º£½ÇÉçÇø

Kent M. Walton BS ’69 worked his way through Weber State as a summer employee of the U.S. Forest Service in Idaho. He spent three summers cleaning up after loggers, fighting fires, and rebuilding trails. He spent the summer of 1959 on the Mahoney Creek mountain fire lookout, now abandoned, deep in the Idaho wilderness, where he received mail, food, and supplies every 21 days via mule train. He later worked as a mail carrier in Ogden for the U.S. Postal Service for several years. After graduation, he was appointed to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Divisions. In 1973, he transferred to Phoenix, Arizona, where he served until retiring in 1998. In 1992, he and his family attended a Neil Diamond concert at the new America West Arena in Phoenix, now the Mortgage Matchup Center, and fell in love with the venue. Shortly after, he began working there and has been serving as a guest services representative for 32 years. His wife, Carolyn, also worked there for 15 years. They have been married for 61 years and have lived in Mesa, Arizona, since 1978. They have three sons and four grandsons around the country.

• Lynnda Wangsgard BS ’70 is employed by Weber County as the director of libraries. She earned her undergraduate degree from Weber State College and a double graduate degree in public administration (MPA) and library and information science (MLIS) from Brigham Young University. Lynnda, in concert with the library board of directors and the Weber County System Friends of the Library, developed a five-year capital plan, resulting in a $45 million general obligation bond which has resulted in enhancements to the Ogden Valley Branch in Huntsville, construction of a new Southwest Branch/Headquarters in Roy, a complete renovation and restoration of the Main Library in Ogden, and renovation and doubling of public service space at the North Branch in North Ogden. Under Lynnda’s direction, the Weber County Library System has earned more than 50 local, state, regional, and national awards. Lynnda is the recipient of the 2001 ATHENA Leadership Award from the Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce; the Lewis W. Shurtliff Award for Contributions to Enhancing Education in the Community from the Weber State University Alumni Association, and the Ethical Leadership Award from the Richard Richards Institute at Weber State. Lynnda counts the implementation of “radical civility,” a set of universal ethical principles that demands that all people be treated fairly, with dignity and respect, at the library as the accomplishment she is most proud of.

• Francis M. Wikstrom BS ’71 is a recently retired trial attorney who practiced with Parsons Behle & Latimer since 1982. He formerly served as an assistant United States attorney and the United States attorney for the District of Utah. He is a fellow and past president of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only organization recognized as the leading trial lawyers’ organization in the United States. Fran’s practice focused on civil litigation and whitecollar criminal defense, including patent infringement, trade secrets, contracts, toxic torts, real property, shareholder disputes, construction claims, employment discrimination, premises liability, franchises, and fraud. He is a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and the American Bar Foundation. He graduated from Yale Law School in 1974. He serves as a co-chair of the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion, a nonprofit organization seeking to make the Utah bar and bench more reflective of the Utah community. He was recently the keynote speaker at º£½ÇÉçÇø’s Wildcats to Lawyers event.

• Douglas Hurst BS ’72 was elected to the Weber School District Board of Education in 2008. He currently serves on the district Audit Committee and the Capital Improvement Committee. Doug attended Ogden City schools and graduated from Ogden High School. While attending Weber State, he studied accounting, banking, and finance. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 1972–1978. Doug has had a successful career as a certified public accountant and is also a licensed residential contractor. He and his wife, Kathleen (Flannery) Hurst BS ’70, met in a Weber State first-year orientation class, and they are living “happily ever after.” She graduated with a degree in elementary education and a minor in theatre arts. She earned her master’s degree in education from Grand Canyon University and then her level-one and level-two reading endorsements from Weber State. She taught for 28 years at several elementary schools within the Weber County School District and retired as a reading specialist from Washington Terrace Elementary. All four of their children graduated from Weber State. Doug and Kathleen are perpetual season ticket holders for football and basketball.

• Robert Bell BS ’75 co-founded Transcor International, a real estate development company specializing in hotels, shopping centers, and restaurants. Later developments included a startup in the self-storage industry, Sentry Self Storage, developing properties in Utah and California. In the mid-1980s, he purchased Sylvan Learning, an education company, and expanded it to three locations. He later acquired an Ogden-based printing company and rebranded it as RiverPrint, which has served businesses, government, and education for the past 28 years. He has also served on many community and government advisory boards, including 14 years as treasurer for the Homeless Veterans Fellowship and 13 years with the Weber School Foundation. Currently, he serves on the board of the Ogden Pioneer Days Foundation.

