Wendi Bulkley
Director of Community Relations, Athletics, Utah Tech University
Wendi Prince Bulkley is the Athletic Development Officer and Executive Director of the Trailblazer Club at Utah Tech University. Wendi is a community leader and relationship expert. As a fundraiser, she has played an integral part in the university’s explosive growth. Before working as a fundraiser, she was the Dixie State Associate Athletic Director-External Relations, Adjunct professor for sports & recreation marketing and event management, Associate Manager of Field Marketing for TDS Telecommunications, LLC, Community Center Director for Washington City, and former Student Body President & Alumni Vice President of Dixie State. Wendi is a proud mother of 4 children and resides in Little Valley with her husband, Jake Bulkley, of 21 years.
Wendi has a bachelor’s degree in business leadership/recreation management and a master’s degree in public administration. Wendi has a combined total of 21 years of progressively responsible experience working as an expert in her field of marketing, fundraising, donor relations, and events. Her education, leadership, and business experience have given her the opportunity to use innovative and creative methods for business growth, economic development, and community engagement. Wendi has fostered and grown corporate relationships into millions of dollars in naming rights partnerships, including expanding Greater Zion Stadium, transitioning to Division 1 status, and corporate sponsorships. Wendi has pioneered new ideas for community events and sports marketing approaches. Wendi provides leadership, strength, and development to every organization she has worked with throughout her student, volunteer, and professional career.
Currently, Wendi serves on various community organizations, including the St. George Area Chamber Board of Directors, Washington County America 250 Committee, and the only female to serve on the Board of Directors for the charity Caddy Group, LLC non-profit organization.
Jennifer Ciaccio
Jennifer Ciaccio has taught at Utah Tech University since the fall of 2008. She has taught many courses during her time here: General Biology, Principles of Biology 1 and 2, Ichthyology, Entomology, Herpetology, Marine Biology, and Oceanography. In her classes, she emphasizes experimentation and active learning by students. For her PhD dissertation, she studied the development of feeding behavior in sharks.
Jon Cox
Jon Cox is the principal at Utah Public Affairs, a prominent lobbying and public affairs firm in Utah. He is the former Vice President of Government Affairs at Rocky Mountain Power. He previously served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives, Sanpete County Commission and was a staff member for both Utah Governor Gary Herbert and former U.S. Senator Bob Bennett. While serving as a member of the Utah House of Representatives, Cox worked as an assistant professor of history at Snow College.
Matt Devore
Staff Association President, Utah Tech University
Matt Devore has been a committed full-time employee of Utah Tech University since Fall 2016, building on his foundation as a Utah Tech student from 2011 to 2016. He graduated with a Bachelor’s in Integrated Studies, with an emphasis in Business Management and Human Communication. During his undergraduate years, Matt distinguished himself as a student leader, serving in various capacities, including Student Association Committee Member, Marketing Manager, and ultimately, Student Body President, where he made significant contributions to campus life and student engagement. Upon graduating, Matt began his career at Utah Tech as the Resident Life Coordinator for Housing and Resident Life. Over four years in this role, he demonstrated his dedication to student well-being, campus involvement, and student growth and development. He also advanced his academic qualifications during this time, earning a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from Louisiana State University (LSU). Today, Matt serves as the Director of Student Outreach Services at Utah Tech University. His leadership extends beyond his official role as he currently holds the position of Staff Association President, emphasizing his commitment to enhancing student and staff experiences.
Bella Estes
Student Body President, Utah Tech University
Bella is an ambitious and involved student at Utah Tech, being involved in the following such as Student Body President, Ambassador President, in various clubs on campus, committees such as Student Advisory Board, Student Fee Board, scholarship and planning committees, and more by participating in weekly campus events. She is passionate about student leadership and believes in the importance of development, which is something she loves to help others achieve while strives for personal and professional development herself. Bella enjoys helping others be involved on campus and promoting the great opportunities Utah Tech provides for student success.
She is grateful for all the opportunities, connections, and experiences UT provided to her and wants to share those with other students, which led to her becoming Student Body President. Bella has also been able to be involved out with the St. George community, especially with different organizations and businesses. She loves to be social and enjoys activities both on and off campus.
Bella will soon receive her degree with honors in Communication Studies, a minor in Business Management, and a certificate in Entrepreneurship. She was born and raised in Arizona where she previously was involved in leadership, sports, and the arts.
Danny Ipson
Daniel, more often referred to as “Danny,” was born in Provo, Utah, and has lived most of his life in St. George, Utah. He and his wife Jenny have been married for just over 28 years and have three children; Braxton (26) and wife Clara, BrinLee (23) and husband Badge, and Braylon (13). He has been blessed with three wonderful grandchildren.
Danny graduated from Dixie High in St. George. He received his associate of arts degree from Dixie College and then went on to receive his bachelor of arts in accounting from Southern Utah University. He began working in the family business to put himself through college. He worked, managed, and oversaw all aspects of the DATS Trucking Group of Companies, DATS Trucking, Inc., Overland Petroleum, LLC, Overland Leasing, LLC, and Ernies Stores, Inc. In September 2018, he directed the sale of the fuel distribution business (Overland Petroleum, LLC) to Offen Petroleum, Inc., and in March 2021 managed and directed the sale of the operating trucking company (DATS Trucking, Inc.) to North American Services. Danny continues to own and operate an eight-location chain of convenience stores and truck stops under the Ernie’s Stores, Inc. and HF Sinclair brands, and he also works as managing member of Overland Leasing,
LLC.
