Ambassadors

Ally Isom is the Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer for Clyde Companies. She is a leader and strategist who is passionate about building community and bringing people together to tackle tough issues.

Prior to her role with Clyde Companies, Ally held posts in Utah’s state government, including Deputy Director of the Department of Community and Culture, Government Relations Director for the Department of Workforce Services, and Deputy Chief of Staff, Communication Director and Spokesperson for Governor Gary R. Herbert.

Ally then worked at the global headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in public affairs, communication, and branding, before moving to the private sector as an executive for EVŌQ Nano. In 2022, Ally was a Republican candidate for the United States Senate. 

In 2021 Utah Business named Ally one of “30 Women to Watch.” Highlights from her civic involvement include service as a Kaysville City Councilmember, the Utah Clean Air Partnership Board (UCAIR), the Women’s Leadership Institute executive board chair, the Salt Lake Chamber Board of Governors, Utah Foundation Executive Board, the Utah Manufacturers Association board, and Primary Children’s Hospital board.

Ally has a Bachelor of Arts in political science and communications from Brigham Young University. 

She and her husband, Eric, have four children and six grandchildren. For restorative and focused time, Ally enjoys writing, hiking, cooking, and mole poblano, preferably on a beach with a good read.

Dr. Chad Albrecht is Head of the Marketing & Strategy Department, MBA Program Director, and an Endowed Professor of Strategy in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. Throughout his career, Dr. Albrecht has produced more than fifty publications, including several books and many research articles. Dr. Albrecht's research has been used by the AICPA and the Institute of Fraud Prevention (ACFE) in training, research and other educational initiatives. In addition, his research has been quoted more than 3,000 times and has appeared in various news agencies. Before becoming a professor, Dr. Albrecht worked as a licensed stockbroker for The Harris, a subsidiary of the Bank of Montreal.

Emily Bell McCormick is founder and president of The Policy Project. Prior to her venture into the world of policy, Emily founded and sold a clothing company (Shabby Apple), was an editor and occasional host of Utah's NBC morning show, KSL Studio 5, and worked as a communication strategy consultant in a myriad of industries including policy, NGOs, REITs, tech, and fashion. Emily has a master's degree in communication from The Ohio State University and a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism from Brigham Young University. When she's not campaigning for a new idea, she is spending time with her five wild kids or attempting to sneak in some brownies and a walk in a beautiful neighborhood.

Ginger Chinn serves as the vice president of public policy and government affairs at the Salt Lake Chamber in Salt Lake City, Utah.  At the Chamber, she coordinates with critical stakeholders on emerging policy issues and works with local and federal lawmakers on getting bills through the legislative process.   She works to build strong relationships with members, the community, and elected officials.   

Prior to her role at the Salt Lake Chamber, she served as the managing director for urban and rural business services for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and was the vice president of business development at the Inland Port.  As managing director at GOED, Chinn directed a strategic growth plan for Utah’s industry cluster program and managed rural economic development programs. Additionally, Chinn oversaw GOED’s business services including Utah’s Business Resource Centers and the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC). 

Chinn was previously the vice president of external engagement and economic development at the Davis Technical College (DTC). In this role, she directed several areas including Custom Fit training and operations at the Davis and Morgan County Business Resource Centers. 

Chinn has served on many organizational boards including the Utah Advanced Materials Manufacturing Initiative (UAMMI), Davis Education Foundation, and the Lakeview Hospital Board.  She served as an honorary commander under Major General Stacey Hawkins at Hill Air Force Base.  She currently serves on Utah Tech University’s Board of Trustees.  

Chinn graduated from Boise State University earning a degree in social sciences.  She also earned a master’s degree from Colorado State University in organizational leadership.  

Heather is the Deputy Campaign Manager for Governor Gary Herbert. She is a political advisor and strategic planner, who works with citizens and elected officials in all 29 counties. She has served as President of the Utah Federation of Republican Women and served on their national board of directors, representing Utah. 

Over 15 years ago, Heather started a small market research and recruiting business. She has been involved in several high-profile research projects and has worked with multiple Fortune 500 companies. 

While Heather has a diverse business and public service background, her passion is education innovation and public policy. She has been a long-time supporter of traditional district schools and public charter schools. In 2013 and 2014, Heather served on the Utah State Board of Education, representing District 9. One of her current projects is driving women returning to finish their higher education degrees and is involved with the Women’s Leadership Project through UVU. 

