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Deb Day Olivier
Board Chair
Education Committee Chair
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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.
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Michele McRea
Acting Treasurer
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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.
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Mary J Cannella, JD
Board Secretary
Legal & Development Committee Chair
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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.
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Gonzalo Palza, MBA
Board Member
Executive Committee
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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.
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Elizabeth Denman, MD
Board Member
Health Committee Chair
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Qualifications and Experience:
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.
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Katie Givens, MBA
Board Member
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Qualifications and Experience:
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.
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Boyd Tangren, PE/CSE
Board Member
Special Projects
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Qualifications and Experience:
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! |
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Folks at OFDC |

Nia Z. Sherar
Founder & Executive Director |
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.
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© 2005 The OFDC. Instructional design by WideOpenDoors.net