Staff and Senior Advisors

Natalie Gochnour, M.S.

Natalie Gochnour serves as an associate dean in the David Eccles School of Business and director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. She also serves as the chief economist for the Salt Lake Chamber. In these roles, she provides policy leadership that helps Utah prosper.

Gochnour’s experience includes a diverse mix of public service and business experience. During her public service, she advised Utah governors Norm Bangerter, Mike Leavitt, and Olene Walker. She also served as a political appointee in the George W. Bush administration, serving as an associate administrator at the EPA and counselor to the secretary at Health and Human Services. For seven years she led the public policy business priorities of the Salt Lake Chamber.

Gochnour has authored over 250 published columns in Utah Business magazine and the Deseret News and co-hosts the weekly public radio program Both Sides of the Aisle on KCPW.

She has been recognized by the Downtown Alliance, YWCA of Salt Lake City, South Valley Chamber, Friends for Sight, Girl Scouts of Utah, and other community-focused organizations for her service and example in the community. Gochnour also serves the community by serving on the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, Utah Transportation Commission, O.C. Tanner, and Altabank boards. She is also vice-chair of Envision Utah and World Trade Center Utah.

Gochnour has both an undergraduate and master’s degree in economics from the University of Utah and specializes in and teaches public finance.

Jennifer Robinson, Ph.D.

Dr. Jennifer Robinson is the Chief of Staff at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. She directs the institute’s operations team, including communications, events, human resources, and finances.  As Chief of Staff, she conducts in-depth research and oversees the institute’s four research units focused on Utah demographics, economics and public finance, industries, and community research.

Dr. Robinson provides insightful information about Utah’s economy, changing demographics, and public policy to community leaders, public officials, and business leaders throughout the state.  She recently co-authored The New Utah: Keepers of the Flame monograph. This publication highlights six significant transitions associated with growth and change in Utah.  This project is one of many high-impact projects Dr. Robinson has worked on throughout her career. She has directed the widely praised Utah Informed booklet, the Economic Report to the Governor, the Diversity in Utah Data Book, and significant policy assessments.

She serves on the boards of the Community Foundation of Utah, Visit Salt Lake, the Utah Foundation, and the Veterans Day Committee at the University of Utah.  In 2014, Governor Herbert appointed Dr. Robinson to the Utah Women in the Economy Commission, where she served until 2020.

Utah Business Magazine recognized her as one of 30 Women to Watch in 2017. In 2021, she received the Ethics in Education Award from the Daniel’s Fund and the Empathetic Global Leadership Award from the David Eccles School of Business.

Dr. Robinson is the co-author of two books, “Native Vote: American Indians, the Voting Rights Act, and the Right to Vote (Cambridge University Press, 2007) and “The Rise of the West in Presidential Elections” (University of Utah 2010), and numerous book chapters and journal articles on voting rights, legal issues in higher education, and public administration.

Dr. Robinson earned her  Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Utah, where she is an adjunct professor in the Political Science Department. Before her work at the Gardner Institute, Dr. Robinson was the Center for Public Policy and Administration Director in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the U.

Mallory Bateman, M.Sc.

Mallory Bateman is the Director of Demographic Research and State Data Center Coordinator at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. Ms. Bateman has authored research on a range of topics including community research on Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County, generations, fertility, transportation, and commuting. She is an expert in Census Bureau data, products, and programs. With this expertise combined with a background in research and public involvement, Ms. Bateman provides presentations, training, and technical assistance for diverse public, private, and media audiences.

Ms. Bateman serves on the national State Data Center Steering Committee and the American Community Survey Data Users Group Steering Committee. Ms. Bateman chaired the 2020 Census Technical Advisory Committee at the Gardner Institute, which monitors the activities and processes that require local participation for the 2020 Census. She was also a member of the Utah State Complete Count Committee.

Ms. Bateman earned her B.A. in Urban Planning from the University of Utah and an M.Sc. in Social Policy and Planning from the London School of Economics.

Phil Dean, M.S., M.P.A.

Phil Dean is the chief economist and public finance senior research fellow at the Gardner Institute. His research focuses on the Utah and U.S. economies and on public finance issues such as state and local taxes and budget management over the business cycle. He also teaches economics, public policy, and public finance as an adjunct instructor and serves as Co-Chair of the Utah Economic Council.

Prior to joining the institute in 2021, Dean most recently served as former Governor Herbert’s Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) after having previously served in the Herbert administration as the State Budget Director and Chief Economist. In this capacity, he directed the work of GOMB in preparing the Governor’s budget recommendations and oversaw GOMB’s state revenue estimates and economic analysis. He served the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) on the Executive Committee and as Western Regional Director.

Prior to joining GOMB in 2013, Dean worked for the Utah Legislature for nearly a decade, specializing in the areas of tax and education. He began his professional career in Sacramento, working on the state budget at the California Department of Finance, where he specialized in education.

Dean holds master’s degrees in public administration from BYU and economics from the University of Utah, and a bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish from BYU.

Nate Lloyd, M.S.

Nate Lloyd serves as the Director of Economic Research at the Gardner Institute. He is an applied economist with a background in data analytics, statistical modeling, and economic research.

