Herbert Interns are the engine of the Herbert Institute. Whether they are working in Herbert Hall at UVU or representing UVU and the Herbert Institute in the Utah State Legislature or in Washington D.C., Herbert Interns strive to make a difference in their communities by exemplifying the vision of the Institute.
Mike Erickson is a criminal justice student in the college of health and public service. Mike's passion for law and the United States Constitution led him to intern at the Utah State Legislature and under Senator Mike Lee of Utah, where he gained invaluable insights into the legislative process at both the state and federal levels.
He is deeply engaged in exploring the world of public policy and has served in civics clubs and student organizations on campus. Currently, Mike is preparing for the LSAT as he works towards his goal of attending law school in the coming years.
Outside of school, Mike finds satisfaction in camping and gardening.
Jessica Hollingsworth is a graphic design student in the School of the Arts. Her passion in designing has led her to intern at the Herbert Institute. She will be graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design in the spring of 2025. Once graduating, she is hoping to travel to the United Kingdom to pursue designing in an agency outside the country.
She loves to snowboard whenever there is snow on the mountains. If there is no snow, you will find her binging TV shows, reading historical fiction, and painting.
Bio coming soon.
Canyon Moser is a Biology student in the College of Science. He became an Intern Research Assistant from his passion to contribute to the Herbert Institute's research on public policy involving public lands and wildlife conservation.
He plans to pursue careers at the "Watershed Restoration Initiative" as a Scientist or "Division of Wildlife Resources" as a Wildlife Biologist after graduation in December 2024 with a Bachelor in Science degree.
On the weekends, you'll find Canyon on hiking or mountain biking trails. He enjoys mystery books as well as the thrill of thrifting at local secondhand stores.
Noah is a Business Management student in the UVU Woodbury School of Business. He became involved with the Herbert Institute in Spring 2023. He is currently involved in the institute's initiative to promote thriving, resilient communities in the state of Utah, and is passionate about contributing to Utah's plan for growth and helping to create spaces that will be enjoyed by its residents for generations to come.
Noah is the vice president of the Chess Club at UVU and volunteers with Utah's Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, where he observes and evaluates the performance of judges who are up for a vote on retention. Following graduation, he plans to continue his education by attending law school.
Noah is originally from Boise, Idaho. Prior to living in Utah, Noah served as a church missionary in North and South Dakota. He and his wife now live in Provo, Utah, and enjoy frequent visits to Boise to visit family.
Mikelle is a political science student with a concentration in public law and political philosophy. She started working with the Herbert Institute as a research intern in May 2023, where her work focused on election processes, including voter ballot access and registration as well as voter responsibilities.
In her time at UVU, Mikelle has had the opportunity to work with professors on research projects about the public stigma of ex-convicts and the effects of Ban the Box on employment. She is currently a senior at UVU and is expected to graduate in May 2024. After graduating, Mikelle hopes to complete an MBA or MPP before finding work as a policy researcher for private companies.
Mikelle grew up in Cedar Hills, Utah. Some of her personal passions are volleyball, horseback riding, and reading fantasy novels. Her hobbies include driving up the canyon, attending farmer’s markets, and handmaking jewelry.
McKenna is a political science student with a concentration in Public Law and Political Philosophy, she is also receiving a minor in Constitutional Studies. She has previously interned at the Utah State Legislature. This opportunity led her to begin working with the Herbert Institute in May 2022 as a research intern focusing on elections and policy issues in the state. She is currently interning for a Congressional office during the Spring Semester.
In preparation for attending law school, McKenna is studying for the LSAT and has hopes to practice law and later run for public office.
In her free time, she likes to spend time with her husband and dog.
Carly Behrmann grew up in Texas before moving to Kaysville, Utah at the age of nine. As a Public Relations and Strategic Communications major with an Applied Data Analytics minor at Utah Valley University, Behrmann has developed her skills as a professional and analytical communicator.
Starting as an entry-level mixologist at Sodalicious, Behrmann was promoted to Shift Lead, Assistant Manager, and Store Manager. Through this position, she learned the art of leading and developing camaraderie within a team. In her junior year's fall semester, she worked as a research assistant in communication and ethics. During this time, she enhanced her skills in Qualtrics, creating both qualitative and quantitative surveys for curriculum assessments. She currently serves as the Administrative Officer for UVU's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. In her role, she manages various responsibilities, including handling financial records and budgets, scheduling meetings, documenting minutes, navigating policy changes, strategically planning for optimal solutions, and initiating collaborations between different departments to broaden the club’s reach. Behrmann has honed her skills of time management as she juggled her responsibilities of a full class load, two jobs, and her club leadership position.
