“Alumni in the News” highlights Utah State University graduates who are making headlines and impacting their communities, industries, and the world. From national recognition to local features, this collection celebrates the ongoing achievements and influence of Aggies everywhere.
Sierra Benson Collett ’21, ’22 CERG
Collett, a leadership program officer with Cultural Vistas, was named as one of 2025’s 20 In Their 20s by “Utah Business.”
Jamie Gregersen ’21 MEd
Gregersen, head of sports performance at Preston High School, was named Idaho high school strength coach of the year.
Cam Haney ’19
Haney was hired as the cornerbacks coach for the University of Tulsa.
Stacie Shannon Denetsosie ’16, ’19 MA
Denetsosie was named one of the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 honorees for her debut novel, “The Missing Morningstar and Other Stories,” exploring the lasting impacts of settler colonialism on Diné people.
Craig Humphreys ’16 MHR
After more than 30 years, the Logan City Fire Department’s Humphreys retired from his service to the people of Cache County.
Jessica Shumway ’16 PhD
Shumway, an associate professor in Utah State University’s School of Teacher Education and Leadership, will represent the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services as a Dean’s Scholar.
Chuckie Keeton ’15
Former USU Quarterback Keeton led the Patriots as the offensive assistant at the 2026 Super Bowl.
Amy Lund ’14
Lund, co-founder and CEO of Dough Lady, was named CEO of the Year 2026 by “Utah Business Magazine.”
Danny Magnum ’14 MHR
Mountain West Small Business Finance has named Mangum as president and chief operating officer.
DJ Tialavea ’13, ’19 MEd
USU Football welcomes Tialavea as senior offensive analyst and assistant offensive line coach.
Adam Wardenburg ’13
Utah Tech announced Wardenburg as head coach of the women’s basketball team.
Tom Williams ’13 MBA
Williams, Utah Public Radio co-manager, announced plans to retire in the fall of 2026.
Kylee Lewis ’12, ’17 MS
Lewis becomes the clinical director of the new Opal Autism Center for Children in Cache Valley.
Aaron Wade ’12
Gilmore Bell announced Wade as its new director in Salt Lake City.
Sahil Oberoi ’11
Oberoi, COO for Utah Community Action, was named as part of Forty Under 40: Utah’s Rising Business Stars in 2026 by “Utah Business Magazine.”
Joshua Lockhart ’10, ’15 MHR
Big-D Companies named Josh Lockhart as vice president of human resources.
Kris Kuchenmeister ’07, ’07 MBA
Kuchenmeister, chief dental officer with Stubbs Dental Implant Center, has been named a 2025 Healthcare Hero by “Utah Business.”
Christy Bortz ’06
Bortz, an instructional coach at Hedges Elementary in Kalispell, MT, is set to take the reins as Cayuse Prairie School’s new superintendent and principal on July 1.
Danielle Tuttle ’06
Tuttle, a teacher at Castle Dale Elementary School, received February 2026’s Apples for Teachers Award from AJB Broadcasting.
Anastassia Alexandrova ’05 PhD
USU’s College of Arts & Sciences selected Alexandrova for a 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of her “extraordinary academic and scientific accomplishments and her lasting contributions to the field of chemistry.”
Qiu Fang ’04 PhD
Marquis “Who’s Who” honored Fang for expertise in education.
Dustin Crawford ’03, ’07 MA
Crawford was recognized as the English Department and College of Arts & Sciences Lecturer of the Year at USU.
Kristy Guymon ’03
The Utah High School Activities Association named longtime Emery High School cross-country and track-and-field coach Guymon as a Gold Star Coach.
Suresh Karre ’03
Karre, PE, PTOE, has been promoted to vice president at STV, a leading infrastructure-focused professional services firm in North America.
Erica Low ’03
Low, alongside her son Eric, has opened a new ravioli restaurant in Logan, Utah, called Biada Ravioli Kitchen.
Josh Baxter ’02 MBA
Baxter, CEO of NetDocuments, the cloud-native, AI-enabled legal document management platform, acquired eDOCS to expand the company’s global reach and enhance its legal technology platform.
Scott Young ’01
Young, Toyota managing counsel, received the 2025 Corporate Counsel Award.
Wayne Guymon ’00
Idaho Governor Brad Little appointed Clark to serve as a district judge for the 7th Judicial District.
Daniel Clark ’98
Learfield and USC Athletics named 25-year industry veteran Guymon as vice president and general manager of Learfield’s USC Sports Properties.
Mike Favero ’98 MEd
The Logan City Board of Education has announced that the field at Logan High School will be named Favero Field in honor of former Logan High School coach Favero.
Keith Mecham ’97 MEd
Mecham, formerly the district’s assistant superintendent over secondary curriculum, was named superintendent of Box Elder School District in April 2026.
Lisa Wilson ’96
Wilson, deputy director for engineering and operations at the Utah Department of Transportation, will serve a two-year term as chair of the steering committee for the AASHTO Innovation Management Technical Service Program.
Hoyt Skabelund ’94
Skabelund, CEO of Banner Payson Medical Center, has been named one of the 2025 Critical Access Hospital CEOs to Know by “Becker’s Hospital Review.”
Kelly Haws ’92 MS
Haws was the named acting president of BYU-Hawaii.
Rob Allen ’91 MBA
Allen, CEO and president of Intermountain Health, was named CEO of the Year 2026 by “Utah Business Magazine.”
Brent Black ’91
USU Extension has named Black as the 2026 recipient of the E.G. Peterson Award, its highest award, given yearly to honor individuals who provide outstanding service to the state of Utah.
Shawn Harrison ’91
Harrison was named as the “Herald Journal” managing editor in February 2026.
Kerry Bringhurst ’88
Bringhurst, Utah Public Radio co-manager, announced plans to retire in fall 2026.
Kristan Fjelsted ’83
Fjeldsted, of Logan, received the Outstanding Volunteer Award for more than 20 years of service and leadership in community events like Logan’s Summer Sidewalk Sale.
Dennis Cunningham ’78
Park City High School has named Cunningham, a former Utah State University football player and four-year collegiate athlete, as its new head football coach.
Manmohan Manubhai Trivedi ’77 ME, ’80 PhD
Trivedi, a University of California San Diego distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering, accepted the Maheshwari Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science.
Douglas Anderson ’75 MA
After 20 years, Anderson, who became dean of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at USU on July 1, 2006, will step down on July 1 to return to classroom teaching.
Neil Payne ’75
Payne, a retired professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, has been selected for 2026 induction in the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame.
Bob Bissland ’73 BLA
Bissland, a Northern Utah graphic designer, received the Platinum Award in the Graphis International Poster Competition, placing him among just 10 winners selected from hundreds of entries representing 34 countries.
Vicki Carter ’66 MEd
Carter was selected to serve as superintendent of the Lake Mountain School District.
Joseph Cook ’59
Cook, a charter member of the American Board of Family Medicine, has spent more than 60 years advancing family medicine through patient care, teaching, and leadership, continuing to serve patients in Utah into his 90s.