Prior to his current role, Lloyd led research and analytics at Western Governors University for the team responsible for developing innovative financial aid solutions for students and forecasting student outcomes such as graduation and income. Additionally, he worked for Zions Bank as a financial analyst in commercial real estate and as a quantitative researcher developing models to stress test capital adequacy and to forecast net revenue. At the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Lloyd contributed to research studies covering topics such as the implied “too-big-to-fail” government subsidy of large banks, money market mutual fund industry reforms, and unconventional monetary policy’s effects on bank lending.

As a student-athlete, Lloyd competed on the Utah State University cross-country and track & field teams. Lloyd developed a passion for public service and well-informed public policy as an intern for the late Senator Bob Bennett. He holds a dual B.S./B.A. degree in Economics and Political Science and an M.S. degree in Economics from Utah State University.

Dianne Meppen, B.S.

Dianne Meppen is the director of community research at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, specializing in several aspects of survey research: client relations, establishing research objectives, developing research strategies, formulating concise and understandable survey instruments, overseeing data collection, evaluating data results and presenting key findings and insights to clients.

Recently Meppen has led research projects evaluating employee satisfaction in the Department of Workforce services that included a survey of more 1,300 employees and focus groups throughout the state with employees. In 2014, she completed surveys of businesses in Utah, Arkansas, Indiana and Kansas examining their satisfaction and use of services available through state government websites. Meppen is frequently a guest instructor in graduate courses on survey research at the University of Utah.

Meppen has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Utah State University and more than 30 years of experience in the survey industry. Prior to joining the University of Utah she worked as the research director at Dan Jones & Associates collaborating with a diverse set of clients to conduct high quality survey research.

Shelley Kruger, B.S.

Shelley Kruger is the accounting and finance manager and handles administrative matters regarding the day-to-day operations of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. She oversees the financial accounts, prepares the income statement and financial reports, monitors budgets and expenditures and assists in developing the annual budget. In addition, she also coordinates details such a personnel actions, purchasing, departmental records and changes in university policies.

Colleen Larson, B.S.

Colleen Larson is the administrative and events manager for the Policy Institute, providing administrative support for the institute’s leadership team. In this role, she manages scheduling, official travel and coordinating events and meetings. Larson acts as a liaison between the Policy Institute, the community and the campus to ensure continuity and quality of service.

Larson also serves as the treasurer of the Economic Club of Utah, overseeing its financial management, marketing, events and daily operations. She earned her B.S. in psychology from Brigham Young University, focusing on research studies. Her prior work experience includes serving as an executive assistant in the Dean’s Office for the David Eccles School of Business, coordinating clinical research studies and managing a law firm.

Laura Summers, M.P.P.

Laura Summers serves as the director of industry research at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, conducting research on health care data, policies, and impacts to the Utah health care sector.

Summers has expertise in health care, economics, and public policy. Her professional experience includes research for the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. In health care, Summers’ research focus is state-level health reform, with a particular focus in Medicaid, public health, and health insurance markets.

Prior to joining the Institute, Summers was the senior director of state intelligence at Leavitt Partners, where she prepared detailed studies of state-by-state comparative data and analyzed national and state health care programs, policies, and trends. In addition to providing research and consulting services to payers, providers, and other health care companies, Summers led health care reform initiatives in states such as Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and Washington State. Summers also oversaw the Leavitt Partners teams in designing, managing, and facilitating stakeholder engagement processes for state government projects.

Summers previously served as the research director of the Utah Foundation – a nonprofit research firm that publishes reports on issues affecting government policies. Summers received her master of public policy with an emphasis in public economics from Brigham Young University and her bachelor’s degree in economics from Westminster College.

Nicholas Thiriot, M.P.P., M.B.A.

Nicholas Thiriot is the communications director for the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. He serves as the primary media contact for the Institute and also assists with a wide variety of projects related to economic research, special programs, community outreach, and events. He manages all Institute website and social media content, coordinates the design and release of Institute publications, and participates in University-wide committees to establish customer service standards and administrative policies.

Mr. Thiriot earned his B.S. in Political Science, Master of Public Policy, and Master of Business Administration, all from the University of Utah. Prior to joining the University of Utah, his previous work experience included special projects with Salt Lake City Corporation’s Division of Housing and Neighborhood Development, the Utah Nonprofits Association, and the Utah Governor’s Office. Additionally, he has done work with national media outlets on a variety of production projects across the country and abroad.

James A. Wood

James Wood is the Ivory-Boyer Senior Fellow at the Policy Institute. He specializes in several research areas including housing, construction, real estate and economic development.

Wood has published over 100 articles and studies related to the Utah economy. This includes housing markets, community development, regional economics and economic development. Wood has conducted numerous studies on local housing market conditions and was the principal investigator on a sustainable communities grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He was also the principal investigator on a two-year cost-benefit study of homeless participants in Utah’s Housing First Program. For 15 years, Wood directed a BEBR contract with the State of Utah for economic development research, which included the completion of thirteen industry-specific studies including Utah’s aerospace, natural resource, machinery and electronics industries and the machinery industry.

