Representative Joel Briscoe
Utah State Legislature, District 24
Joel Briscoe is member of the Utah House of Representatives, representing District 24 as a Democrat. He is a former school teacher and served as a Labor Relations
Consultant before his election to the Utah House in 2010. He serves as Chair of the
Douglas Neighborhood Association and East Central Community Council and as a Trustee
for the Utah High School Activities Association. He is a former President of the Salt
Lake City School Board and served on the Executive Committee of the National Council
of Great City Schools.
Matt Chandler
Research Data Services Manager, Princeton University
Matt Chandler is an expert in nonviolent social movements with grassroots peacebuilding
experience in the Middle East and North America. He holds a PhD in Sociology and Peace
Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a Master's in International Peace and
Conflict Resolution from American University. Matt co-organized human rights campaigns
in Baghdad and authored the first report of detainee abuses during the Second Gulf
War. He currently works as a Research Data Services Manager at Princeton University,
helping researchers open new data connections for social change.
Ben Cook
Co-founder, Walking Distance
Ben Cook is the co-founder of Walking Distance, an educational nonprofit promoting
peace and equity. Ben was a law professor at Brigham Young University, where he taught
courses on negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution. Ben also directed the
BYU Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Ben has extensive teaching and training
experience in cities across the U.S. and in various countries. He trained as a mediator
through the Harvard Mediation Program and is currently an Arbinger Institute-certified
facilitator.
Sara Cook
Director, Cook Consultancy
Sara Cook is the Director of Cook Consultancy: Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. Sara
is a social worker and conflict response specialist working with people affected by
conflict in Northern Ireland and internationally. She addresses the psychosocial impact
of conflict peacebuilding on practitioners and facilitates dialogue and storytelling
encounters. Sara has given response and resiliency training to victims of trauma from
over 45 countries. She has supported international efforts to promote the participation
of women and girls in peacebuilding work.
Nijmie Zakkiyyah Dzurinko
Co-founder, Put People First! PA
Nijmie Zakkiyyah Dzurinko is a working-class Black, Indigenous and queer organizer
and strategist of over 20 years from Pennsylvania. They are co-founder and volunteer
coordinator of
Put People First! PA: a statewide, base building, human rights organization waging a healthcare is a human
right. They are also on the national steering committee of the
Poor People's Campaign. Nijmie organizes with the Nonviolent Medicaid Army, the PA Homeless Union and is
a member of the
University of the Poor.
Governor Gary Herbert
Former Governor, State of Utah
Gary R. Herbert took office in 2009 as Utah’s 17th Governor. He was born and raised in Utah County,
where he would eventually serve as a County Commissioner for 14 years. He attended
Brigham Young University, served six years in the Utah National Guard (1970-76), and
started a successful real estate brokerage and development company. Governor Herbert
served as chair of the National Governor's Association from 2015-16. This past year, Utah
Valley University was pleased to announce plans for the forthcoming Gary R. Herbert
Public Policy Center as part of the university's new Gateway Building.
John T. Kesler
Chairman, Salt Lake Civil Network
John T. Kesler is an attorney and a co-founder and chair of YOUnify as well as a current
member of the Harvard/Oxford Leadership for Flourishing working group. In order to make
progress across our differences—in service of interrelated individual, community,
and global flourishing—YOUnify uses “integrally informed” multi-sectoral approaches
to overcome polarization. John has worked as an activist and engaged in transformational
community and broader societal engagement
Rae Kyritsi
Program Director, Center for Conflict Resolution, Chicago
Rae Kyritsi is the Program Director at Center for Conflict Resolution, Chicago, IL
Rae. Kyritsi is a certified mediator of civil, criminal, elder, and family disputes
and a certified trainer. She also works as an adjunct professor at Loyola University
Chicago School of Law, where she teaches Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation.
Clayton Long
Bilingual Education Director, San Juan School District
Clayton Long is a Navajo Native American, born and raised in a Navajo traditional
hogan. He completed degrees in educational psychology and public school administration
from Brigham Young University. He has taught in the San Juan School District and acted
as an administrator there for many years. Clayton served as the Bilingual Education
Director After retiring in the summer of 2019. He was hired by The Church of Jesus
Christ as a full time Navajo language translator. Clayton’s passion is to see the
Navajo language and cultures taught.
Darlene McDonald
National Committee Member, Democratic Party
Darlene McDonald is a Senior Product Support Engineer at Oracle, author, social activist,
and keyboard warrior. She also maintains and runs The Black Library, an online repository
dedicated to literature written by African American and Black writers. Since 2017,
she has served on the American Friends Service Committee Governance Corporation and
is also on the Friends Relations Committee. She is Chair of the Utah Black Roundtable
and 2nd Vice Chair of the Utah Democratic Black Caucus. She also serves as Outreach
Director for the Women’s Democratic Club and on the board of the CD4 Coalition.
Michael Minch
Former Director, Peace and Justice Studies Program, UVU
Michael Minch is the founding director of the Peace and Justice Studies Program at
Utah Valley University. He directed the Peace and Justice Studies program for 12 years.
Michael is also a professor emeritus of Peace Studies and political philosophy at
UVU. His work involves the intersections of ethics, peace-building, and democratic
theory. He is currently working on the development of a Handbook on Healing Conversations.
Michael is an expert on training peacebuilders in mediation.
Representative Susan Pulsipher
Utah State Legislature, District 45
Susan Pulsipher is a Republican member of the Utah House of Representatives, representing District 45. She earned her B.S. in elementary education from Brigham Young University and her
M.Ed. in educational leadership with an emphasis in policy also from Brigham Young
University. She served on the Board of Education for Jordan School District (2011
- 2017), Commissioner of Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NAAS), and as
Chair of the Oversight Panel for School Facilities. She has been recognized for Exemplary
Civic Leadership at CCSD and received the Distinguished Service Award from NAAS.
Carl Stauffer
Senior Expert on Reconciliation, United States Institute of Peace
Carl Stauffer is the Senior Expert on Reconciliation at the United States Institute
of Peace (USIP). He comes to USIP with 30 years of experience in 37 countries as both
a practitioner and academic. Prior to joining USIP, Carl was associate professor at
the Center for Justice & Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University and functioned
as the academic director of the Caux Scholars Program in Switzerland. Carl is an expert
in co-transitional justice, post-war reconstruction and reconciliation processes.
Astrid S. Tuminez
President, Utah Valley University
Former Senior Consultant, United States Institute of Peace
Astrid S. Tuminez is the seventh president of Utah Valley University. She is a former
Senior Research Consultant for the United States Institute of Peace and is a permanent
member and former Adjunct Fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations. She is the author of Russian Nationalism Since 1856: Ideology and the Making of Foreign Policy. In 2016, President Tuminez was awarded the Gold Standard Award for Professional Excellence by Public Affairs
Asia for her work in corporate affairs and public policy.
