FRIENDS-UTAH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Professional Mentor / Friend
Hi, my name is Amy! I am thrilled to be working as a professional mentor for Friends of The Children. I have been working with elementary age youth for the last 7 years. Most recently, I taught 4th grade for 3 years. My experience as a public-school teacher increased my passion to help kids find and learn about their talents and self-worth. I'm very excited to transition my skills into mentoring and working one on one with youth. One thing to know about me is that I love the outdoors! In my free time or on the weekends you can find me hiking, skiing, running, camping, roller skating at the park, or reading outside. I am also a big reader and can spend hours curled up with a good book; my favorite genres are fantasy or mystery. I have a 4-year-old dog, she's an aussie/heeler mix named Indie and she loves humans, treats, and belly rubs.
Job Titles:
- Lead Friend / Professional Mentor
I am excited to be working with youth and the rest of the staff at Friends of the Children. I have spent the last 10 years of my life working exclusively with youth of all ages and in various environments. Most of my experience comes from working as either a teacher's aide or as the teacher, teaching every grade level and subject from pre-k up to the 12 th grade. I have experience in general education, special education, public schools, and private schools so I have seen lots of the in's and out's of the education system. In addition to teaching, I have also worked as a mental health counselor, behavior specialist, and daycare provider. I have a wide set of experiences that have led me to learn lots of skills to help children that include school success, learning strategies, coping with stress/anxiety, behavior management, trauma sensitivity, and various other life skills. I am so grateful to be a part of this team and help our communities here in Utah.
Job Titles:
- Professional Mentor / Friend
Hi, my name is Chris Oregon. I am beyond excited to be a Friend and to help make a difference in the Salt Lake community. I got my first experience working with kids when I became the President of Latinos in Action at my high school. Since then, I have been passionate about working with kids and being a positive role model in their lives. I have always enjoyed helping others in times of need and helping them achieve their goals and dreams. Throughout my experiences, I learned how important it was to be consistent and how important it was to work one-on-one to help get the most out of each child. When I first heard about Friends of the Children I couldn't believe that it was real because it checked all the boxes that I wanted in a career. I still can't believe that I have this amazing opportunity to work here and I can't wait to see where this journey takes me and the children. También hablo español.
Job Titles:
- Chief Officer of Expansion and Policy
Gladyris, affectionately known as Glady, brings her experience and strong commitment to making a difference in communities through philanthropy. Glady is passionate about understanding and breaking down the barriers that hold people back in local communities and across the state of Utah. With her background working at places like the University of Utah, the American Red Cross, and Utah's Safe Harbor Crisis Center, she excels in crafting actionable plans for measurable societal improvements. She is deeply involved in her community, serving on different boards and working on projects that address local needs head-on. Her passion for the outdoors mirrors her dedication to an active lifestyle, which she enjoys with her husband and three sons.
Job Titles:
- Professional Mentor / Friend
I'm so thrilled to be working at Friends of the Children-Utah! I've been working with children of various age groups for the last 7 years. I've worked as a middle school special education assistant and most recently as a preschool teacher for a local nonprofit organization. I've had the pleasure of working with many wonderful children and their families throughout my career and am very passionate about education and supporting families. During my free time I love to read, spend time with my dogs and watch movies.
Job Titles:
- Operations Director
- Operations Director for Friends of the Children
John Koranicki is the Operations Director for Friends of the Children - Utah. John moved to Salt Lake City in 2017 and since has fallen in love with the city and the community. When Friends of the Children received the local support to open a Utah chapter, he found the perfect way to work and serve in his community. John is driven by the mission of serving our most vulnerable children No Matter What and inspired by the commitment to improvement and expansion of service through continual research. Prior to Friends of the Children, John Co-Founded a private wealth planning firm in St. Louis. As the Director of Operations, he was responsible for building the foundational pieces of the new company and managing its workflow. John earned a BS in Finance from the University of Nevada - Las Vegas. He continually strives to find opportunities in operational efficiencies and maintains the frugality needed in launching a new chapter. He is truly excited to see the impacts we have on our Utah children and neighbors. John enjoys travel and met his wife, Pauline, while in Europe. They now live in Taylorsville and appreciate the many outdoor recreational activities found in Utah.