Wood is a member of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors and serves on the board of the Salt Lake Home Builders Association, the Salt Lake County Housing Trust Fund, NeighborWorks Salt Lake and is a member of the State of Utah Revenue Assumptions Working Group.

A graduate of the University of Utah with a B.S. in finance and four years of graduate study in economics, Wood joined the business school in 1975 and spent over 25 years as a researcher and senior research analyst. He served as director of the Bureau of Economic and Business Research from 2002 to 2015.

Eric Albers, M.P.P.

Eric Albers is a senior natural resources policy analyst at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute where he specializes in data analysis, data visualization, and geo-spatial analysis.

Albers earned degrees in Finance and Economics from the University of Delaware. He started his career in homeless services before going back to school to earn a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Utah. While in his master’s program, Albers was a graduate assistant at the Gardner Institute.

Samantha W. Ball, M.P.P., Ph.D.

Samantha W. Ball is a senior research associate who provides research, analysis, survey work, stakeholder engagement, and instruction on various subjects including health and human service programs, early childhood mental health, dignity in political speech, family-friendly workplace policies, and deliberative community engagement.

Dr. Ball holds a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA, a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Utah. Before working at the Gardner Policy Institute, Dr. Ball worked in Washington DC as a Congressional legislative assistant and as a program analyst at the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. She also serves as an adjunct Political Science and Public Administration instructor at the University of Utah.

Parker Banta, B.S.

Parker Banta is a public policy analyst at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, where he assists with economic, demographic, and community research projects.

Before joining the Gardner Institute, Parker studied political science, international studies, and applied ethics at the University of Utah. Throughout his senior year, he served as a student intern at the Institute, where he worked with the operations team helping with research, project coordination, and event organization.

Parker holds a B.S. in both Political Science and International Studies and a minor in Applied Ethics from the University of Utah.

Melanie Beagley, M.S.

Melanie Beagley serves as a public policy analyst at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute where she specializes in health care policy and industry research.

Prior to joining the Institute, Beagley was a senior associate at Leavitt Partners, where she led research and data analytics with payer, provider, health information technology, and state health department clients. Beagley’s research experience includes state-level health and social policy reform with an emphasis on Medicaid, social determinants of health, and health equity. Beagley previously served as a policy coordinator for the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.

Beagley started her career working in global health leading and collaborating on projects in India and East Africa. She worked in program development and evaluation, as well as partnered with UCLA and the University of Utah to conduct novel data collection and research efforts in East Africa with a focus on HIV/AIDS testing and treatment, gender roles and the economy, and psychological health.

Beagley holds a M.S. in Global Health and Public Policy from the University of Edinburgh and a second M.S. in Sociology from the University of Utah. Melanie received her B.A. in Communications from Vanguard University of Southern California.

Kristina Bishop, Ph.D.

Kristina Bishop is a Research Economist with expertise in innovation diffusion, network analysis, and data visualization. At the Gardner Institute, she applies her analytical skills to support strategic initiatives that bolster Utah’s economic growth and resilience.

Before joining the Gardner Institute, Kristina served as a research fellow at Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School and the George W. Bush Institute. During her tenure at the Law School, she contributed to several peer-reviewed journals and law reviews, utilizing her expertise in applied econometrics and machine learning. Kristina also developed multiple online applications to visualize research results and employed network analysis to explore the diffusion of contractual innovation, diversity networks among attorneys, and the dynamics of multistate litigation.

At the Bush Institute, Kristina co-authored a report on the “Innovation Impact of U.S. Universities,” laying the groundwork for her subsequent research in innovation. Her dissertation focused on measuring recovery speeds for households following income shocks and examining intergenerational geographic and economic mobility.

Kristina holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education and a master’s degree in statistics from Brigham Young University, as well as a doctoral degree in economics from Southern Methodist University.

Andrea Brandley, M.P.P.

Andrea Brandley is the senior education analyst at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute where she focuses on education research, analysis, and reporting as it relates to economics, demographics, and public finance. In addition to her education focus, Andrea also contributes to economic impact studies, public finance reporting, healthcare research, and other economic and public policy research.

Prior to her role at the Gardner Institute, Ms. Brandley worked as a public school teacher. In her 5 years teaching she taught all grade levels K-12 and in three different Utah school districts. In addition to her role as formal teacher, she interned at a private preschool program, worked as a teaching assistant for multiple college courses at Utah State University and University of Utah, and taught for the U’s Upward Bound program, a college preparation program for high school students from low-income households. She also worked as a legislative intern for Salt Lake City School District and as a research analyst for various studies addressing education, academic advising, homelessness, and child abuse, co-authoring or contributing to peer-reviewed publications in these areas.

Andrea holds a B.S. in Mathematics Education and a B.F.A in Theatre Arts Education from Utah State University and a Master’s of Public Policy from the University of Utah

Preston Brightwell, M.P.A

Preston Brightwell is a Dignity Index Field Director at the Kem C. Gardner Institute in collaboration with UNITE. His primary work is on the continued development of the Dignity Index, a model for analyzing public discourse with the goal to ease division, prevent violence, and solve problems. He currently serves as President/Chair of the Students for Dignity Founding Committee at the University of Utah.

