BIG OCEAN WOMEN - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Director of Governance
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Currents Podcast Host
- Member of Communications Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of Communications Committee
- Writer
Emily Layton calls Ohio home. She delights in fireflies, autumn leaves, campfires, waterfalls, and M&Ms. The joy is doubled if she can enjoy any of these things barefoot or with family or friends. She is the mother of five, with two daughters-in-law and one darling granddaughter. Emily loves learning, growing, and seeking truth and recently started a podcast and coaching business to connect women of faith called Grow in the Light. She received a masters degree from Brigham Young University in Marriage and Family Studies, has published many articles as a qualitative scholar, and is a contributing author for the American Families of Faith Project.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Director of WAVEs
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Marketing Committee
- Digital Presence
- Director of Global Strategy
Grace Raje is the Director of Global Strategy and has been serving within various roles within Big Ocean Women for 8 years including WAVE leader, Digital Presence Manager, and Event Coordinator. She works professionally in project management and digital marketing. She is currently pursuing a degree in Global Politics and is passionate about social change through the non-profit and government sectors. When she is not working, you can find Grace exploring national parks or gardening with her husband.
Job Titles:
- Member of Communications Committee
- Writer
Job Titles:
- Member of Communications Committee
- Writer
Kathy Stimpson grew up in various places across the US, courtesy of her father's military career. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business Education (back when shorthand and typewriters were a thing). As what she considers compensation for having endured three older brothers, she and her husband were blessed with three daughters. Now that the children are grown, she enjoys spending as much time with the six grandchildren as possible, while also taking time with her husband to do some traveling and hiking (the only form of exercise she likes).
Job Titles:
- Member of Communications Committee
- Writer
Katrina Hubbard lives with her husband and three kids in Utah. She earned a degree in Social Work from Brigham Young University. Though she is now a stay-at-home mom, she worked in various schools and universities doing administrative work and loving every minute. Most of her time now consists of chasing her little ones around, but when she finds downtime she spends it crafting (especially crocheting) or using her annual pass at Disneyland. Katrina loves being close to her family and enjoys gathering with them and her friends as often as possible.
Job Titles:
- Member of Communications Committee
- Writer
Kaylee Gwilliam lives in Andover, Minnesota. She finds joy in sunsets, reading biographies and historical fiction, singing, and being in nature. She has bounced around the country living in Utah, California, North Carolina and Minnesota, and loves getting to know new places with her husband Jacob and their three kids. She participates in her community Saints Chorale and loves music of all kinds. Life's experiences have given her the opportunity to teach English to refugees, work with kids in hospitals, volunteer in the youth program through her church, live in the Amazon jungle in Brazil, graduate with her bachelor's degree from the University of Utah, among other things! As her youngest is almost in school, she is rediscovering her interests and looking for more ways to serve, learn and grow.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of Communications Committee
Lisa Bjornberg finds joy in being Chris's wife and the mother of their four children. She loved the years they had homeschooling, and is adjusting to her children becoming adults. Lisa loves to read, to sing, and to eat popcorn. She also loves to be active and outdoors. Her family has moved frequently, so she has come to recognize that life is a grand adventure and faith is essential. She is passionate about helping women tell their stories and recognize their innate value, which is why she loves being involved with Big Ocean Women.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Marketing Committee
- Director of Outreach Marketing
Margo Watson is the Director of Outreach Marketing and Fundraising for Big Ocean Women. Her background is quite diverse. She has a Masters of Fine Arts Degree in Theatre and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications and Music. Her dynamic talents led her first to critically acclaimed performances in countless Theater and Concert stages around the country as a soprano soloist and lead actress which included musicals, opera, operetta, orchestral works, comedies, movies, commercials and on-camera TV host. These experiences helped prepare her later as a young widow to work in the fields of in-house public relations and marketing for high tech, retail, medical industries and promotion for celebrities, so she could support her young family. Margo has had extensive experience as an on-camera talent, marketing, advertising, public relations-internal and external, public speaking, production, diverse writing for magazines, commercials, press releases, infomercials, books, press kits, speeches and such. She hopes her skills will be useful to help Big Ocean Women spread their mission of empowering women worldwide, through education, training and support, to recognize their divine worth, abilities and capabilities to change their homes, their communities and the world. Margo has six adult children and 9 grandchildren which are the most precious gifts to her. She also loves her dear husband Jay D Blades, her dog Toby and two horses, Noche and Goldie.
Job Titles:
- Member of Communications Committee
- Writer
Micki Childers Ericksen is an avid reader, writer, dancer, and scuba diver. She loves to face her fears and explore the world around her and works to inspire others to do the same. Micki spent ten years in public education as a high school English language arts teacher and during that time acquired a Master of Education degree. She currently still teaches part-time as a university instructor, but her full-time career is as a financial professional where she revels in teaching regular families the tricks of the wealthy. Micki believes strongly in giving back to the community and volunteers with various organizations including the DOVE center and local and national groups that work to rescue children from human trafficking. Her proudest and greatest accomplishment is raising two extraordinary children with whom she lives in beautiful St. George, Utah.
Job Titles:
- Editor
- Member of Communications Committee
Norma grew up in rural Utah in a home furnished with good books and music, the newspaper, and fresh-baked cookies. She still enjoys big ideas, baking, and sharing life with Clyde-her husband, best friend, and versatile life assistant. Norma had dreams of writing a newspaper column. She even earned a degree in newswriting at the University of Utah-30 years, five children, and several grandchildren after beginning at Snow College. Now she not only gets to write and edit, but also rub shoulders and share great ideas with the capable, passionate members of Big Ocean.
Job Titles:
- Currents Podcast Host
- Member of Communications Committee
Job Titles:
- Currents Podcast Producer
- Member of Communications Committee
- Writer
Shelli is an advocacy writer and creative writing teacher. She loves to spend time with her husband (usually in the garden) and their four almost adult children. She also loves to sew (usually for the local community theater), to read, to write, and to drag her family outside to look at the sky. Shelli is passionate about poetry, Broadway show tunes, and telling stories -- of ourselves, our families, and our communities.
Job Titles:
- Member of Communications Committee
- Writer
Hello! My name is Tricia Kelly. I am the mother of six beautiful children, 5 girls and 1 boy. My children range in ages from 25, 23, 21, 19, 16 and 12. I am married for the second time to my husband, John. He has four children of his own that are all grown up! I love being a mother and woman in this world today! There are so many advantages to living in our times. I love learning new things and improving learning of the past. I love owning my own business. I get to be a stay at home Mama and work at home doing something I love, helping others heal. At the end of the day I am very blessed to have people in my world who love and cherish me, including myself. I have discovered in my journey of healing that I truly love all aspects of myself. I love eating clean, healthy food not just because I have health issues that make me eat that way, but also because I just feel better, so for me it is a conscious choice to eat well. I love meeting all different kinds of people! I love the stories we all share and how we bless each other's lives in the sharing of those stories.