• Mike Leatham AS ’84, BIS ’87 is the founder of SymbolArts, a one-stop shop for high-quality custom recognition items in Ogden. What started as a small hobby in 1986, eventually grew into a thriving company known nationwide for creating custom products for communities, first responders, and organizations. While Mike is proud of that journey, he’s even prouder of the relationships he’s built along the way — at home, work, and on the open highway exploring new places and making memories with friends on long motorcycle road trips. He’s a family man, adventurer, and lifelong enthusiast of the things that bring people together. Mike currently serves on the º£½ÇÉçÇø Emeriti Alumni Council’s Projects/Volunteers and Recognition Committee.

• Eulogio Alejandre BA ’86, MS ’89 retired as the executive director and principal of Esperanza Elementary School, a dual-language immersion Spanish/English charter school in West Valley City, where he was the founding principal in 2014. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Utah in 2025. After 39 years as a teacher, district specialist, and school principal, Eulogio retired in 2025. His wife, Natalie Alejandre BA ’02, is the Home Energy Assistance Target Program supervisor in Weber, Morgan, and Davis counties. They have three daughters and one son.

• Allan Mecham AS ’94 is a chiropractic physician at Spinal Care Center of Utah, which he has owned and operated since 1997. He received both his Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and his Doctor of Chiropractic from Western States Chiropractic College, now University of Western States, in 1996. Since then, he has completed over 500 hours of continuing education, including Quantum Neurology, acupuncture, Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques, and Nutritional Response Testing. Because of his passion for learning new techniques, many of Dr. Mecham’s patients seek his help as an alternative to mainstream medicine. His wife, Lisa Mecham BS ’98, is a science educator at Orion Junior High School. Before that, she taught science at HighMark Charter School. They have five children and five grandchildren.

• Ron Cragun AAS ’95, AS ’96, BS ’17 started working at University of Utah Health in respiratory therapy in 1995 and has been the respiratory coordinator for the Newborn Intensive Care Unit since 2015. Debbie Cragun BS ’00 served as director of Weber State’s Nontraditional Student Center for 20 years. The center supported nontraditional students, defined as those 25 and older, married, with children, divorced, or widowed, by offering support through the Women’s Center, hourly child care, advising for students, and other programs to meet the diverse needs of students. Before her retirement in 2024, she also oversaw the Financial Literacy and Weber Cares Food Pantry resources. Together, Ron and Debbie own and operate Rollin’ Rovers, a mobile pet photography business. As pet photographers, they enjoy showcasing the love people have for their pets through personalized photo sessions, making memories accessible to everyone.

• Rachel J. Trotter BS ’95 is a senior writer/editor at Evalogue.Life and has a storytelling/communications business with her husband, Mat, TNT Solutions. She tells people’s stories and shares hers to encourage others. She loves family storytelling and has had articles featured on LDSLiving.com, lds.org, FamilySearch.org, and in Meridian Magazine. She has been a speaker at RootsTech, Weber State University Family History Conference, Conference on Family History at BYU, and the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree. She has written nine life stories with several more in production. She has also helped several others write their own stories. Before coming to Evalogue.Life, she worked as a reporter for 17 years at Ogden’s local newspaper, Standard-Examiner. She also worked as a communications coordinator for OgdenCAN in the º£½ÇÉçÇø Office of Community Development and develops communications strategies for other local non-profits. She and Mat have six children and two amazing grandchildren. They live on the East Bench in Ogden.

• Steve D. Stones BFA ’96 is an Ogden native who earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in illustration at Weber State. He went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting at Utah State University in 2000. He has been teaching in the Department of Visual Art & Design at Weber State for over 25 years. He is the 2025 visual art recipient of the Ogden City Mayor’s Awards in the Arts.

• Chad Jensen BS ’99 is a family medicine physician at the Intermountain Health North Ogden Clinic. He graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine in 2005. He completed his residency at the McKay-Dee Family Residency Program in 2008. Chad is currently serving as the medical director of Family Medicine (North Market) for Intermountain Health. He and his wife, Jennifer Buhrley Jensen BS ’00, are the parents of four children. Their three oldest children are Weber State Wildcats!