Prior to this role, Preston completed several internships with state and local organizations, including the Governor’s Office of Utah, Colliers International, Vail Resorts Park City, and most recently as a student coder with the Dignity Index Pilot Project.

Preston holds a Master of Public Administration and B.S. in Political Science, both from the University of Utah.

Kara Byrne, Ph.D.

Kara Byrne is a senior research associate with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute where she provides research, analysis, and facilitation of stakeholder engagement related to a broad range of current and proposed public policies.

Dr. Byrne primarily uses mixed methods, qualitative, and community-based research methods, focusing on multi-disciplinary research teams and stakeholder engagement.  Prior to coming to the Gardner Institute, Dr. Byrne facilitated research projects related to child traumatic stress, child welfare, eviction, and newcomer populations as a research faculty member at the College of Social Work at the University of Utah.  She has overseen a number of grants and state contracts related to these studies, including as co-principal investigator of a Division of Child and Family Services’ study aimed at identifying racial/ethnic disproportionality in child welfare and as co-investigator on a federally funded National Child Traumatic Stress Network project.  She has co-authored peer-reviewed publications and chapters in these areas.

Dr. Byrne holds a PhD. in Social Work from the University of Utah, a Masters in Social Work from the University of Montana, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of New Hampshire.  Dr. Byrne is also a clinical social worker, having provided Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to children.

Michael Christensen, Ph.D.

Dr. Michael Christensen is the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute Scholar in Residence. Dr. Christensen has spent over 35 years in the public policy arena. He served as Governor Norm Bangerter’s deputy director of the Office of Planning and Budget and State Planning Coordinator. He then directed the Utah Foundation, a private-public policy think tank, for nine years authoring over 100 papers. He was an editor and/or co-author of two books: “State and Local Government in Utah” and “Financing Government in Utah.” From 2000 until his retirement in 2017, he worked for the Utah Legislature as director of the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.

In 2021, the Gardner Institute published Dr. Christensen’s latest book, “Utah Public Finance: A History of Utah’s Tax Structure.”

Dr. Christensen holds bachelors and masters degrees from Utah State University and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Utah.

Nate Christensen, B.S.

Nate Christensen is a research economist at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, concentrating his research on business economics and sales tax.

Prior to his position at the Gardner Institute, Nate studied business economics and econometrics at the University of Utah. Throughout his senior year, he interned as a Quantitative Analysis of Markets and Organizations intern at the Gardner Institute where he worked on projects regarding the housing market, analyzing companies, and running focus groups to explore new avenues for renewable energy within the Utah economy.

Nate earned a B.S. in Quantitative Analysis of Markets and Organizations from the University of Utah.

Moira Dillow, M.S.

Moira Dillow is a Housing, Construction, and Real Estate Analyst at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.

Before joining the Institute, Moira studied urban planning at the University of Utah. She holds a Master’s in City and Metropolitan Planning accompanied by a B.A. in International Relations from Lindenwood University out of St. Charles, Missouri. Moira’s focus of study is understanding the correlation between planning theory, policy, and development, with an emphasis in equitable housing and communities.

John C. Downen, M.A.

John Downen is a senior research fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, specializing in economic and fiscal impact analysis. Prior to his current role, he spent two years with Camoin Associates, a national economic development consultancy. Before joining Camoin, he had spent 15 years with the University of Utah, beginning as a research analyst at the Bureau of Economic and Business Research and working up to deputy director of economic and public policy research at the Gardner Institute.

Downen has also held a wide variety of positions in California, Louisiana, and Montana, including technical editor for a large engineering firm, editorial assistant and copy editor for various computer magazines, freelance editor, and research associate and publications and program coordinator for a small nonprofit organization. Downen holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in physics from Georgetown University and a master’s in economics from Tulane University, as well as a certificate in applied GIS from the University of Utah.

Dejan Eskic, M.R.E.D.

Dejan Eskic is a senior research fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.

Eskic is involved in housing, construction and real estate research, fiscal impact studies and economic and demographic analysis. His professional career has focused on providing the best information to key decision makers, whether they’d be local or state officials, executives of national retailers or publicly listed REIT’s. Prior to joining the Gardner Policy Institute, Eskic worked in the retail research industry where he evaluated current and future sales performance for retail sites through statistical gravity modeling reflecting market demographics throughout the Country. Additionally, he has worked on a number of public-private-partnerships relating to Tax Increment Financing, along with numerous real estate market studies and economic development plans.

Before earning a Master’s in Real Estate Development, Eskic earned a B.S. in Urban Planning, both from the University of Utah. He also serves as an adjunct professor of Real Estate Market Analysis at the University of Utah.

Kate Farr

Kate Farr is the custodian for the Thomas S. Monson Center and maintains the center for all tenants and guests. She assists in private event clean up and oversees inventory of all custodial supplies.

Kate is working towards her Bachelor’s degree in Film and Media Studies at the University of Utah and has owned her own art business since 2021.  

Chance Hansen, B.A.

Chance Hansen is a Marketing & Communications Specialist at the Gardner Institute, with previous experience in international online retail and health care. He assists in designing and executing marketing and social media campaigns, managing web development and UX design projects, and creating content for written blogs, photo, video, and graphic design.