Behrmann is a lover of skincare, traveling, and politics. After she graduated high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, she received her license in esthetics. Before her junior year at Utah Valley University, she was able to live in the Dominican Republic to serve as an English teacher, where she gained a love for travel and service. Behrmann is excited to be able to combine her knowledge from her education in public relations and her passion for politics.
Bronte Brenier is an intern for the Utah state Legislature session that begins this January. She is looking forward to this new opportunity to contribute to her community and work towards positive change for Utah. She is currently studying Public Relations and Strategic Communications at Utah Valley University and just received her Associate degree in science. She applied to study abroad for this summer semester and is excited to spend a few weeks this summer studying and traveling in Europe.
Bronte has taken many communications and public relations classes as she works toward her degree. She is ready to expand on what she knows and learn new skills that will help her as she advances in her career. While at school she worked serving pizza and scooping ice cream. Wanting a change and an opportunity to show what she has learned in a meaningful way; she heads into the world of politics for the first time. Bronte brings her academic achievements, communication skills, and excitement for the journey ahead. Although she is unfamiliar with Utah politics, she believes it is important to do things that make you nervous to grow.
Bronte is from southern California and in between semesters you can find her at Disneyland, spending time with her family and friends or the beach. Grateful for the opportunity to contribute her skills to the legislative process, Bronte is eagerly looking forward to meeting unfamiliar faces, collaborating with fellow interns, and embracing the challenges and victories that come with this exciting chapter in her journey.
Nina Cattani is currently a student at Utah Valley University where she is majoring in Political Science with an emphasis in Public Law and Political Philosophy and a minor in Constitutional Studies. She has worked as a research and teaching assistant at the UVU Center for Constitutional Studies for two years and plans to attend law school after graduation.
Throughout her education at UVU, Nina has taken various classes that have significantly impacted her experience and understanding of the American system; including a class on American Federalism where she is currently working on publishing her research from the class. Prior to her current job, she was a Project Manager at the largest residential solar company in the U.S. where she led six-figure projects and liaised between the different departments and clients. Her research at the UVU Center for Constitutional Studies has allowed her to work on cutting edge research in American state constitutionalism in partnership with Pembroke College at Oxford University. In her role at CCS, she presented research on the Utah constitutional convention at a civics educators conference for Utah K12 educators. Nina has also had the opportunity to attend a study abroad at Oxford University where she focused on civics throughout various disciplines. At the end of her time there, she presented research on Utah’s voter turnout and offered possible solutions on increasing civic involvement in the state.
Nina is originally from Arizona as the oldest of four girls. She went to the local high school where she graduated with honors and consecutively worked to earn a cosmetology license. Using her cosmetology license has brought her closer to her community through working with charitable organizations by offering haircuts for those experiencing poverty and homelessness. Ultimately, she loves interacting with and serving her community. She plans to continue to do so and with even greater impact throughout her career by advocating for children on a global scale after completing her law degree.
Noah Cliften is a senior business management student in the Woodbury School of Business at UVU and an intern for the Herbert Institute of public policy. He is currently involved in the institute's initiative to promote thriving, resilient communities in the state of Utah. Noah is passionate about contributing to Utah's plan for growth by offering his expertise to municipal, regional, and state governments through research. Following graduation, he plans to continue his education by attending law school.
Some of Noah’s key courses at UVU include written business communication, data analytics for business, principles of finance & accounting, economic modeling, managerial economics, management consulting, and international business. Noah’s courses equipped him with necessary skills for the workforce. These skills include communication, problem-solving, adaptability and flexibility, teamwork and collaboration, leadership, digital literacy, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, time management and organization, and continuous learning and adaptation.
Noah is the vice president of the Chess Club at UVU. He organized the club during the spring semester of 2023 and secured a $2,500 grant for the club the following semester. The grant was used to purchase all new equipment for competitions including 30 boards, pieces, carrying bags, and FIDE approved clocks — this equipment is used weekly by the club. He continues to assist the club in their fundraising efforts, and actively leads their weekly meetings.
Noah has also volunteered with Utah's Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (JPEC) since October of 2022. His responsibilities include observing and evaluating the performance of judges who are up for a vote on retention. After each two-hour observation, Noah writes a brief but detailed report on key aspects of the judge’s performance considered by the JPEC.