Heather is a strong advocate of second language learning and served as Community Liaison for two Arabic language teachers, under the Federal Department of Defense, Critical Language Program (TCLP). While serving on the board, she was invited to attend an educational summit in China. Upon returning, she proposed a Chinese Dual Immersion program be adopted in the school. Her daughter will be among the first graduates of the program.  

As an experiential learning proponent, Heather serves as a Board Member of the Space EdVentures Foundation. The new foundation is building one-of-a-kind replica of a space ship inside a school. Core curriculum will be taught in an interactive environment while kids develop soft personal skills and achieve academic benchmarks. Heather also serves on the board of the Disaster Discovery Museum. 

In addition to her business endeavors and community service, Heather loves to travel, sing, dance, and learn. 

Katie Garrett manages digital media services at the Utah Education Network. She has a Bachelor's Degree from Utah State University in Broadcast Journalism and currently is pursuing a graduate degree in Instructional Design and Education Technology at the University of Utah.

At UEN Katie is responsible for various statewide digital media initiatives including: digital content repositories, accessible online video and media production to support Utah Women and Leadership Project. Katie enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys.

Kenneth L. White (USU) has been a faculty member in the Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences at Utah State University (USU) since 1991.  Prior to this, Dr. White was a member of the faculty in the Department of Animal Science at Louisiana State University.  He was appointed Vice President for USU Extension, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, and Director of the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station at Utah State University July 1, 2013 following a national search process.  He received his bachelor’s of science in animal science from Brigham Young University in 1979, and his master’s degree in animal science and PhD in physiology from the University of California, Davis in 1982 and 1986, respectively.  He has been actively involved in directing a competitive research program throughout his 34-year academic career.  As an independent researcher, he has generated over 17.5 million dollars in extramural funding to support research in Animal Reproduction and Embryonic Development. In 2006 he was recognized as Researcher of the Year, in 2007 he was honored as Undergraduate Mentor of The Year, and in 2011 as Utah State University’s Outstanding Graduate Mentor. In 2013 Dr. White received the Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology in Academics in recognition for his research program and efforts to establish a School of Veterinary Medicine in Utah.  He has published over 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles in journals such as Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Development, Biology of Reproduction, Reproduction, Molecular Reproduction and Development, and Cloning and Stem Cells.  He led the nuclear transfer (cloning) team that produced the world’s first cloned equines, which resulted in the birth of three identical mule foals.  During this same period, he received the first Best of State Statue (BOSS) Award for Agriculture given in recognition of his nuclear transfer work. He has also been invited to speak at symposia in various countries, including China, Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Peru, and Ireland, in addition to many universities throughout the USA.  He also was one of the primary leaders responsible for establishing the USU School of Veterinary Medicine.

Liz Darger is the senior associate athletic director/senior woman administrator (SWA) at BYU, where she has worked since 2015. She serves as the sport administrator for women’s soccer, women’s gymnastics, the spirit squads, and men’s and women’s cross country, indoor, and outdoor track and field. She also oversees human resources and gender equity for the athletic department. Liz serves in several campus roles including as a Sorensen Fellow for BYU’s Sorensen Center for Moral & Ethical Leadership, and as a campus Title IX liaison. She is a Utah Women & Leadership Project Ambassador and serves on the United Way of Utah County Board of Directors. Liz also serves on the Big 12 Conference SWA Committee and will begin service on the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee on September 1. Additionally, Liz is a member of the NCAA Common Ground Leadership Team, tasked with exploring how representatives of faith-based and LGBTQ communities can work more cohesively in college sports and higher education to model respect for all.

Liz holds a bachelor’s degree in Family Sciences, a master’s degree in School Counseling Psychology, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership, all from BYU. Liz wrote her dissertation on “Latter-day Saint Women and Leadership in Higher Education” and is passionate about the impact women leaders can make in families, in the workplace, in communities, in the Church, and in the world.

Liz Is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served on the Young Women General Advisory Council of the Church from 2018-2023.

Prior to BYU Liz worked as an Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Utah Valley University. Before that she worked at Timpanogos High School as a School Guidance Counselor, Varsity Women’s Basketball Coach, and Women’s Athletic Director.

Liz grew up in Boise, Idaho. She enjoys watching musical theater, cheering on nieces and nephews, and playing pickleball with friends. All of which are even better if she’s doing them at Bear Lake.