• Jeremy Brunner BS ’00 is the vice president of broadcasting for the Smith Entertainment Group. He oversees the production of all Utah Jazz games. Jeremy has also worked on a freelance basis for events such as the NBA Finals and the Olympics. His wife, Caitlin Bush BA ’01, is a Salt Lake County elections coordinator. Before this, she worked as a community relations coordinator for the Utah Jazz.

• Stacie Harris BS ’03 is the founder of the I Can. I Am. Foundation, which provides educational scholarships and community resources to single mothers and their families, creating a ripple effect of financial and emotional support that profoundly impacts lives and communities. Raised amidst abuse and undiagnosed learning disabilities, her educational prospects were limited. In her twenties, a challenging marriage ended abruptly, leaving her to care for an infant and two toddlers with no child support. With the encouragement of others and some initial financial support, Stacie enrolled in the Department of Communication at º£½ÇÉçÇø. The investment others made in her helped her grow to become a hope-giver. In 2020, she began the I Can. I Am. Foundation, which has provided more than $75,000 in scholarships to date. The foundation also partners with Utah businesses and community members to provide coaching, training, gifts, and financial support to families.

• Kami J. Kimber BS ’07 has joined the Charlotte, North Carolina, office of Ogletree Deakins as counsel. Her practice focuses on labor and employment law. She has nine years of experience as a field attorney for the National Labor Relations Board, Region 10, in Atlanta, Georgia, where she investigates unfair labor practices, represents the General Counsel in unfair labor practice hearings, conducts representation elections, and serves as a hearing officer in representation case hearings. She earned her Juris Doctorate from Northeastern University School of Law in 2011.

• Ben Roberts AS ’07 is a devoted husband, father of five, and serial entrepreneur who thrives at the intersection of family, innovation, and impact. He co-founded LoanPro, helping lead it to unicorn status and establishing it as a leader in lending and loan-servicing technology. Recognized as a 2023 Utah Business 40 Under 40 honoree and Mountain West EY Entrepreneur of the Year nominee, Ben has mentored young adults for over 20 years and is passionate about helping them build meaningful, purpose-driven lives. He also co-founded Become More Charity, creating sustainable solutions that help rural Cambodian villages lift themselves out of poverty. His work continues to inspire future leaders.

• Kaylene Whicker BS ’09 is a career advisor for Weber State in the College of Engineering, Applied Science & Technology. Kaylene graduated with a degree in social work and maintains her licensure as a social service worker in Utah. She has made a career of helping and supporting others on their journey to their own careers, teaching important life and professional skills. In her current role, she strives to provide resources and positive interactions with students, letting them know they are valued, that their job-search frustrations are valid, and that they should keep going.

• Josh Grimaud BS ’11 is the owner of Top Tier Remodeling & Design, a residential remodeling company based in Ogden. He earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and serves as chairman of the board of directors for Youth Futures, a local teen homeless shelter. Josh lives in Ogden with his wife and daughter, where they keep busy with their dog and a lively flock of 11 ornamental chickens.

• Kasey Grubb AS ’11, AS ’13, BSN ’14, MSN ’18, DNP ’23 has been a registered nurse since 2013. In addition to her multiple degrees from º£½ÇÉçÇø, she is a certified nurse educator, credentialed through the National League for Nursing. She has experience in a variety of specialties, including medical-surgical, postpartum, GI lab, same-day surgery, cardiac catheterization lab recovery, and informatics nursing. She currently serves as a nursing instructor in the Annie Taylor Dee School of Nursing, teaching in both the ADN and BSN programs. Passionate about helping others learn and grow, she finds it especially rewarding to see her former students thrive as professional nurses — some of whom have personally cared for her. Kasey serves on the º£½ÇÉçÇø Northern Utah Employer Exchange (NUEX) Committee and as chair of the Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions Career Fair. Kasey is actively engaged in professional and community service, serving as a board member of the Nu Nu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, a member of the Patient and Family Advisory Board at Holy Cross Davis Hospital, and a faculty advisor for the Utah Student Nurse Association Board. Jim Grubb BS ’16 is a commercial real estate appraiser for BBG Real Estate Services. His finance degree has been instrumental in his daily real estate analysis. Understanding the numbers and investment motivations behind the corner fast-food restaurant, the anchored shopping mall, the student housing complex, or your local library is underpinned by courses in macro- and microeconomics, business management, finance, and accounting. He puts his degree to use every day and reflects often on the foundational development of education. They reside in Davis County, Utah, where they enjoy life with their three sons.