Noah is originally from Boise, Idaho. Prior to living in Utah, Noah served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North and South Dakota. He and his wife now live in Provo, Utah.
Audrey Davis is a Junior majoring in Political Science with a focus on Public Law and Philosophy at Utah Valley University. She is from San Antonio, Texas and intends to pursue a career in law.
While in high school, Audrey actively sought opportunities to strengthen her professional skills. She interned at a news station, where she was able to gain valuable experience in a professional environment. She also interned at a personal injury law firm which furthermore sparked her ongoing interest in law. This early exposure laid the foundation for her current academic pursuits and future ambitions. During highschool, Audrey was also involved in a variety of sports. These experiences helped her to thrive in teamwork settings. Audrey is currently employed at Topgolf. While working there, she was able to excel in her role and rise to an event sales position. The responsibility of this position requires her to attend important sales meetings, manage inbound and outbound calls to prospective clients, and work on significant national projects.
Audrey has one sister, who is four years older than her, and has two supportive parents. She was born and raised in Texas and attended Texas State University for a year before she transferred to Utah Valley University. Amidst her academic pursuits and professional endeavors, Audrey enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, and playing soccer. Her boyfriend, who was born and raised in Utah and currently attends BYU, proposed recently and she happily said yes. Beyond her legal aspirations, Audrey is a musician, having played the violin since age ten, and the piano since age eight.
Cortland Fry is from a small town on the coast of Southern California, called Solana Beach. He recently graduated Magna Cum Laude from Utah Valley University with a bachelor’s degree in finance with a double-minor in accounting, and business Management. During his time at UVU, he was also a member of the nationally ranked Division I Rugby team and served as Captain from 2022-2024. Following his time as a Legislative Intern, Cortland hopes to build a career in the Investments and Private Equity sectors.
Cortland has a passion for business and working in teams to create great and impactful things. He focused much of his coursework on obtaining an advanced level of understanding of investment analysis, and tax implications on both businesses and individuals. He was a Co-Founder and Co-President of the UVU Commercial Real Estate Association and was also a member of the Banking and Finance Club. Cortland has gained meaningful experience as a Real Estate Development Intern for Idyllwood Investments LLC., and as an Academic Tutor of Finance and Accounting in the Woodbury School of Business at UVU. He has also learned the importance of hard work and time management as he has worked for several companies as a handyman and construction foreman.
Cortland has a great love for the outdoors and spends his free time camping, hunting, fishing, scuba diving, surfing, skiing and snowboarding, and hiking. He spends much of his time with his girlfriend, his parents, 5 siblings, and many nieces and nephews. Cortland also volunteers much of his time serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as an organizer for large activities and functions and volunteered as a full-time missionary for two years in Jacksonville, Florida where he became fluent in the Spanish language.
Deeqa is an ambitious individual whose unique journey has profoundly shaped her perspective and fueled a relentless determination for self-growth. She successfully completed her BSW at UVU, and is currently pursuing her MSW program, marking her journey as an immigrant and returning student. Before immigrating to the United States, she has engaged in impactful work with humanitarian agencies, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and various non-governmental organizations dedicated to serving internally displaced people (IDPs). Interestingly, she was an IDP herself during that period.
Her inspiration for venturing into the legislative office arena is a culmination of life experiences and academic insights. Courses such as social welfare policy and ethnic values during her BSW program were particularly eye-opening. As an immigrant hailing from a war-torn, third-world country, she is driven by a strong ambition to be an advocate for justice, especially for those who are marginalized and discriminated against.
She is sincerely grateful for the wonderful opportunity presented by the Gary R. Herbert Institute, as it promises to broaden her understanding of policy-making. This knowledge will be instrumental in making informed decisions when advocating for the community she represents, ensuring that her advocacy is not only passionate but also grounded in a comprehensive understanding of policy nuances.
Cutler Hollist is twenty-eight years old and pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Utah Valley University. His greatest achievement is marrying and growing with his wife of seven years. Hollist has worked as an administrative assistant to a tax accountant, expanding his organizational and customer service skills; he later worked as a tax preparer, discovering the intricacies of the federal tax system and the differences between it and the state tax system. He learned email marketing and copywriting as he worked on the email campaigns of a seasoned copywriter. And he has most recently worked as a medical scribe, building his understanding of the medical and insurance industries that his legislator is most involved with and learning to adapt his scribing services to the needs of multiple supervisors. Cutler also led an application development team of the UVU Computer Science Club in the Spring 2023 semester, growing the team, building a sense of community and trust between its members, and establishing a groundwork of systems and a base product for future semesters.
