Dr. Bruce H. Jackson
As a practitioner and student of applied human performance technologies, Dr. Jackson is dedicated to the ongoing development of individuals, teams, organizations, and communities.
Searching for the common denominators of performance, Dr. Jackson has worked with and coached young athletes, inner-city children, and Fortune 500 companies alike—recognizing that the principles of personal excellence and performance are as valid for the aspiring student as well as the well-established CEO or public servant.
Dr. Jackson holds three Master’s degree’s (Psychology, Business Administration & Organizational Development) and a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems where his research identifies many of the core components and strategies that people use to search for and replicate their “peak experiences.” Dr. Jackson also a past certified member of the United States Professional Tennis Association and Professional Ski Instructors of America.
Dr. Jackson is a member and past chapter President of the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), Member of American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP), winner of the Sigma Xi research grant in psychology, and a member of Manchester’s Who’s Who.
Dr. Jackson is the co-author of Optimal Performance in Tennis: Mental Skills for Maximum Achievement in Athletics and Life, Author of Sports for Life: The Fruits of Play and Competition for the Young and the Young at Heart and other professional publications.
Dr. Jackson currently serves as the Director for The Center for the Advancement of Leadership at Utah Valley University—a leading organization in the study of youth and adult leadership development. In addition Dr. Jackson also directs the C. Charles Jackson Foundation, the focus of which is to promote leadership, character, and life-skills development for students of all ages.
As writer, speaker, author, consultant and coach, Dr. Jackson’s core interests are to help individuals seek their capacities while fulfilling meaningful life missions.
Dr. Jackson and his wife, Marta, with six year-old son, Blake, and two year old son Lucas, currently live in Highland, Utah.
Denece Kitto
Denece is a passionate "Bridge Builder" with over 10 years experience orchestrating large events, from the annual Hope of America Student Showcase to the state’s Annual Homeless Summit. She discovered her passion as an Elementary Teacher, while working with parents to create a partnership of success for her students, and decided to run an after-school literacy program, recruiting Jr. High, High School, and college students, parents and business sponsors to assist.
Her love for her community, state and country have led her to seek larger service opportunities, including State and County Delegates, which eventually led to a life’s goal of serving in the Governor’s Office, as Assistant to the Director of Rural Affairs and Advisor to the Governor, Economic Development. Preparatory to that, she served as Assistant to the Director of Housing and Community Development in the Department of Community and Culture, where she met many wonderful and diverse people giving great service to our state and country, whom she continues to network and look for opportunities to improve our state’s education system.
She is currently serving as Program Coordinator for The Center for the Advancement of Leadership atUtah Valley University, where she loves learning from everyone around her, especially the amazing students!
Karen Barraclough
Karen has been with The Center for the Advancement of Leadership since July 2008. Although she brings many years of experience in management and community leadership to the CAL Team, this is her first experience to work in a university setting and with a concentration of quality students whose activities center around service and improving themselves and their community through leadership, ethics, and engagement.
For several years Karen has been involved as a leader and entrepreneur. Most recently, she was with Southwest Airlines where she managed, trained and mentored employees. She served as the chair person and leader on various committees, church auxiliaries, community service and women’s organizations. Some of her most effective skills include vision, mentoring and motivating people. “Having a positive, can-do attitude, listening to understand, following the Golden Rule, and having a sense of humor are some of the most effective tools one can have to lead and influence people for good,” says Karen.
She has received awards for her leadership, as well as for her writings of policy and procedures and employee training manuals and programs, which are still used in hiring, training, and motivating employees. Serving as a member of a Chamber of Commerce, United Way, county Board, and Scholarship Pageant member and judge throughout Utah are but a few of the opportunities to Karen has had to serve.
Karen has lived in several cities in the United States and in German and enjoys learning about people and their cultures and languages, and has traveled extensively around the world. She is a graduate of Weber State University. Karen is actively involved with her family, entertaining, traveling, music and outdoor activities and enjoys being on the CAL Team.
Caleb Love
As the Student Coordinator over Marketing and Recruitment, Caleb Love works with team leaders within the program to invite students to improve their leadership ability. He sees the CAL playing a vital role in the future success of all Utah’s sectors. He states, “Frankly, I believe “leadership” has become a “buzzword”. When you cut through the fluff, it’s simply developing skills to become your best self, then reaching out to serve and inspire others to do the same by creating the tools, relationships, and environments necessary for their success. This is what Utah needs. Turn people into leaders and they will solve our problems. This center teaches what we need to hear.”
Caleb Love grew up as the oldest of seven children, pounding fence posts and hauling hay in Salem, UT.
In high school he received the 2001 Spanish Fork Athlete of the Year Award after becoming the 4A-215 pound Utah State Wrestling Champion. He also received other leadership roles and awards such as debate team president, the Eagle Scout with three palms, The Governor’s Native American Youth Award, and the Spanish Fork Renaissance Man Award.
After returning from a two year Spanish speaking mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Raleigh, NC, Caleb became heavily involved on UVU campus serving as the Business Senator, Accounting Dept Representative, and helping the CAL develop the discipline specific mentor program, and Team Leader Program. His efforts have taken him to places like New York as a representative for the School of Business on Wall Street, San Francisco to participate in the National Conference of Undergraduate Research, and most recently to Toronto, CA as a summer intern with the strategic think tank that helped produce the best selling book, “Wikinomics”. But he says, with a smile, that he considers the creation of the UVU BQQ El Camino, as being his greatest achievement while at UVU.
Caleb will graduate next year (Spring 2010) with an Integrated Studies degree, emphases in Leadership and Spanish. He plans on continuing his education studying Strategic Foresight and Strategic Leadership through Regent University.
Carlee Johnson
Carlee Johnson has been with the Center for the Advancement of Leadership (CAL) since 2004. She was selected as one of the first scholarship students in the program upon graduating high school and now works as a student coordinator for the CAL. While in the program Carlee has had the opportunity to participate in the Leadership Certification program which gives students a 10-step approach to leadership, and has also seen the program grow from 15 students to over 150 students in the previous years. As a coordinator for the CAL program Carlee also had the opportunity to facilitate and organize the Presidential Leadership Program, which is a housing program for new students at UVU and also served as the student coordinator for the Ninth Annual Leadership Conference. As a student coordinator, Carlee is now focused on the mentor portion of the CAL, where she serves as a liaison for community professionals as mentors and the CAL students.
On the topic of leadership Carlee has said, "When it comes to leadership and getting involved there is no limit to the influence we can have. I enjoy being part of something bigger than myself. Where ever I go I want to get involved and help make improvements. Learning leadership skills from those I work with has given me the tools to know how to empower others. And that's what leadership is all about."
Carlee was raised in Payson Utah where she graduated from Payson High in 2004. Carlee served as Miss Payson from 2004 - 2005 where she had the opportunity to work with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill to promote mental health and leadership throughout Utah County. Carlee served as a member of the Associated Students of Utah Valley State College, now know as Utah Valley University Student Association (UVUSA), for 2 years as a Club Ambassador and Assistant to the President. Carlee served as a Missionary for the LDS Church in Ohio from 2007-2008. Today, Carlee not only works for the Leadership Center, but is also a member of Latter-day Saint Student Association where she serves as a Devotional Chair.