Chance holds a B.A. in Communications: Advertising with a minor in Design from Brigham Young University and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Accountancy from Utah Valley University,

Emily Harris, M.S.

Emily Harris works as a senior demographer and focuses on population estimates, demographic trend research, data analysis and visualization and population projections.

Harris’s work involves collaboration with many community partners to provide analysis, information, and concise communication of complex ideas to inform policymakers and local stakeholders of the current and future demographic characteristics of Utah’s population.

Harris built and maintains the models that produce annual state and county population estimates for the Utah Population Committee, where she serves as the technical lead and researcher on methodological innovations. Further, she develops data visualizations and written explanations for long run county population projections. Her research includes publications that define and describe Utah’s changing demographics as well as provide insight into complex data using analytics, manipulation and visualization in R, Stata and Tableau.

Harris earned her B.A. in Sociology from Middle Tennessee State University and her M.S. in Sociology from Purdue University. Prior to her time at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, she was a research analyst at the Center for Research on Young People’s Health and a Statistics instructor at Purdue University.

Michael T. Hogue, M.A.

Michael Hogue serves as a senior research statistician, specializing in labor economics, applied econometrics, and forecasting.

Hogue’s recent work includes the development of a forecasting model for oil and natural gas revenues, completed as part of an analysis of the fiscal impacts of a transfer of federal lands to the state of Utah, and long-term projections of employment by major industry.

Hogue holds a B.A. in economics, a B.A. in mathematics, and an M.A. in economics, all from Mississippi State University. Hogue serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor for the University of Utah Department of Economics, teaching undergraduate econometrics in recent years.

Mike Hollingshaus, Ph.D.

Mike Hollingshaus is a Senior Demographer at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, where he researches, writes, and presents on Utah demographics. He is an expert in population projections, birth rates, death rates, racial and ethnic demographics, and the aging population.

Dr. Hollingshaus holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Utah, with certificates in Demography and Diversity. He previously worked as a researcher at the Utah Population Database in the Huntsman Cancer Institute, identifying genetic and social factors contributing to human health and behavior. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Utah, including Social Statistics, Epidemiology, Family Health History, and Demographic Methods. He has published several pieces of applied research specific to Utah, and also in multiple peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Dr. Hollingshaus designs, programs, maintains, and operates Utah’s demographic projection modeling system: the Utah Demographic and Economic Model (UDEM). He is a member of the Federal-State Cooperative for Population Projections where he is proud to represent Utah. This group convenes researchers from the Census Bureau and state demography offices to improve research and communication of the country’s future population trends. Dr. Hollingshaus also serves as a member of the Utah Commission on Aging.

Madeleine Jones, B.S.

Madeleine Jones is a Dignity Index Field Director at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute in collaboration with UNITE. She supports the Students for Dignity, develops training curriculums, and advances the goals of the UNITE initiative.

Before joining the Institute, Madeleine studied political science, psychology and sociology at the University of Utah. Throughout her academic career, she worked on the development team at the Granite Education Foundation, interned for the Office of Legislative Research and General Council, and participated in the Dignity Index Pilot Project.

Madeleine holds a B.S. in both Political Science and Psychology and a minor in Sociology from the University of Utah.

Jennifer Leaver, M.A.

Jennifer Leaver is the senior tourism analyst at the Gardner Policy Institute, specializing in local, regional, and statewide tourism research.

Leaver authors Utah’s annual travel and tourism industry report, county tourism profiles, and visitor economy-related blogs. In addition, she has conducted economic research for the Utah Film Commission and Utah’s Coal Country Strike Team. Leaver presents her research statewide at conferences and visitor bureau meetings. In 2019, she served as a speaker and panelist at Stanford University’s Rural West Conference.

Prior to joining the Institute, Leaver worked for Utah’s Department of Human Services in a variety of roles that included policy specialist, research consultant, and information analyst. Leaver received her master of applied anthropology with an emphasis in natural resources and community values from Oregon State University and her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Puget Sound.

Maddy Oritt, Ph.D.

Maddy Oritt is a senior public finance economist at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. Her research focuses on the Utah and U.S. economies and on public finance issues such as state and local taxes and budget management over the business cycle.

Prior to joining the Institute, Dr. Oritt was the senior economist for the Utah State Legislature, where she focused on revenue forecasting and volatility, budget stress testing, tax policy analysis, and public education and Medicaid forecasting. She also served as the chief operating officer for Seven Canyons Advisors, a global small-cap equity firm. 

Dr. Oritt holds a Ph.D. in political science with an emphasis in public policy from the University of Utah, where she studied the state fiscal effects of Medicaid. She also holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Kentucky.

Levi Pace, Ph.D.

Levi Pace is a senior research economist who writes about industries and populations on behalf of community stakeholders in Utah. His recent publications arose from collaborations on renter demographics, industrial banking, racial economic disparities, and national park visitor spending. Previously, Dr. Pace presented in-depth studies on the statewide economic and fiscal impacts of the life sciences and tech sectors. Other research areas include fintech, health care, public lands, education outcomes, access to child care, income inequality, and veterans.

