POINT UTAH - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Executive Director ( the Point )
• Executive Director of the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority

Alan Matheson is the executive director of The Point of the Mountain State Land Authority. He is charged with preparing for and overseeing the development of nearly 600 acres of state land called The Point. Matheson previously served the State of Utah as Executive Director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Senior Environmental Policy Advisor to Governor Gary R. Herbert, and State Planning Coordinator. Before joining state employment, Matheson worked in the private sector focusing on regional planning and law, serving as Executive Director of Envision Utah, founding Director of the Utah Water Project, shareholder in a Phoenix law firm, Senior Attorney and Environmental Policy Advisor for Arizona's largest electric utility, and law clerk for a federal Court of Appeals judge. Matheson holds an A.B. in International Relations from Stanford University and a J.D. from the UCLA School of Law, where he was an editor of the UCLA Law Review. He has served on dozens of community and state boards and has consulted with several regions around the country on strategies to address the challenges of growth.

Job Titles:

• Member of AUDIT and FINANCE COMMITTEE
• Governor Appointee

April Cooper was appointed to serve on the board by Governor Herbert. She is the CEO/president of Alpine Companies, which is consistently ranked as one of Utah's fastest-growing companies with over $250 million in federal prime contracts awarded since 2016. April has experience in government property and loan servicing as well as disposition. She is adept in financing, audit, accounting, compliance, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board

Dave R. Woolstenhulme, Ed.D, became Commissioner of Higher Education on July 1, 2020 after serving as Interim Commissioner of Higher Education since July 2019 for the Utah System of Higher Education. Previously, he worked as vice president of statewide campuses for Utah State University and as the Utah Commissioner of Technical Education. As the CEO of the Utah System of Technical Colleges, he provided state-level leadership and oversight for the eight technical colleges in Utah. He also served as executive vice provost at USU and president of Uintah Basin Applied Technology College. Woolstenhulme received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Utah State University and his Doctorate of Education from the University of Wyoming.

Job Titles:

• Member of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE
• Administrative Director of Draper City

David Dobbins is the administrative director of Draper City and carries out the policies and programs established by the Draper City Council. David works closely with the Mayor, City Councilmembers and department directors to oversee the day-to-day operations of the city. He started working for Draper City in 2005, serving as the City's Community and Economic Development director. Prior to working for Draper City, David worked for Salt Lake City for eight years in different positions, including Community and Economic Development Director. David holds a degree in public administration from Brigham Young University.

Job Titles:

• Co Mayor Appointee

Mayor Dawn R. Ramsey took office in January 2018. She serves the city of South Jordan with a determined focus on public safety, economic development and access to opportunity. She currently serves as the president-elect of the Jordan Education Foundation, working to engage the community and local business leaders. She was born and raised in the Salt Lake Valley and has lived in Utah all her life. She is a sixth-generation Utahn and is proud of her pioneer heritage. She attended Salt Lake Community College, the University of Utah, and Brigham Young University.

Job Titles:

• Managing Director
• Real Estate Strategist ( RCLCO )

Erin Talkington is a Managing Director based in RCLCO's Washington, DC office. Since joining the firm in 2010, Erin has engaged with a wide variety of clients in both the public and private sectors to provide market and economic analysis that guides development and planning decisions. Her experience includes highest and best use analysis for large mixed-use sites, downtown and corridor revitalization studies, and regional growth analysis. Applicable to projects of all types and scales, Erin's strength is her ability to quickly synthesize the key market opportunities and strategic positioning for a particular site and communicate that vision to project team members, clients, and community stakeholders. She has been part of regional growth and visioning exercises in Utah since 2013 and was part of the Envision Utah team that worked with the State's development commission to create the vision for The Point of the Mountain area in 2016-2018. Erin draws upon a broad background in planning and real estate development. Prior to RCLCO, she gained project management experience for The Reinvestment Fund Development Partners and exposure to transportation planning at Kittelson & Associates. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. Erin is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), and part of the ULI Washington district council's Advisory Board and ULI's Technology and Real Estate national product council.

Job Titles:

• Innovation District Project Director ( USHE )

Jefferson Moss is The Point's Innovation District Project Director. In this capacity, he leads the Utah System of Higher Education‘s involvement in the major economic development efforts at The Point. Moss is responsible for overseeing the strategic initiatives and day-to-day operations at the Innovation District. He will work in close consultation with The Point Executive Director and Operations Director to help implement practical solutions that improve Utahns' quality of life. Formerly, Moss served as AVP of central advancement at UVU and the COO for the UVU Foundation. In these positions, he launched the UVU Wolverine Fund, a student-run venture capital fund, and the Excellence and Innovation Initiative. Prior to UVU, Moss served as a wealth strategist at Key Bank and Credit Suisse and launched several successful businesses. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Master of Business Administration from Brigham Young University. He currently serves in the Utah House of Representatives and previously served on the Utah State Board of Education and the Saratoga Springs City Council and Planning Commission. Learn more about him and his role at ushe.edu/ushe-staff.

