Women in Education

Adonica I. Kauwe is the Assistant Director of Development for Student Affairs and Inclusion. Deeply committed to providing opportunities for all students, Adonica advocates for support to promote inclusivity, engaged learning, and student success. She grew up in Hawaii and Utah in very humble circumstances where she learned the value

As an activist and champion for women, Anita Bradford has made significant contributions to the quality of life for women in Utah by fighting for changing medical procedures during child bearing, to founding Better Jobs for Women at Utah Valley University in 1978. This service continues to exist today as

Anne Wairepo spent her childhood in Idaho. She grew to love horses and enjoyed many hours riding them on the family ranch. She was taught the value of an education from her parents, eventually leading her to receive a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Management, a master’s degree in Youth Leadership

In her formative years, a young Barbara kindled imagination and creativity in Spanish Fork, Utah. Because the city limits were still quite rural, she played outdoors and this allowed her to create her own entertainment. She observed her father collect unwanted materials to transform them into reusable objects. This upbringing

Belinda Han grew up in San Diego, California as the oldest of seven children. When her family moved to Lehi, she graduated from Lehi High School. She is a first generation college graduate with degrees in behavioral science, organizational leadership, and is currently working on a PhD in interdisciplinary studies

Credited for introducing kindergarten to the state of Utah. Born in Dresden, Germany, Cobb joined the LDS Church and immigrated to the United States as a teenager, where she began assisting Karl G. Maeser in setting up schools in Utah. Later, Cobb traveled to New York City where she met

As the first woman to serve as Associate Commissioner for Academic Affairs, Deputy Commissioner, and finally Commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education and CEO to the State Board of Regents, Dr. Foxley served a total of over 18 years in the Commissioner’s Office. During her career in education,

Cheryl Hanewicz grew up in Michigan surrounded by a strong and loving immediate and extended family. She received her Bachelor of Science, Master of Liberal Studies in Technology, and Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Technology Management. She began her teaching career at Eastern Michigan State,

Dianne Bjarnson has practiced as a midwife for over 30 years, assisting over 1,300 births. In 1980, she founded the Midwives College of Utah (formerly the Utah School of Midwifery; the first accredited midwifery college in the state of Utah). Midwives College of Utah is one of the largest and

Elaine Englehardt is a distinguished professor of ethics, and philosophy at Utah Valley University (UVU). She has taught ethics, philosophy, and communication classes at UVU for the past thirty-eight years. She has written and directed seven multi-year, national grants; the first from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), which

Gay Beck is an award-winning educator with a passion for teaching. She is currently a kindergarten teacher at Highland Elementary School in the Alpine School District. In 2011, she was awarded Utah’s Teacher of the Year, followed a year later with the California Casualty Award for teaching excellence. She was

Former dean of women at Utah State University (1945-1952) and teacher for twenty-eight years in Logan City School District. In addition to her teaching and administrative duties, Ione Bennion helped establish Planned Parenthood in Logan as well as the Young Mothers program, whose purpose was to allow teenage mothers to

Jeanette Misaka was just ten years old when her family was forced to move from their home in California to Japanese interment camps first in California and then in Heart Mountain, Wyoming. Her experiences led her to a life of service within in the Japanese American Community. She has served

Karen Hahne is the founder of the organization, Kids on the Move, which provides support and help for thousands of families of children with special needs in Utah County. Her degrees in Elementary Education and Special Education, as well as her experience with adopting a son with Down syndrome, have

Kathie Debenham is a professor of dance at Utah Valley University, where she founded the Dance Department, served as dean of the School of the Arts, and associate academic vice president. As an artist-educator, she taught in the BYU Dance Department, and co-directed the Young Dance Makers for over 20

Kathren Brown is the associate vice president of Academic Administration at UVU. She grew up in a small rural community in Michigan. She attended a small private liberal arts college in Michigan as a first generation college graduate. Later she received a full-ride scholarship to attend Bowling Green State University

Kay Smith is an educator whose love of learning has been evident in her own education, and in her various professional roles to educate others. She has her degree in English and music, and has been an assistant principle at several schools, Principle at Payson High School, and more recently,

A dedicated teacher of English and mythology, Kori Crampton strives to support and encourage her students by helping them recognize their individual worth. Early in her life, Kori developed an appreciation for diversity and respect for individual differences. Her enhanced cultural sensitivity came from living in various countries through her