Marsha Judkins is currently an adjunct professor in the Quantitative and Mathematical Reasoning Department at Utah Valley University and serving as an elected Representative in the Utah State House. Prior to being elected, she worked extensively as a volunteer in her community and neighborhood schools. Marsha has a bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in math, and a master's degree in public administration. She raised seven children and elected to be a stay-at-home mom. She has always been an active volunteer, giving her time to PTA, coaching, community building, and nonprofits, and also worked part time as a children's librarian and as a substitute teacher. With her focus on children and education, Marsha saw a need to improve communication and understanding between parents, teachers, and the School District. In 2012, she ran for the Provo School Board and was elected to a four-year term. Realizing the State legislature's power over education and feeling that the legislature needed more diversity and a wider variety of perspectives, she ran for and was elected to the Utah State House in 2018. Marsha is currently serving her third term and represents House District 61 (west Provo and southwest Orem), where she has lived in a working-class neighborhood for the past 34 years. She is dedicated to being a strong voice for families and for those who are most vulnerable while serving on the Social Services Appropriations, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, and Health and Human Services Committees. 

Melanie Jones is the editor-in-chief of Utah Business, where she has the privilege of platforming the people and companies behind Utah's business successes. She served as a curator and speaking coach at TEDxSaltLakeCity for five seasons, collaborating with some of Utah’s brightest minds. 

Prior to joining Utah Business, Melanie was chief of staff and VP of planning for Younique, a Lehi-based cosmetics company. She also spent over 25 years at Ultradent, a dental products manufacturer based in South Jordan. During her time there, she gained broad experience in roles across the business, including international account management, product training, digital marketing and project management. 

Melanie serves on the Board of Advisors for the Utah Advanced Materials + Manufacturing Initiative (UAMMI). She holds a Bachelor of Science in digital communication from Brigham Young University-Idaho and online certifications from Harvard Business School and the University of British Columbia. 

Having spent most of her career at the intersection of two male-dominated industries, Melanie is passionate about elevating women's voices in the workplace and representing what's possible for the next generation of workers—especially for her two daughters and two sons.

Melanie enjoys adventures with her family—including cheap travel deals, visits to Hale Center Theatre and Utah athletics (Go Jazz! Go Utes!)—but feels most in her element while having a quiet conversation with a good friend, or curled up in a hammock with a good book.

Nubia Peña is the Director for the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs where their mission is to promote an inclusive climate for Utah's growing diverse community through training, outreach and youth leadership development.

She is a national training consultant dedicated to bringing awareness to intersections of trauma and the School-to- Prison Pipeline, an epidemic that targets our most vulnerable youth by streamlining them into the juvenile justice system.

She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law in May 2016. During that year, she was selected as one of 25 law students in the nation to be recognized and highlighted for her social justice activism in the National Jurist, a leading news source in legal education. Due to Director Peña’s longstanding commitment to youth rights, empowerment, and leadership development, she was selected as the recipient of the National Juvenile Justice Network 2019 Emerging Leader Award.

In addition, Director Peña is certified by the National Juvenile Defender Center as a Juvenile Training Immersion Program facilitator. She has actively sought to bring awareness to issues of violence and systemic oppression through her personal faith-based and professional endeavors.

Paul Clayson’s career has spanned work as a business executive, CEO, board member, public speaker, and senior political advisor. He has extensive experience operating in the US and multiple countries throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Paul currently serves as CEO of AgilePQ, a Salt Lake City, Utah based IoT security software company. 

Paul’s private consulting company, Valuation Impact, is an executive mentoring and consulting company focused on advising start-up, growth stage, and mid-sized companies (to $4 billion) globally, largely in technology and manufacturing industries, to establish and grow value to exits. Using his experience as CEO of four disruptive technology startup companies and as chairman or a member of the board of directors of multiple other business, civic and political entities, Paul’s focus incorporates best practices, focuses on process development for replicable quality, and rapid time to market. Paul has received numerous awards and recognitions for his business and civic work. He is an experienced and talented public speaker and presenter and has given hundreds of public speeches and presentations in his career. He has authored a book on organizational startup, growth, M&A, and exit preparation. 

Paul currently serves as member of the board of directors of AgilePQ, and as Senior Advisor to Peace Field Limited, a Hong Kong based investment firm. He has served as a founder, Executive Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of HZO, Inc., a Salt Lake City based startup with disruptive advanced nano-materials technology, as CEO of QuantPower, a solar energy panel and tracker manufacturing company, and as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of nCoat, Inc., an award-winning nanotechnology materials company. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Voyss Solutions, a North Carolina based cloud computing company, as Vice President of Fonix, a speak recognition and synthesis software company, and as a senior officer for prominent institutional investment advisory and research firms in Portland, Oregon. His businesses have been recognized globally for high innovation and rapid growth, winning such prestigious awards as Golden Stevie awards on two continents and CES innovation awards.  He has contributed to development of 16 patents.