Job Titles:

• Director of Operations
• Member of the Board
• Director of Operations ( the Point )

Jenny Wilson serves as the Mayor of Salt Lake County, having previously served as a County Council Member for ten years. She took office as Mayor early in 2019 where she serves more than a million constituents. Mayor Wilson is a 5th generation Utahn, born and raised in Salt Lake City. She graduated from East High School, attended the University of Utah and went on to get her master's degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. In 2005, Mayor Wilson was the first woman elected to the Salt Lake County Council. As a council member, she championed numerous policy initiatives, including ethics reform, criminal justice reform, open space preservation and government efficiency. She helped establish the Jordan River Commission, designed to improve and preserve the river and co-established the Salt Lake County opioid task-force. The task force helps coordinate and innovate efforts to fight the opioid epidemic. Mayor Wilson has broad experience working in government and the private and non-profit sectors, including positions in administration, fundraising, government relations, and project management for organizations such as the Sundance organization, Voices for Utah Children, the University of Utah's Moran Eye Center, and the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games. She also served as the chief of staff to Congressman Bill Orton in Washington DC in the 1990s. Don Willie is the Director of Operations for The Point. Don is a business expert with extensive experience managing complex, multimillion dollar projects across the state. His decades-long career encompasses a wide variety of work in both the public and private sectors. Most recently, Don served as the chief operating officer (COO) and vice president of marketing for the South Valley Chamber of Commerce. In this capacity, Willie oversaw organizational streamlining and efficiency improvements, established branding and marketing guidelines, and helped to grow the Chamber's membership through mission aligned programing and initiatives. Prior to his work at the South Valley Chamber of Commerce, Willie served as the president and chief executive officer (CEO) for the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce, accomplishing similar successes. In addition to his leadership experience at chambers of commerce, Willie has worked as an entrepreneur and small business owner. He has provided organizational management consulting to a diverse range of clients, helping them develop effective, data-driven strategies that elevate their profile and impact. Don holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Utah, which he earned in 2014. Don also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a Minor in Asian Studies, from the same institution in 2011.

Job Titles:

• Member of AUDIT and FINANCE COMMITTEE
• Member of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE
• Director of the Division of Facilities Construction and Management
• Governor Appointee

Jim Russell was appointed director of the Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM) in March 2017. He began his career with DFCM in 2005 as a capital improvement project manager. He has also held several other positions within DFCM over the years: capital development project manager, regional manager, construction program manager, and assistant director. He oversees a staff of highly skilled architects, engineers and construction professionals, as well as facilities managers, tradesmen, real estate managers, and building code officials. Jim started in the construction industry in 1979 and has experience in all aspects of commercial and industrial construction. Prior to his public service, Russell worked for 21 years as a contractor.

Job Titles:

• Member of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE
• President of Tavistock Development Company

Jim Zboril is the president of Tavistock Development Company and has led the evolution of the company from land owner to a full-service, integrated mixed-use real estate development, construction and management firm, including major anchor transactions, the creation of Dais Technologies, Craft Homes, and the launch of Tavistock Hotel Collection. He has led the creation of Lake Nona, a mixed use, master planned community in Orlando, Florida. He has participated in several public-private partnerships including development and construction of the Burnham Institute and the construction of two regional parks for the City of Orlando. He earned a degree in finance from Western Michigan University.

Job Titles:

• Co - Chair

Jordan Teuscher was elected to the Utah House of Representatives in 2020 and currently serves as the Chair of the House Ethics Committee, Vice-chair of the House Rules Committee, and Co-chair of the Blockchain and Digital Innovation Taskforce. He holds a bachelor's degree and a J.D. from BYU. His career experience includes working as an attorney, the executive director of TLI, a public charity directing legal reform work in eastern Europe and Africa, and with the International Center for Law and Religion Studies. He currently works for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, negotiating complex real estate agreements. He was recently awarded as with the "20 under 40" award from the Council of State Governments.

Job Titles:

• Co - Chair

Lowry Snow served in the Utah House of Representatives for ten years from 2012 to 2022. He is a past President of the Utah State Bar. He has served as a charter board member of the Southern Utah Community Legal Center; a non-profit organized and dedicated to the delivery of pro-bono legal services to the underprivileged in Southern Utah. He is the immediate past Chairman of the Utah State Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission and past Chair of the Washington County Economic Development Council. He was recently recognized by the Utah State Bar when he was awarded the Lifetime Service Award.