Laurie Wood is a former associate professor of English at Utah Valley University, where she taught for 35 years. She has served on the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for over 15 years.Laurie also co-founded the Women’s Redrock Music Festival, which has been recognized in the top ten of women’s

Linda Makin serves as the Vice President for Planning, Budget and Human Resources at Utah Valley University. Prior to that she worked within academic affairs in the budget office, becoming Director of Budget. As Vice President for Planning, Budget and Human Resources she serves as a member of the President’s

Lorna Adler (1907-2013) taught at BYU for 35 years in the Education and Art Colleges. She was called to the LDS General Board of the Sunday School where she served for 19 years, and was responsible for writing many of the manuals used for the children of the church. She

Lucille Stoddard worked for Utah Valley University for more than 30 years; she has been a business department chair, dean, academic vice president, and twice an interim president. She has also served as a Regent and as associate commissioner of academic affairs for the Utah State Office of Higher Education.

Michelle Holbrook has blessed the lives of many students during her career as an elementary school and a secondary special education teacher. She is the founder of Just For Kids of Utah County, which was begun to provide greater opportunities for her son, Curtis, who has Prader-Willi Syndrome. The mission

Michelle O. Taylor was appointed as Vice President of Student Affairs at Utah Valley University in June 2013. Her twenty year career in higher education with her specialty in social work administration and policy has helped the institution navigate several major transitions. She graduated from the University of Utah with

Mikki O’Connor currently serves as the assistant dean of the Woodbury School of Business at Utah Valley University. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in management and is passionate about education. She feels that “education is the cornerstone.” The difficulties she had in her young adult life have made her

Paige Holland, wife of former Utah Valley University President Matthew Holland, was raised in Provo, Utah. She is the mother of four children. She strives to teach them, and others within her sphere of influence, about the importance of getting an education. She feels that she uses the knowledge and

Patti Harrington’s long and distinguished career in public education has spanned over 35 years. She became the state superintendent of Public Instruction in 2004, stepping up from associate superintendent. Before that, she was superintendent of the Provo School District, and principal of Provo High School. Dr. Harrington now serves as

Peggy Pasin is the coordinator of the Women’s Success Center at Utah Valley University. She is responsible for administrating over two million dollars to women who are survivors of domestic violence, through the Women’s Independence Scholarship Program (WISP). Since 1996, she has played a major role in the development of

Reba Keele is known for her various accomplishments throughout the academic community. She was the first woman director of the BYU Honors Program, and the founding dean of Undergraduate Studies at the University of Utah. She was director of Faculty Relations at Utah Valley State College, and received the Willard

Ronda Walker Weaver teaches Folklore and Research Writing at Utah Valley University, she is also Assistant to the President of Learning for an online ESL education development company. In addition, she has worked with numerous non-profit organizations. Other accomplishments include founding the Timpanogos Singer Songwriter Alliance and the Orem City

Sandra Rogers is the International Vice President at Brigham Young University. She has responsibility for the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, the Ambassadorial Visits Program, and BYU’s student abroad programs. In addition, she oversees the university’s Division of Continuing Education. Dr. Rogers previously served as the associate academic

Susa Young Gates (1856-1933) was the daughter of Brigham Young and Lucy Bigelow Young, and was the first child born in the Lion House. A prolific writer, she authored more than a dozen books, and published in Mormon sponsored journals such as the Woman’s Exponent, Young Woman’s Journal, and the Relief Society

Susan Madsen is a professor of management at Utah Valley University, and the Orin R. Woodbury Professor of Leadership and Ethics. She has been heavily involved, for many years, in researching the lifetime development of prominent women leaders – from which she has published two books, On Becoming a Woman Leader:

Adonica I. Kauwe

Anita Bradford

Anne Wairepo

Barbara Frazier

Belinda Han

Camilla Cobb

Cecelia Foxley

Cheryl Hanewicz

Dianne Bjarnson

Elaine Englehardt

Gay Beck

Ione Bennion

Jeanette Misaka

Karen Hahne

Kathie Debenham

Kathren Brown

Kay Smith

Kori Crampton

Laurie Wood

Linda Makin

Lorna C. Alder

Lucille Stoddard

Michelle Holbrook

Michelle Taylor

Mikki O’Connor

Paige Holland

Patti Harrington

Peggy Pasin

Reba Keele

Ronda Walker Weaver

Sandra Rogers

Susa Young Gates

Susan R. Madsen