Through his career, Paul has maintained a strong presence in political and government circles. Early in his career, he managed congressional campaigns and served as Chief of Staff to two U.S. Congressmen, and served the White House as a lead advance agent to two U.S. Presidents and their Vice Presidents.  His government and political involvement led him to participation on many boards, commission, councils and entities in government, charitable and civic activities. He currently serves on the board of advisors to the Utah Valley University Center for National Security, as a director of the Utah State Capital Investment Corporation, an advisor to the Stanford University TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy Entrepreneurship Program, an advisor to the Florida based Free At Last Coalition to amend the 13th Amendment to eliminate slavery and others. He has served as campaign chairman or on the strategic advisory board for three US presidential campaigns, three US senate campaigns, four gubernatorial campaigns and multiple US House and local political campaigns.

Rich and Leann Crandall are proud to serve as ambassadors to the Utah Women & Leadership Project. They are the parents of 13 children, including 10 daughters, and three grandchildren, which almost makes them experts on the value of post-secondary education for young women. Originally from the Gila Valley in southeast Arizona (the home of President Spencer W. Kimball and the world's most powerful binocular telescope) Rich and Leann sat by each other in 6th grade and then worked together at McDonald's in high school.

Leann brings personal experience to this advisory role having been a single mom with six children, no alimony, and no college degree. With determination and mettle, she enrolled at Rio Salado Community College in 2010, earning her associates degree and then attended Arizona State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2013 with her Bachelor's degree in Family and Human Development. While attending college she taught math and PE full time for an Arizona charter school. Rich served seven years in the Arizona Legislature as both the Senate and House Education chairs until resigning his Senate seat to accept an appointment from Governor Matt Mead to become the Director of Education for the great state of Wyoming. He earned his MAcc degree from BYU, graduated Summa Cum Laude with an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and is finishing his Ed.D. in Education Leadership from Northern Arizona University. Rich and Leann are partners in Crandall Corporate Dietitians, the nation's largest consulting dietitian firm, and CN Resource, a specialty consulting firm that audits and reviews USDA child nutrition programs. They currently split their time between Mesa, AZ and Lehi, UT.

Rep Rosemary Lesser has represented House District 10 in Weber County since Jan 2021. She was a member of the first class of women at the University of Notre Dame. Following her graduation from Notre Dame, she attended the Uniformed Services University (the only military medical academy in US) where she earned her MD. She specialized in Obstetrics and Gynecologic Surgery. She served in the US Air Force for 15 years before moving to Ogden in 1992. In 2008, she became the President of Ogden Women’s Clinic, a legacy medical practice in Northern Utah. As a physician specializing in women’s health care, she has seen the impact of inequality on the lives of girls in Utah and is proud to serve as an ambassador of the Utah Women & Leadership Project and a Bolder Way Forward.

Mr. Winthrop Jeanfreau has spent the past 30 years starting and selling businesses, including: Aperion Audio, Shred-it in Oregon & SW Washington, WRLD Enterprises, Kameleon International, InCon Enterprise, and Cambric Graphics. As a result, Mr. Jeanfreau has extensive experience successfully guiding emerging and rapid growth companies. 

Throughout his professional career, Mr. Jeanfreau has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to identify opportunity, marshal appropriate resources and successfully grow new companies to maximum profit. Mr. Jeanfreau is a graduate of the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree in Communication, a minor in Management, and the University of Oregon with a Master's Degree in Business Administration. Currently, Mr. Jeanfreau is the CEO of iMpact Utah, a state sponsored initiative supporting Utah manufacturing and rural businesses. Prior to this current endeavor, Mr. Jeanfreau was the Director of the Business Resource Center (BRC) at the Orem Campus of Utah Valley University where he provided executive management training on revenue growth, capital acquisition and how to remain a relevant contributor to enterprise. Concurrent with his appointment as Direct of the BRC, Mr. Jeanfreau was the Director of Executive Education at UVU. Prior to his appoint to the BRC, Win was the Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). As Director of the iMpact Utah, the BRC and SBDC, Winthrop is responsible for strengthening Utah's economic fabric and quality of life by facilitating the success and prosperity of all business endeavors in the Utah valley. Toward that end Mr. Jeanfreau has developed a set of core competencies that are taught to business owners in classroom settings as well as one-on-one through his staff of gifted and experienced business counselors.