for Paulsen Construction. He worked on most of the buildings at Wasatch Academy, and many other historic buildings throughout the state. He is also a knifemaker.

JENN KIKEL-LYNN

Principal Broker, Owner | Community-Led Impact: Engaging Locals & Decision Makers to Build a Stronger Future

Jenn Kikel-Lynn is a heart-centered entrepreneur, nonprofit founder, business coach, and community connector. As the Owner and Principal Broker of K Real Estate, "The Give Back Brokerage," she leads a philanthropic real estate brokerage dedicated to making a difference. Passionate about giving back, Jenn is the founder of two nonprofits. The FMK Foundation, created in memory of her parents, raises funds and awareness for suicide prevention and mental health. She also founded Murray City Downtown District, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and official Main Street affiliate dedicated to revitalizing the heart of her hometown of Murray, Utah, with the support of city officials and the community. In addition to her real estate and nonprofit leadership work, Jenn co-created Give Back & Connect, a LinkedIn networking group with over 9,100 members nationwide. The group fosters connections between businesses and nonprofits through virtual networking and resource sharing. Jenn remains committed to building stronger, more connected communities through all her ventures.

JOSEPH LOFTIN

Former Head of Wasatch Academy | Preserving Wasatch Academy

A career educator, Joe Loftin was employed at Wasatch Academy from 1986 to 2022, serving as the Head of School from 1988 to 2020. As Head of School he oversaw dramatic enrollment growth, campus expansion and facilities construction and restoration that occurred during his 32 year leadership of the school. In 2019, Joe cofounded the Global Culture Education Initiative (GCEI) a non profit educational organization based in Atlanta, Georgia that builds secondary school student work groups that globally network in addressing the impact of climate change in their communities. Currently, Joe serves on the GCEI Board.

SARA MARDELL

Owner of Mardell Kitchen | Investing in the Past, Building the Future: Collaborative Impact and Financing Solutions for Historic Preservation and Main Street Revitalization

Mardell Kitchen, Founded by Co-Owners, Jason and Sarah Mardell, is a restaurant and catering company with an established reputation for high-quality, All-American food and deli-style cuisine. They offer custom, hassle-free catering solutions in the greater Sanpete County area. Their focus is supporting locals by creating jobs and commerce for rural main street, including restoring historic buildings into the restaurants they are today.

Tawny Myers

The Critical Partnership Between Law Enforcement, Public Volunteers, and the Preservation of your Cultural Heritage

Information coming soon.

BIM OLIVER

Principal at Bim Oliver Consulting | Investing in the Past, Building the Future: Collaborative Impact and Financing Solutions for Historic Preservation and Main Street Revitalization

Long ago, before there was an Internet, Bim Oliver was hired as the first coordinator of the Utah Main Street Program, a role that he fulfilled reasonably competently for thirteen years before resigning to become a poorly paid consultant in historic preservation. His questionable credibility notwithstanding, he has also conducted lectures on Utah architecture for a variety of audiences as well as publishing two books on Utah architecture that together have sold over twenty copies.

CRAIG PAULSEN

General Contractor | Preserving Wasatch Academy

A third generation contractor who personally worked on many historic preservation projects over his 50 year career. Paulsen Construction is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Craig oversaw significant projects such as most of the building projects for Wasatch Academy over a 25 year period, over 50 projects in Spring City, restoration of the Devereaux Mansion, 3 projects at the Governor's Mansion, restorations of 3 buildings at Fort Douglas for the 2001 Winter Olympics, numerous projects at This is the Place State Park in the 1990's. Craig continues as a volunteer for Spring City as the City Zoning Administrator. Also Craig was a past recipient of the Lucy Beth Rampton Award from the Utah Heritage Foundation. The first Heritage Foundation award went to Wasatch Academy in 2002 for Alice Dormitory. Wasatch Academy had several awards after that.

kelly peterson

Executive Director | Investing in the Past, Building the Future: Collaborative Impact and Financing Solutions for Historic Preservation and Main Street Revitalization

Mr. Peterson currently serves as Executive Director of the Real Estate Banking Group for Zions Bank, managing the Bank’s commercial real estate loan origination and portfolio management throughout Utah and Idaho. Over his 35-year career, he has managed the origination of over $7 Billion in CRE loans. He has been active on the boards of community and trade organizations including the Nevada Community Reinvestment Corporation, the UNLV LEID Institute of Real Estate Studies, and Nevada’s Affordable Housing Resource Center. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Ivory Boyer Real Estate Center and as an advisor on the Board of Utah Association of Counties.

CHASE PILI

Law Enforcement Captain | The Critical Partnership Between Law Enforcement, Public Volunteers, and the Preservation of your Cultural Heritage

Chase Pili is a proud Native Utahn, raised in the heart of Utah, Sanpete County. Growing up in Rural Utah, he developed a passion for its trails and waterways. With a passion for both outdoor recreation and public service, Chase has dedicated 12 years of his career to law enforcement, working with the Utah State Parks, the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, and the Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division. Driven by a strong desire to educate and protect those enjoying the outdoors, Chase now serves as Captain of the newly established Law Enforcement Division within the Department of Natural Resources. In this role, he oversees the administrative operations and the aquatic invasive species programs. Chase is deeply committed to supporting his fellow officers, ensuring they have the support needed to protect Utah’s natural resources.