Related to his data analysis for these projects, Pace teaches quantitative methods in the University of Utah’s Master of Public Policy program. Prior to joining the Gardner Institute, he taught economic history and theory courses for the University of Utah’s Department of Economics, Weber State University, and Westminster College.

Pace received a bachelor’s degree in history from Alice Lloyd College and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Utah. As a graduate assistant, he researched state and local tax policy on campus and for the Utah Legislature. His dissertation explored bankruptcy policy and individual insolvency.

Praopan Pratoomchat, Ph.D.

Dr. Praopan Pratoomchat is a senior research economist at the Gardner Institute with a background in higher education and macroeconomic research.

Prior to joining the Institute, she was an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, teaching Applied Economic Analysis, Money and Banking, Principles of Macroeconomics, and Principles of Microeconomics. While teaching, she conducted several research projects with her undergraduate students. The topics include local consumer confidence index, multiplier effect from the fiscal policy, homelessness and housing market, and inequality. Her latest publication was “How effective is the 2020 stimulus check in Minnesota and Wisconsin counties?”, which provided an estimation of the multipliers in the different areas of Minnesota and Wisconsin from COVID-19 stimulus checks.

Praopan earned her Ph.D. in Economics and Master of Science in Economics from the University of Utah. She holds a Bachelor of Economics and Master of Economics from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.

Heidi Prior, M.P.P.

Heidi Prior is a public policy analyst at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute where she specializes in demographic research and data analysis.

Before joining the Gardner Institute, Heidi taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade at public and charter schools in Utah and Colorado. Her leadership work as a teacher focused on school reform, equity, and experiential learning. As a graduate student entering the field of public policy, Heidi pursued research in education policy and housing policy. She also completed internships at Utah Foundation and the Utah Education Policy Center.

Heidi holds a B.A. from Wheaton College and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Utah.

Natalie Roney, M.P.P.

Natalie Roney is a research economist at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, concentrating her research in various economic topics including tax policy and public finance.

Prior to her position at the Gardner Institute, Roney studied economics at Brigham Young University where she worked as both a research assistant and teacher’s assistant, focusing her work on economic development through data-driven policymaking. She has also worked with local lawmakers during the legislative session conducting research regarding issues relevant to their sponsored legislation.

Roney earned a B.S. in Economics and a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Utah.

Shannon Simonsen, B.A.

Shannon Simonsen is a research coordinator at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute where she supports the research agenda of the economic and public policy team.

Before joining the Institute, Shannon worked as an executive assistant and special projects coordinator at the Utah Governor’s Office. She serves as the co-chair of Utah’s Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census. During her time at the governor’s office, she served as executive assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff and Education Advisor and the chief coordinator for the Governor’s Education Excellence Commission.

She holds a B.A. in Sociology and a certificate in museum studies from Utah State University.

Paul Springer, B.A.

Paul Springer is the Senior Graphic Designer at the Gardner Policy Institute. Prior to joining the Institute, he worked for more than 25 years as a senior graph designer at a Salt Lake City graphic design firm. His work has included a wide range of both local and national projects from packaging design and corporate identity to publications, communication graphics, and advertising.

Mr. Springer earned is B.F.A in Graphic Design from the University of Utah. His work has been recognized in Print magazine, and he has been the recipient of several local and national awards for design excellence.

Gabriella Velasquez

Gabriella Velasquez is the set-up coordinator for events at the Thomas S. Monson Center and oversees the set-up of all rental spaces within the building. She assists vendors and guests with any event needs including catering, AV, parking, and general questions.

Gabriella is currently pursuing her B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Utah and is a member of The Bennion Scholar Program for community engagement.  

Cayley Wintch, B.S.

Cayley Wintch is the Building Manager for the Thomas S. Monson Center and oversees the day-to-day operations of the building for the Gardner Institute. She assists in property management, including overseeing maintenance and repairs, managing custodial and events teams, coordinating with vendors and ensuring compliance with safety regulations. Cayley also manages all private events and event logistics for the various rental spaces at the Monson Center. 

Prior to her role with the Gardner Institute, Cayley was a buyer and e-commerce manager at a local retail store. Cayley holds a B.S. in Communications from the University of Utah and is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration at the U.

Ben Kosvic

Ben Kosvic is a graduate assistant with the Gardner Institute’s Economics and Public Policy team. His work at the Institute focuses on economic impact analyses and forecasting trends in the state of Utah, including population & employment growth and state revenue. He is a first-year student in the M.S. in Economics program at the University of Utah, and his academic focus areas include political economy, international economics, and labor economics.

Ben completed his undergraduate education at the University of Chicago, where he achieved a B.A. in Economics (specialization in Data Science), a B.S. in Mathematics, and a Minor in Computer Science. After graduation, Ben moved from Hyde Park to Lincoln Park and spent one year in quantitative options trading then three years in economic consulting with a focus on wage-and-hour litigation before moving to Salt Lake City, UT to continue his education and work for the Gardner Institute.