Job Titles:

• Communications Consultant ( X - Factor )
• President of X - Factor Strategic Communications

Muriel Xochimitl is the President of X-Factor Strategic Communications, a full-service communications firm specializing in public education campaigns, media relations, stakeholder facilitation and grassroots public involvement. Before founding X-Factor, Muriel served as the Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) communications and government affairs director. In this capacity, Muriel was the liaison on behalf of the organization to federal, state and local elected officials across the Wasatch Front. Prior to working at WFRC, Muriel served as a communications manager in the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Planning Division. She has also served as UDOT Regional Communications Manager, overseeing the media relations and public involvement on behalf of UDOT for six counties. Muriel has worked as a Project Manager for The Langdon Group, managing the company's strategic communications efforts in Salt Lake and Utah Counties. Before moving to Utah, Muriel served in Congress as a staffer for the House Foreign Affairs Committee and worked as a legislative consultant in the travel and tourism industry. She is a contributing writer to Utah Policy, Utah's premier news source for policymakers, and has served as an Eagle Mountain City Planning Commissioner. She holds a B.A. in political science from Brigham Young University and an M.A. in international development from The Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies.

Job Titles:

• Managing Director
• Governor Appointee

Ryan Starks was previously the managing director of growth and innovation in the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, overseeing business expansion programs and partnerships, rural economic development, international trade and diplomacy, and Utah's targeted industries initiative. He helped stand up the Utah Immigration Assistance Center, the Utah Broadband Center, and the $69 million Utah Small Business Credit Initiative. He also serves as an honorary commander of the 419-fighter wing at Utah's Hill Air Force Base. Previously, he has worked for the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in Washington, DC, as the executive director of the Heber Valley Chamber of Commerce and economic development office in Wasatch County, and as the founding director of the Wasatch Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) - an innovative workforce partnership between students and industry. He also taught as an adjunct professor of management for 10 years in the BYU Marriott School of Business. Starks earned a bachelor's degree from Weber State University, where he served as student body president, and a Master of Public Administration degree from BYU. He later earned a certificate in economic development from the University of Oklahoma and recently completed the entrepreneurship and innovation program at Harvard University. Starks, his wife Amy, and their four children reside in South Jordan.

Job Titles:

• Senate President Appointee

Senator Jerry Stevenson is the current Utah State Senator for Senate District 21. He is a private business owner and a former Layton mayor. He has held positions on several boards and committees, including as a trustee for Weber State University, chair for Wasatch Integrated Energy, and chair of the UTA Rail Committee. He attended Utah State University.

Job Titles:

• Senate President Appointee

Senator Lincoln Fillmore is the current State Senator for Senate District 10 and President of Charter Solutions. He has spent his professional career working in education as a teacher, principal, and school business manager. Fillmore was born in Salt Lake County where he lived until he was a teenager. He holds a degree in mass communications from the University of Utah.

Job Titles:

• Planning Director ( Kellenberg Studios )
• Planning Director for the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority

Steven Kellenberg is the planning director for The Point of the Mountain State Land Authority. He oversees planning efforts for The Point. An urban planner and designer with over 40 years of experience in new communities, mixed use town centers, business parks and large-scale development, Kellenberg brings a crucial level of expertise and leadership to The Point. He heads Kellenberg Studio, a boutique planning and urban design firm that provides senior advisory and urban design services on unique town planning and redevelopment projects. Prior to joining The Point, Kellenberg assisted Daybreak Communities in Salt Lake City as well as Rancho Mission Viejo in California and Banning Lewis Ranch in Colorado as Senior Planning Advisor. Steven also served the Irvine Company in Newport Beach as Senior Vice President leading their Community Planning Department. He holds a B.Sc. degree in landscape architecture and urban planning from Iowa State University and a Master's degree in urban design from Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board

Mayor Walker was elected as mayor of Draper City in January 2014. Prior to becoming the mayor, he served for six years on the Draper City Council. He is a member of several boards, including the Advisory Board for Utah Transit Authority (UTA), the Point of the Mountain Development Commission (POMDC), the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority (POMSLA), and the Pete Suazo Utah Athletic Commission (PSUAC). He has served as the liaison to the Draper Mayor's Youth Council, Peer Court, Appeals Board, Economic Development team and as the director of the Draper Days event.

Job Titles:

• Member of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE
• Vice President of Planning at Deseret Cattle

W. Don Whyte is the vice president of planning at Deseret Cattle and Citrus. He is a master planned community professional with experience in all aspects of land acquisition, land planning, entitlement, project envisioning, finance, and all phases of development operations and execution from coast to coast in the United States and Canada. He has successfully developed mixed use and residential communities in these markets. He has led teams with multiple markets and communities under his direction, and managed change as firms have been combined into a cohesive culture and structure. He has a degree in civil engineering from the University of Calgary.