Growing up in a small town in Georgia in a large and hard-working family, Hollist was taught to love God and Jesus Christ in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Cutler enjoys doing home and personal improvements, as well as perusing ideological discussions on social media in his free time. Regardless of how free his time is, you will likely find him humming to himself or singing classic songs from his childhood, “Bring Him Home” from Les Misérables being among his favorites.
Jonathan (Jon) Kwong is a twenty-one year old college student currently studying at Utah Valley University. Jon is in his junior year and is working towards a bachelors of science degree in public relations and strategic communication, with a political science minor. As a Utah born native, Jon has lived in and understands Utah political culture. Combined with his East Asian upbringing and heritage, Jon brings a unique cultural lens in which he views the world. Jon has taken many political science classes that have prepared him with the necessary knowledge needed to accomplish work in the legislature, ranging from Political Theory, Government and Institutions, Research and Analyses, and The Constitution. His role as a journalism team writer in 2020 added practical skills by showcasing his PR abilities to interview, cover and curate relevant content, collaborate, organize and follow a schedule, and take and respond to criticism.
Jon’s ability to work in a fast paced environment further shows his ability to take initiative and get things done under pressure. Serving in multiple retail management roles (Key Holder, Supervisor, Operations Lead, Sales Lead), Jon was tasked with balancing numerous responsibilities and expectations that looked to serve customers, his fellow co-workers, and corporate. His experience in getting involved with his city community also aligns well to the overarching purpose of legislative work. Using his passion for soccer, Jon has volunteered coaching with Provo City’s Youth Soccer Program and Timpview High School’s Boys Varsity and JV Soccer programs.
Born in Orem and raised in Provo, Jon is no stranger to Utah County. He received his entire K-12 education in Provo and has attended Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University. He has three siblings- two brothers and one sister- and both of his parents are natives of East Asia, which includes backgrounds in China, Hong Kong, and Japan. In his free time, Jon likes to travel and enjoys playing soccer, hiking & the outdoors, and shooting photography.
Bio coming soon.
Parker Miller grew up in Southern Georgia all his life until he was eighteen with his two brothers and dog. He moved to Utah in 2019 to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at Utah Valley University. Parker Miller enjoys reading, watching sports, and discussing philosophical thought.
Parker Miller is currently a wood assistant researcher for the Center for Constitutional studies at UVU, where he researches and creates models of state constitutional conventions as a research tool. His time spent in the Center has helped him understand the ways policies and laws get talked about, voted, and ultimately signed into law. Parker Miller has also had numerous leadership positions on and off campus at Utah Valley University. He is a team leader for the LEAD program on UVU campus, where he helps, instructs, and leads other students to leadership attics and qualities. He was also a sports marketing assistant for Utah Valley and the Utah Jazz. Under these titles, Parker Miller worked with, connected with, and invited vendors and sponsors to UVU athletics and the Jazz. These experiences have helped develop his diplomacy muscles. He is able to see other’s needs and shows how his organization can be the one to fulfill those needs.
Parker Miller grew up playing a variety of sports, all of which included soccer, baseball, and Triathlons. When he is not being active, Parker can be found reading all genes of books from sports to philosophy. Parker spends his time cycling between his hobbies of reading and continuing to play his favorite sports as well as cheer on his Atlanta-based sports teams. Parker plans to get his PhD in international relations once he finishes his undergraduate degree.
Eliza grew up in Cottonwood Heights, Utah with her parents and siblings. She is the youngest of 7 kids and the only child in her family that does not have kids of her own yet. She still lives in Cottonwood Heights with her husband Josh. She met her husband in highschool through mutual friends. Together they enjoy spending time outdoors, hiking, skiing, boating and traveling. They also love saunas and cold plunge. Eliza and Josh love all things winter and hope to end up living in Sun Valley, Idaho one day.
Eliza is a senior at Utah Valley University majoring in Political Science with an emphasis in American Government and a double minor in Constitutional Studies and History. Eliza currently holds a position as a research assistant on the Quill Project at UVU’s Center for Constitutional Studies. The Quill Project models text from Constitutional Conventions and negotiations for professors, judges, attorneys and other scholars to use. Eliza has participated in various leadership and honors programs, internships within the legal field, and a study abroad at Oxford University in foundations of US Constitutionalism.