Joseph Maples

Joseph Maples is a graduate assistant at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, working with the Industry Research team. He is a first-year student in the Master of Statistics and Econometrics program. His academic focus is on development and international economics.

Joseph is originally from Yokohama Japan, and he holds a B.S. in Economics and a minor in Philosophy from the University of Utah.

Tanner Visnick

Tanner Visnick is a graduate assistant at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, pursuing a master’s degree in City and Metropolitan Planning. He works with the Demography team, assisting with population projections, migration, fertility and mortality analysis.

Tanner’s planning interests lie in transportation and sustainability, with a focus on active transportation.

Kasia Watson

Kasia Watson is a graduate assistant with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute survey research team. She is a first-year student in the Master of Public Administration program at the University of Utah. Her current academic focus areas include educational policy and non-profit management. 

Kasia completed her undergraduate education at Southern Utah University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Psychology and a Minor in Family Services. While obtaining her bachelor’s degree, she developed a passion for research and explored topics relating to employment discrimination and political polarization.

Alex Yoder

Alex Yoder is a graduate assistant with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s Public Finance Team. His work at the Institute focuses on economic studies, public finance and public policy, and economic impact analysis. He is a second-year student in the Masters of Public Administration program at the University of Utah. He is also studying for a graduate certificate in Urban Planning.

Alex completed his undergraduate education at Weber State University, where he earned a B.A. in Political Science with an emphasis in American Government and a minor in Communications. While studying at Weber State, Alex interned at the State Legislature and the Weber County Prosperity Center of Excellence (COE). After graduating, Alex returned to the legislature before working as a graduate assistant at Latino Behavioral and Health Services (LBHS).

Jonathan Ball

Jonathan Ball advises the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute on public policy and finance. Ball is the director of the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst for the state of Utah. He leads a team of non-partisan financial analysts and economists who forecast state revenue, recommends budgets, estimates the cost of proposed legislation and staff the Legislature’s appropriations committees. He has also served as staff on the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress, the Washington Office of Michigan Governor John Engler, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Silvia Castro

Silvia Castro consults with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute on economics, small businesses, and minority-owned businesses. She is the Executive Director of the Suazo Business Center.

Her experience includes consulting for Fortune 500 companies, the State of Utah, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, and forward-looking non-profits such as the Utah Microenterprise Loan Fund, the Austin Project, in Austin, TX, and the Goldman Sachs 10K Program. Ms. Castro currently serves on the Executive Committee of Envision Utah, Wasatch Front Regional Council’s Economic Development District, Salt Lake Community College Board of Trustees, Utah Governor’s COVID Economic Taskforce, and the Governor’s COVID Multicultural Taskforce.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in International Business from Westminster College and an MBA from the University of Utah.

Gary Cornia

Gary C. Cornia consults with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute on public finance. He is the former dean of the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University. Dr. Cornia served as a Utah State Tax Commissioner and currently is a Commissioner on the State Securities Commission. He is the past president of the National Tax Association and received the Steven D. Gold Award from the National Tax Association in 2006. He has served on the boards of three fixed income funds and one equity fund as well as with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Massachusetts, the Land Reform Training Institute in Taiwan and the Utah Governor’s Tax Review Commission.

Emma Houston

Emma E. Houston is a Senior Advisor at the Gardner Institute, currently serving as Special Assistant to the Vice President of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at the University of Utah and leads strategies for staff and faculty engagement and program development.

Emma works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems within community and corporate sectors to increase awareness around equity, diversity, and inclusion. Her work is designed to create inclusive spaces that celebrate, acknowledge, embrace, and understand the overachieving umbrella of EDI. Emma helps organizations to define, implement, and advance EDI by infusing strategies into all segments of policies, practices and procedures to create focused, intentional, and sustainable change across the organizational structure.

A well-known and longtime community member and advocate, Emma is the former Diversity & Inclusion Director for Salt Lake County Government, serves as the appointed chair of the Utah MLK Jr., Human Rights Commission, and on the Utah COVID-19 Task Force.

Emma has conducted EDI training sessions and conversations with Utah Highway Patrol, LUCID, Malouf, Alzheimer’s Association, Multiple Sclerosis and The Utah Department of Corrections.

Emma was named one of the 30 Women to Watch for her work with diversity and inclusion by Utah Business Magazine and was also named Who’s Who of Black Utah by IMPACT Magazine. Emma is the owner and CEO of Brighter Day Productions, LLC and holds a BS in Business Management and an MBA in Business Administration.

Beth Jarosz

Beth Jarosz consults with the Gardner Institute on demographics. She is a senior research associate in Population Reference Bureau’s United States Programs where she manages projects focused on state and local demography. Prior to joining PRB, Ms. Jarosz was Senior Demographer at the San Diego Association of Governments and taught sociology at Pensacola State College. She has been both a panelist and steering committee member for National Academies workshops on the American Community Survey and 2020 Census, and she serves on the boards of the Association of Public Data Users and the Southern Demographic Association. Her publications include research on inequality, trends in fertility and mortality, and techniques for population estimation and forecasting. She has been quoted by numerous national and local news organizations including NPR and USA Today. She completed her master’s degree in Demographic and Social Analysis at the University of California, Irvine.