• Yolanda Cabrera AS ’14, BS ’17 was born in Peru and immigrated to the United States in 2003 seeking opportunity through service and education. She served eight years in the U.S. Army as a healthcare specialist and licensed practical nurse, earning recognition for her teamwork and peer tutoring. After graduating summa cum laude from Weber State, she moved into civilian nursing and quickly advanced to lead the Immunizations Bureau at the Davis County Health Department. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she oversaw a nationally awarded drive-thru vaccination clinic that delivered more than 300,000 vaccinations. She now works as an operating room clinical nurse at Huntsman Cancer Hospital, where she is known for her energy, compassion, and professionalism. Yolanda is also proud of her son, now a Weber State student, continuing the family’s commitment to education and service.

• Nyomy Obcemea BS ’14 is º£½ÇÉçÇø’s associate athletics director for development. Before this, she spent more than a decade managing operations, development efforts, and community outreach at the Ogden Golf & Country Club. She is a member of the PGA of America. She has structured and met fundraising goals for major tournaments and youth programs, managed large-scale budgets and events, and served as a trusted liaison between organizations and the community. Her work as head girls’ golf coach at Northridge and West Field high schools helped bring the Northridge team to its first-ever state tournament and launch a new program at West Field.

• John Harrold AS ’16, BS ’22, is a data analyst in University Advancement at Weber State, where he began as a report writer assistant in 2014. His wife, Nicole Nordello BS ’08, a Master of Science graduate from the University of Utah, owns and provides services at her behavioral health clinic in Davis County. Before coming to Utah, John served in the United States Navy, earning over a dozen awards and decorations over 12 years, both on active duty and in the reserves. John enjoys serving on multiple committees at Weber State, both at the department and university levels. John and Nicole are active in their children’s school, sports, and activities. They have three children and live in Layton, Utah.

• Fischer Grubb BS ’22 has been an IT specialist with the Grand Teton Lodge Company for the past two years. He began his work with Grand Teton Lodge Company as a seasonal IT worker. That position led him to a part-time job with Clearfield City for eight months, before he was promoted to a full-time IT specialist with the city for the next two and a half years. Before graduating from Weber, he completed a remote data analyst internship with MarketStar and the IT Lab Summer Cybersecurity Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University in 2021. He currently lives and works in Grand Teton National Park.

• Liz Hovley BS ’22 is a Utah-based fine arts painter and entrepreneur. She has been honing her painting skills since she was a child. Her artistic evolution has allowed her to explore the union between realism, abstractionism, and impressionism. Her evolving passions have enabled her to create works on a wide range of subjects, from portraits to flowers, animals, and landscapes. Liz’s current work focuses on painting the American West. She was featured in Southwest Art Magazine, August/September 2022, “21 Under 31: Young Artists to Collect Now” and Western Art Collector, July 2022, “Utah-based painter Liz Hovley offers a fresh perspective of the West.” She was a finalist of the 2021 Church History Museum of The  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 12th International Art Competition. She was the recipient of a 2018 scholarship/tuition-waver for a Tina Garrett painting workshop and was awarded third place in the 2018 Opportunity Quest competition of the Hall Global Entrepreneurship Center. Liz lives with her little boy and wonderful husband.

• Leslie Davis BA ’23, MA ’24 has been the Campus Recreation marketing coordinator for Weber State since 2023. In this role, she oversees all marketing efforts to engage students, faculty, staff, and the community to be active, healthy, and involved on campus. She also manages a team of student employees who create graphics, social media content, and more, a role she held before being promoted to a full-time staff member. As a student, she was also part of the º£½ÇÉçÇø Student Association, serving as their social media director.

• Ashlee Ellinwood AS ’23, BS ’25 is a web content editor for º£½ÇÉçÇø’s Department of Marketing & Communications. Prior to this, she served as a student writer in the department. Ashlee has worked in animal rescue for more than 15 years and is deeply involved in mutual aid, a community-driven, horizontal system in which people voluntarily cooperate to meet each other’s needs by sharing resources such as food, money, or services. She recently co-authored research that was accepted in Speaker and Gavel, the scholarly journal of the Novice National Forensic Association.

• Bailey O’Leary BA ’23 is an administrative specialist for Weber State University Alumni Relations. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in English with a creative writing emphasis. She is the author of BITTERSWEET: Poetry Collection.