AMY REID

Associate Landscape Architect | Telling Stories Through the National Register

Amy is an Associate Landscape Architect for Salt Lake City working on Parks and Natural Lands projects. She is currently the project manager for Allen Park, a 7+ acre historic park rehabilitation project. In 2024 Amy was the Danette Gentile Kauffman Cultural Landscape Fellow with the Cultural Landscape Foundation. Her fellowship focused on researching, photographing, and writing about dozens of Seattle's cultural landscapes. Amy received her M.L.A. from Utah State University while working part-time as a Landscape Historian for Kirk Huffaker Preservation Strategies. Her thesis culminated in the listing of Robert Smithson's iconic Spiral Jetty in the National Register of Historic Places.

roger roper

Historic Preservation Consultant | Mount Pleasant Main Street Tour

Roger Roper has been involved in historic preservation since 1980, including many years with the Utah and Oregon State Historic Preservation Offices, plus several years in the private and university sectors. His goal is to help property owners and communities make the most of their historic structures and sites. He currently lives in Mt. Pleasant in an 1861 adobe house, and he is involved in the city's historic preservation and Main Street programs. He is also affiliated with Wasatch Academy, a National Register Historic District and private boarding school located in the heart of the community since 1875.

JARED STEWART

Senior Business Development Manager

| Investing in the Past, Building the Future: Collaborative Impact and Financing Solutions for Historic Preservation and Main Street Revitalization

Jared contracts with city and county governments to oversees recruitment and expansion efforts across the energy, data center, and manufacturing sectors. Before joining EDCUtah, Jared worked for 8 years as a municipal economic development director and urban planner. He built and led comprehensive economic development efforts at both the city and county levels. Jared helped launch preservation efforts on Tooele City's main street. He brought in grant funding for preservation and other community improvements. Outside of work, Jared enjoys cycling, skiing, rock climbing, and reading. He volunteers on the Salt Lake City Historic Landmark Commission and admires architecture.

BRANDY STRAND

Executive Director | Community-Led Impact: Engaging Locals & Decision Makers to Build a Stronger Future

Brandy Strand grew up in the Rose Park and Glendale area and is a first-generation college graduate from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology with an emphasis on cultural diversity. Throughout her career, Brandy has served in nonprofits that serve the entire state of Utah, focusing on under-resourced and underserved communities. She has honed her skills in nonprofit management with special attention given to sound management practices focused on long-term sustainability and community building. Brandy joined Preservation Utah in July 2023 as the Executive Director. She and her spouse have one rescue dog named Vader and enjoy camping and traveling whenever possible!

RObyn Taylor-Granda

Historic Properties Programs Manager | Rehab-It Right Workshop

Robyn joined Preservation Utah as the Historic Properties Programs Manager in October 2023 after a 20+ year career in architecture and engineering. Her passion for preservation developed during her childhood in rural Massachusetts that led her to pursue a B.S. in Architectural Studies with Emphasis in Historic Preservation in 1997 at the University of Utah. She has embraced the opportunity of working with Preservation Utah to encourage protection, advocacy and education about Utah's historic resources.

ROB TERRY

Statewide Land Use Training Director

| Preservation Pathways: Navigating Zoning, Historic Building Codes, Planning, and Land Use Laws for Community Revitalization

Rob Terry is the Statewide Land Use Training Director for the State of Utah, housed within the Office of the Property Rights Ombudsman. His efforts are focused on coordinating land use training and planning resource assistance with and between the many agencies and stakeholders throughout the state. During his nearly twenty-year career, Rob has served in technical and management roles at the state, regional, and local levels of government, with his primary focus on services within rural areas. As an undergrad, he attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, majoring in City and Regional Planning, and Utah Valley University, majoring in Public Service Management. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Troy University and is AICP accredited.

ADRIENNE WHITE

Founder & CEO of House Genealogy | Telling Stories Through the National Register

Adrienne White is a professional historian, researcher, and preservationist based in Salt Lake City. Founder and CEO of House Genealogy, she specializes in researching historic properties in Utah and beyond. She handles projects including National Register of Historic Places nominations, historic tax credit applications, and comprehensive house histories. She serves as a commissioner on SLC's Historic Landmark Commission and is currently authoring the biography of preservationist Florence Smith Jacobsen. Adrienne aims to help people feel deeply connected to their spaces through her research.

Anne-Evan Williams

Head of Wasatch Academy | Welcome Speech

Dr. Williams is the Head of School for Wasatch Academy. She came to Wasatch from New York City, where she served as an interim Senior Director in education. She was previously head of school at Billings Middle School in Seattle, WA and at The Ridgewood School in Springfield, Ohio. Before becoming a head of school, Anne-Evan taught high school and middle school English; was an educational specialist and oversaw all product development, research studies and marketing initiatives at an educational software firm; directed graduate students in a summer literacy program and school-year internships; and was the founding site coordinator for an after-school program for literacy through science education. In short, Dr. Williams' career has spanned every school level, from early childhood to graduate studies.

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