Eliza lived in Sweden and is fluent in Swedish and loves all things Scandinavian. She plans to attend law school and complete a masters program upon graduation with hopes to represent a Scandinavian corporation one day. She is really interested in corporate law and constitutional law. She loves to volunteer for various organizations when she is not working or in school. Some of these organizations include the Utah Food Bank, the Ronald MacDonald House, Shalom Salaam Tikkun-Olam, and other local non-profits. She hopes to continue to give her time to non-profits as it is something that is very important to her and her family.
Bio coming soon.
Alyssa Sawyer is a Senior at Utah Valley University working to complete her BS in Public Administration & Policy. During her time as an undergraduate, Alyssa has demonstrated strong academic performance by maintaining a high-grade point average and position on the Dean’s list. This past fall, Alyssa worked with an undergraduate research team to design and field a nationally representative survey experiment. Their research sought to understand how support for social welfare programs for the unhoused changed based on demographic indicators of the recipients. She and her co-researcher intend to present their findings at the 2024 Conference for Undergraduate Research hosted by UVU.
Alyssa’s dedication to her academic and professional career in public service is, in part, fueled by her experience as a first-generation Mexican American. As a young girl she witnessed her family and other community members struggling to support their families, often sacrificing their own dreams of continued education to work jobs with low wages and poor benefits. For that reason, her policy areas of interest have largely related to victims of sexual assault or domestic abuse, public education, criminal justice reform, expanded medical coverage, assistance for low-income families, and services for the homeless. As an instructional assistant for UVU’s political science department, Alyssa demonstrated skills pertinent to her new role as a legislative intern. Alyssa frequently communicated with students on behalf of the professor, ensuring her responses were professional, clear, and in alignment with the professor’s goals. Her proactive communication style and collaborative spirit allow her to organize large goals into small tasks, providing regular progress updates, and respecting deadlines.
Alyssa has volunteered with Tabitha’s Way Local Food Pantry, the Food Justice Coalition, and with the South Franklin Community Center. Alyssa would like to pursue either an MPA or MPP from the University of Utah. She is interested in careers such as a policy analyst/advisor, social services director, city manager, government agency administrator, and would love to eventually teach political science courses at a university. In her personal time, Alyssa enjoys outdoor concerts, cooking, sewing, and visiting art galleries.
Working in many diverse fields, from barbering to operating forklifts, Jeremiah has a wide array of experience to draw from. Jeremiah has also two years experience in a church service capacity in Mexico City. The constitutional studies program at UVU has been a focus of Jeremiah’s education as well as some time pursuing engineering courses. There have been in both work and in the educational spaces time and opportunities for teamwork and leadership skills. One such instance is working as an instructor's assistant to Dr Rick Griffin. Here he operated as the lead IA to fulfill tasks such as grading and aiding the students prepare for exams.
Jeremiah is from Heber. He comes from a large family and has ambition to provide for his own. Jeremiah’s wife and young boy are sources of inspiration to continue to progress in ability and talent. Jeremiah enjoys the outdoors and will explore them often on motorcycle. He also is very happy to coordinate group activities among friends and family. Of the recent activities there are Halo parties and a current Dungeons and Dragons group. Jeremiah is the first of thirteen children and has approximately two hundred cousins. Family values are in the forefront of the life of Jeremiah as he tries to live up to them to the best of his ability. Law school is one of the current ambitions as well as a desire to interview and record lawmakers and other figures for a youtube channel designed to be educational about local and state governments.
Rylee White is from Gilbert, Arizona and is currently studying at Utah Valley University seeking a degree in Applied Communication with a minor in Marketing. She owns a Charcuterie catering business where she provides grazing tables for weddings and events.
White demonstrates strong communication and networking skills through her experience as a business owner. These skills qualify her as a powerful legislative intern. While running her business, White has managed customer and vendor relationships, negotiated contracts, and excelled in time management during the day of the event. She has managed a team of two different assistants, providing training and guidance, resulting in improved efficiency and client satisfaction. To grow her business, White developed and executed marketing strategies to attract new clients on Social Media resulting in a total of 50 bookings in a 2-year span. She also established and nurtured connections with over 50 diverse wedding venue proprietors and industry suppliers.
White served as a Sister Training Leader during her LDS church mission where she headed the implementation of social media campaigns as the Social Media Specialist and trained other volunteer representatives in social media utilization. She also effectively managed 10 junior missionary representatives through one-on-one training, keeping them on track with their personal and mission-wide goals.
In her free time, White enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, snowboarding and being a foodie. She has a great love for gaining knowledge and is excited to learn how the Utah Legislature functions so she can be a better state citizen.