Danny also has been a high school baseball coach at his alma mater, Dixie High for the last 26 seasons. He has spent the last 13 seasons as the head baseball coach. He has served on many boards and service organizations. He has had the opportunity to serve on various hiring and search committees at Utah Tech University. He has previously completed service as the booster club president for the former Dixie College Rebels, served a term as a member of the Western Region Council for the Department of Workforce Services, and served on the customer advisory board for the State Bank of Southern Utah. He is currently serving in an advisory role for Zions Bank on their customer advisory board for the St. George District. He also has served on the President’s National Advisory Council at Utah Tech University and has recently served on the Board of Directors for the Utah Tech Foundation as governance chair. Danny has most recently served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Utah Tech University and served on the financial and audit committees while also serving as the board liaison and member of the Board of Trustees at Dixie Technical College.
He recently completed his service on the Sinclair Oil Executive Distributor Council and is currently serving as a member of the Board of Directors for Ambest, Inc., an independent truck stop cooperative. And is currently serving as Vice Chairman of the Board.
Deven Macdonald
Deven Macdonald is an entrepreneur and local business owner with a passion for helping young people develop critical life skills. The first 14 years of his career were spent in management of a product Identity and Security Management portfolio at a multi-billion-dollar software company. Deven was active in many youth programs and organizations during this period but longed to find a greater balance of income and influence through his work.
Eager to find a way to have a greater impact at home, work and in the community, Deven made a career change. Together with his wife Brittany and their four children, they moved to St. George 12 years ago, where they started a local business. Deven seeks to promote and demonstrate principles of business, servant leadership, work, service, character and integrity into his activities working with youth in his store, community, and church programs.
Deven is an avid supporter of Utah Tech University. Through close involvement with UT, he has grown to love the administration, faculty, alumni, and students. He has found great fulfillment in serving UT, helping grow its athletic program, mentoring students, and teaching business classes. Deven is honored and grateful to be a part of the legacy of this great university.
Dan Nielson
Dan Nielson is a long-time resident of St. George, where he has lived for over three decades. With 28 years of experience in healthcare administration, Dan has led operations for multiple healthcare facilities, earning 99% patient satisfaction rates and achieving AAAHC National Accreditation for every surgical center under his leadership.
Since 2010, Dan has served as the Administrator of Coral Desert Surgical Center in St. George, overseeing the day-to-day operations of a dedicated 50-person team. His leadership has been instrumental in ensuring operational excellence, patient-centered care, and community trust.
Dan and his wife have been married for 35 years. Together they have four children and nine grandchildren.
Rich K. Nye
Rich K. Nye has extensive experience working at many levels in education. His first teaching assignment was at a rural junior high school in Utah, where he taught 8th grade integrated science and coached track. He went on to teach science and coach basketball in a K8 school, before becoming an administrator at a large suburban high school in Phoenix, Arizona. As a career educator, Nye occasionally provides adjunct faculty services for the University of Utah and Utah State University, teaching courses in policy, leadership, evaluation and educational foundations.
Nye obtained a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Weber State University, another master’s degree in educational administration from Arizona State University, and a PhD in Teacher Education and Leadership, with an emphasis on evaluation and educational reform from Utah State University.
Nye served as the Director of Curriculum, Assessment, Research and Evaluation for the Ogden School District. Nye has served as the Deputy Superintendent of the Utah State Board of Education, Superintendent of the Ogden City School District, Superintendent of the Granite School District, and currently serves as the Senior Education Advisor for Governor Cox.
Tasha Toy
Assistant Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Utah Tech University
Tasha C. Toy, Ph.D. is the inaugural Assistant Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer at Utah Tech University since July 2024. In this role, she provides oversight of Utah Tech’s compliance governance structure, and works collaboratively with Utah Tech stakeholders, both internal and external to campus, to maintain a portfolio of projects aligned with Utah Tech’s mission and goals along with monitoring implementation of university-wide projects. Tasha has worked with campus members to grow and enrich the campus community.
Dr. Toy has served in higher education institutions with various missions and student populations in various leadership roles for over 25 years. As an accomplished presenter and theorist, she has presented at international professional higher education conferences and published journal articles and other written artifacts, both individually and as part of a team, surrounding the governance and organization of postsecondary education. Some conference participation includes NASPA, AERA, Continuous Improvement Summit, Teach for Learning, and many more. She recently completed her term as part of National Association of Branch Campus Administrators where she is the chair of the research committee and managing editor of its open education resource journal named ACCESS.
Since joining Utah Tech in the summer of 2018 from Georgia, Tasha’s community engagement and membership are vast. A few of them are St. George Tub Thumpers of Toastmasters International, a former Board of Director for the St. George Chamber of Commerce, Association of Colleges and University Policy Administrators, National Association of Parliamentarians of Utah, NASPA, Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society, Kappa Delta Pi, An Honor Society in Education, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She was selected as one of 15 women leaders of Washington County by the St. George Chamber of Commerce by receiving the ELEMENT Award in 2022 and was selected as one of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Utah for 2022 by the Women We Admire Magazine.
Dr. Toy earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration-Research and Policy from Seton Hall University (NJ), a Master of Arts in Education, and a Bachelor of Arts from North Carolina Central University, a historically black institution. Most recently, she completed a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from Cornell University.
In Tasha’s free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her husband, Dr. Joel Berrien, Jr., their two sons, one daughter-in-love, and the newest family addition-a granddaughter along with extended family and friends.
John Willis
The St. George City Council appointed John Willis as City Manager on January 19, 2023.
John has served as Community Development Director since August 2018 and was the City’s Planning and Zoning Manager for four years prior to that. All told, John has more than 19 years of experience in land use, planning, and zoning. In addition to the City of St. George, where John has worked for 12 years (over two stints), he served as the Senior Land Use and Environmental Planner for the City of Mesquite, Nevada, and the Planning Coordinator for Draper City.
John grew up in St. George, graduating from Dixie High School and Dixie State College (when it was a 2-year institution). He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and master’s from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.