Members of the CTLI team come from a variety of backgrounds in education, scholarship, professional expertise, and life experience. They work together to advance the instruction and practice of constitutionalism at all levels of society.
Robert Burton is the Tocqueville Assistant Professor of Civic Thought & Leadership and director of the Civic Thought & Leadership Initiative within UVU's Center for Constitutional Studies.
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Lisa Halverson is a Civic Education and Research Fellow at CCS. Here at UVU, she teaches American National Government and Women in American Political Thought.
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Lisa holds a PhD in Education from Brigham Young University, a Teaching Credential from Notre Dame de Namur University, an MA in History from Stanford University, and a BA in International Relations also from Stanford.
Lisa has taught high school and university courses for more than 20 years. She also helps direct Mormon Women for Ethical Government, supporting women’s involvement in politics and governance. Her work with the Civic Thought and Leadership Initiative allows her to meld her interests in education and research while advocating for improved civics education in our schools.
A native Oregonian, Lisa now lives in Springville, Utah, with her husband and two adoption miracles.
Eleesha Tucker is a Constitutional Literacy Fellow in the Center for Constitutional Studies at Utah Valley University.
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Eleesha teaches the general education requirement American Heritage. Prior to UVU, she served as the Director of Education for the oldest patriotic organization in the United States, the Society of the Cincinnati, formed by the officers of the Continental Army at the close of the Revolutionary War.
She is also the executive director of the Utah 3Rs Project, which encourages understanding of the right of conscience, the responsibility to protect that right in others, and the civic duty to engage respectfully in civic discourse.
Eleesha holds a Master of Arts in American Studies from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in History Teaching from Brigham Young University.
Pam Su’a is a Civic Education Program Development specialist at CTLI. She earned a BA in History from BYU, and an MA from Grand Canyon University.
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Pam also holds an educational-leadership credential from Southern Utah University.
She taught history and German for 20 years in Ogden and West Jordan. She was an administrator for social studies and world languages at Jordan School District for 10 years.
One of Pam's favorite parts of being a teacher was taking student tours to Europe. She recognizes the importance of good and engaging teachers in helping students develop their skills as citizens in our country and is glad to work once again with Utah’s teachers.
John Petrakis is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at CCS, where he assists with the work of CTLI through teaching, mentoring, executing events, and conducting research.
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In 2024, he defended his doctoral dissertation at the University of Notre Dame, where he specialized in Constitutional Studies and Political Theory.
John draws on his expertise in Canadian and American law to examine how different constitutional systems deal with controversial moral issues, especially euthanasia and assisted suicide.
He is also interested in comparative federalism jurisprudence and the history of political thought. His first publication, on judicial power in The Federalist, appeared recently in Perspectives on Political Science.
John previously received degrees in law and political science from McGill University (MA, JD, BCL, BA) and clerked at the Federal Court of Canada.
Stan MolchanovStan Molchanov is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at CCS, where he assists with the work of CTLI through teaching, mentoring, executing events, and conducting research.
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Michelle Smith is assistant events manager for CCS and lead event planner for CTLI.
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Alli SmithAlli Smith is an administrative assistant with the Civic Thought & Leadership Inititiative.
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With a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Utah Valley University, Alli is thrilled to return in this new role. Since graduating, she has actively engaged with several local nonprofits in Utah, volunteering and completing internships, driven by her passion for community service and support.
In her free time, Alli enjoys reading and often visits local libraries and bookstores to discover new titles. A Utah native, she loves hiking and exploring the state’s stunning mountains and national parks with her husband.