Darin Mellott

Darin Mellott consults with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute on regional and national economic activity, with a focus on the commercial real estate. Mellott is the Director of Research and Analysis for CBRE’s Southwest Region, which includes Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Tucson. In this role, he analyzes the impact of economic developments on property markets, identifies market trends, helps formulate “house views” and consults with clients. Mellott is also a part of CBRE’s Americas Research Leadership Team and has authored various national and global papers for the firm.

Pamela S. Perlich, Ph.D.

Pamela Perlich, Ph.D. is a Senior Advisor at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. Prior to this role, she served as Director of Demographic Research at the Gardner Institute. Formerly, she worked as a senior research economist with the Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR) and earlier as a Research Economist with the Utah Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. She taught at Tulsa Community College, Westminster University, and the University of Utah.

Although trained as an economist, her publications, research, and teaching applied a multidisciplinary approach to identify ongoing demographic, economic and cultural transformations, both historical and projected. Her work highlights the great diversity in our communities and how these change over time. She has received awards for teaching, publication and public service.

Dr. Perlich received her B.S. in both economics and business from the University of Tulsa and her Ph.D. in economics from the University of Utah.

Chris Redgrave

Chris Redgrave consults with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute on community relations. She retired after a 20-year career as VP/GM for Bonneville Broadcast Radio Group and has been with Zions Bank for seven years, serving as senior vice president of community relations. In 2015, Redgrave was appointed Chair of the Zions Bank Women’s Business Forum. She is also a member of the Executive Board for Visit Salt Lake, the Board of Directors for the Salt Lake Chamber, the board of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts and a member of The Dean’s List with the University of Utah. In 2011, Redgrave was listed by American Banker as a member of the Top Banking Teams. In 2014, 2015, 2016 and again in 2017, she received the Best of State Award for Journalism.

Juliette Tennert, M.A.

Juliette Tennert is a senior advisor at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, specializing in Utah’s economy, economic forecasting and modeling, fiscal policy analysis and economic impact studies. Her most recent work includes state revenue forecasting, labor force analysis, housing and construction research and international trade data analysis.

Before joining the Eccles School, Tennert served as the state budget director and chief economist for Governor Gary Herbert, chief economist for Governor Jon Huntsman and as a fiscal analyst for the Utah State Legislature. Prior to her state service, Tennert was a research analyst for the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

Tennert holds a master’s degree in economics from UNLV and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Chicago. She is also an adjunct instructor of public budgeting and finance in the University of Utah’s Master of Public Administration program and has been honored as one of Utah Business Magazine’s annual “30 Women to Watch.”

Matthew J. Burbank, Ph.D.

Matthew Burbank is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science where he serves as the department’s director of undergraduate studies and the honors advisor for political science. Professor Burbank teaches undergraduate courses on American government, voting, elections, public opinion, political parties and political analysis as well as graduate courses on political behavior, quantitative methods and research design. Professor Burbank’s research focuses on how citizens understand and participate in politics as well as urban politics and public policy.

Professor Burbank has co-authored two books, “Parties, Interest Groups, and Political Campaigns” (2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2012) and “Olympic Dreams: The Impact of Mega-events on Local Politics” (Lynne Rienner, 2001), as well as a number of journal articles and book chapters. His most recent works have been on such topics as public opinion on complex policy issues, how community attachment influences voting on public school vouchers and electoral support for the Conservative Party in Britain.

Professor Burbank earned his B.A. in political science from the University of Montana, his M.S. in political science from the University of Utah and his Ph.D. in political science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In addition to research and teaching, Professor Burbank serves as the University of Utah’s official representative for the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) and has served as a reviewer for the Fulbright Award program, the National Science Foundation and the Economic and Social Research Council in the United Kingdom.

Elena Patel, Ph.D.

Elena is an Assistant Professor in the Finance Department at the University of Utah and Faculty Advisor at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. She received her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Michigan in 2013. She spent six years working as a Financial Economist in the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Tax Analysis, where she worked extensively on issues of optimal corporate taxation. As an applied microeconomist, her main research interests are in the fields of industrial organization, health economics, regulatory economics, and public finance. Her research agenda focuses on the behavioral responses of businesses to the U.S. tax system. In addition, she has done work developing a greater understanding of the competitive interaction between nontraditional organizational firm structures, including associated antitrust issues. Finally, she works on issues of female labor supply and responses to paid family leave policies.

Nathan Seegert, Ph.D.

Nathan Seegert is an Assistant Professor in the Finance Department and faculty advisor at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. He studies how government policies affect corporations, urban growth, entrepreneurship, and uncertainty in the economy. Recent areas of interest include, how corporations make investment decisions (including mergers) and how taxes distort these decisions, how individuals decide to become entrepreneurs and the policies that can encourage or discourage entrepreneurship, how state governments should use taxes to manage risk in the economy, and how do land regulations distort urban growth patterns. He received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Michigan where he was a National Science Foundation IGERT fellow at the Center of Complex Systems. Nathan’s research on the distortions of the dividend tax on mergers and acquisitions won Oxford’s Centre for Business Taxation Best Paper by a Young Scholar award.