Job Titles:
- Program Director
- Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Kelsey brings 28 years of experience serving Utah's most vulnerable children and families in several capacities. She earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Utah with an emphasis in Child Welfare. Kelsey began her professional endeavors as a DCFS caseworker and went on to launch the first statewide program to recruit foster/adoptive families in Utah. In her nonprofit leadership roles, Kelsey has led statewide advocacy efforts to increase resources and improve public policies that support healthy development and give children a strong start in life. Most recently, Kelsey served as executive director for Kids Who Count, an early intervention program for infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities. Kelsey lives in the Salt Lake Valley with her husband, two sons, and a spoiled cat named Danger Kitty.
Job Titles:
- Family Engagement Coordinator
Hi, my name is Madeleine Vorwaller and I am thrilled to be a part of the Friends of the Children Utah team. In May of 2022 I graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Family Studies and am currently receiving my graduate certificate in Infant Toddler Mental Health. My previous work experience includes working as a Therapeutic Preschool Specialist at the Children's Center Utah and a Family Advocate at DDI Vantage Early Head Start. I have a passion for helping children and families and am looking forward to working alongside you. A few facts about me are I love my family, friends, and sports. I enjoy spending time with my husband, Michael and our four month old Red Fox Lab Georgia.
Job Titles:
- Professional Mentor / Friend
Hi! My name is Marcus Chen and I am excited to be a Professional Mentor at Friends of the Children. My experience working with youth spans a variety of contexts, ranging from mentoring youth in audio production and serving as a middle school science teacher in a public education setting. From these experiences, I have learned the importance of investing in the lives of youth and how providing meaningful learning experiences can lead to real-world opportunities. I hope that my work with Friends of the Children would help the youth access the experiences and resources that would help them be successful in the present and future. Outside of work I enjoy finding the perfect fishing spot, taking on any hands-on DIY project, and hanging out with my dog, Forest.
Job Titles:
- Board Treasurer / Managing Director, AArete
Rand has been an administrative professional for over seven years and started his career at Lagoon Amusement Park. There, he worked in several positions for the Rides Department, including Frightmares Management, Office Assistant Manager, and Office Manager. Recently, he obtained his Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) certification from the International Association of Administrative Professionals and is continuing to receive education from the organization as well as working to obtain a Degree in Communications from Weber State University. He also serves on the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum's "Kids at Heart Young Professionals Board" as the board secretary. Rand lives in Murray and enjoys theater, music, and art whenever possible.
Job Titles:
- Board Chair / Government Affairs Director, Cambia Health Solutions
Job Titles:
- High School Teacher / Jordan School
Job Titles:
- Lead Friend / Professional Mentor
I am so excited to be part of the Friends of the Children - Utah team! I graduated from college with a Bachelor of Music Education and dreamed of being a music teacher. I moved from Kansas City, MO to Kotzebue, Alaska in order to fulfill that dream. I traveled to 11 different remote, rural Alaskan villages teaching music one week at a time. I faced many challenges in that work and grew to love my job, although I slept on couches or inflatable beds and ate way too many canned soups during those years. During the pandemic I realized I wanted to be closer to my family, so I moved to Salt Lake City, a halfway point between my family in Kansas City and my family in California. I love music, art, dancing, creating, cooking, eating, movies, working out, and I always love learning new things.
Job Titles:
- Professional Mentor / Friend
My name is Zach, and I am excited to be a member of a team like Friends of the Children, whose sole focus is helping others achieve their goals! I studied environmental sustainability at the University of Utah and focused primarily on environmental justice. I believe in seeking equity and inclusion throughout all avenues of life and hope to bring greater points of accessibility to any person I have the privilege of working with. I have worked as an educator for some time, with jobs in ESL, special education and outdoor education. Outside of work, I am an avid hiker, rock-climber and knowledge seeker. I've been in Utah for just a few years, and have spent most of my adult life traveling around the world volunteering my time to causes I believe in. I've been to 18 different countries and 30 different states! Throughout this time, I've learned that where we have been can determine where we are, but where we are does not define where we can go.