Qualifications and Experience:

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Young Exceptional Children from the University of Delaware, Deb worked as a special educator, director, and consultant in public and private schools in Delaware, Wyoming and Utah. Her work was featured in a documentary To Be or Not To Be, on inclusion for those with Down’s Syndrome. Deb is the owner of Mountain Fresh, a catering company in the Salt Lake valley and a special education consultant.

Michele McRea
Acting Treasurer

Qualifications and Experience:

Michele was born in Indonesia to a French mom and a State Department Dad. She's lived in Japan, Thailand, and Cambodia and spent her youthful summers in France. She helped run her family's flower business in Washington, DC. and subsequently freelanced her graphic design and illustration business before settling down to raise her family in Salt Lake City, Utah, the most exotic place she has ever lived. Michele holds a BFA in fine arts and graphic design.

Qualifications and Experience:

Mary is an immigration attorney, and practices in Omaha, Nebraska. She received both her Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Creighton University. During law school her studies focused on International Law, including Int’l Human Rights Law, Int’l Criminal Law, and National Security and Foreign Relations. Additionally, she served on the Int’l Moot Court Board and was the President of the Environmental Law Society.

Qualifications and Experience:

Gonzalo, a Latin American entrepreneur and minority advocate, is the CEO of Centro de la Familia de Utah, an agency of Latino professional managing outreach programs for children and underserved families. He holds an economics degree from Utah State University and an MBA from Thunderbird, School of International Management. He has chaired the education committee of the Governor's Hispanic Advisory Counsil in support of initiatives to address the achievement gap of minority students. He served as the founding chair of the Pete Suazo Business Center where he now coaches and lectures emerging Latino entrepreneurs.

Elizabeth Denman, MD
Board Member
Health Committee Chair

Beth is an Internist practicing in Omaha, Nebraska. She has a special interest in Women's Health Issues and Preventive Medicine. Beth received her MD from the University of Nebraska Medical Center where she also completed her Internal Medicine Residency. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Creighton University. Beth loves her family, her patients, reading and knitting.

Katie Givens, MBA
Board Member

Katie is the Director of Information Technology at Mosaic; a not-for-profit that provides services to people with developmental disabilities. Katie holds a bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and received her Masters of Business Administration from Baker College.

Boyd Tangren, PE/CSE
Board Member
Special Projects

Boyd is a licensed structural engineer who has traveled to developing countries to offer his expertise toward improving infrastructure. This includes the access and distribution of fossil fuels, potable water projects and structural engineering for bridges. Boyd has climbed Mt. Kenya!

Qualifications and Experience:

Internationally, Nia has developed and implemented women's small loan (microcredit) projects as well as educational and health assistance programs in Bolivia, Kenya, Malawi and Nepal since 1994. She was born with a love for indigenous people and has lived with them in their remote, rural villages. Nia holds a BS in Computer Information Systems and a Certificate of Non-Profit Financial Management.

Locally, Nia has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children, has mentored women as they bridge from welfare into the work force, and tutored for Literacy Volunteers of America and Booked: Literacy Behind Bars. She served as Secretary for Utah-Bolivia Partners of the Americas

Nia is a recipient of the Spirit of Excellence and Hero awards from the PacifiCorp Foundation. She was honored on Utah Philanthrophy Day 2006 with a Heart and Hands award. Her efforts to give economic empowerment to women is recognized with the 2006 Women of Peace Award.