Meet the Authors

Mark is Co-founder/Editor of TechBuzz News. From Ogden, UT, Mark attended WSU, BYU, and Tufts. He has been involved in tech, media, publishing since the 80s.

Austin Craig is a media producer, writer, and entrepreneur. Before his tenure at TechBuzz as a writer and editor, he produced podcasts and led marketing at a cryptocurrency startup.

Mattea Gygi studied English at BYU focusing on professional writing. In 2021 she was an intern at TechBuzz and then worked full time as a writer in 2022. Mattea is from Boise, ID.

Amelia England is a content marketer/creative writer from SLC. She has an MA in Literature from Oregon State University. She wrote articles for TechBuzz and worked on Marketing at IsoTalent.

Elainna Ciaramella is a business journalist and writer living in St. George. Elainna interviews business owners, researchers, university leaders, and c-suite executives from all over the country.

Utah-based Jenny Rollins is an award-winning writer, editor, and content producer. Jenny is a senior editor for Business.org and manages her own freelance writing and editing business stories.

Hannah Neilson is a Junior at Utah Valley University. She is studying Business and Analysis and helping build two university courses: Strategic AI in Business and Doing Business in the Middle East.

Robb has worked in the Utah start-up world for nearly 20 years. Robb believes that by putting people first, the business world will be a better place. Robb is a Co-founder of TechBuzz and IsoTalent.

Ava Tullis is a freshman at BYU. She attended Maeser Prep where she served as a SheTech ambassador for four years. Ava was a SheTech student board member and founded the SheTech Media Internship.

Devin Schutz is a Computer Science major with a minor in Mathematics at USU. He is an intern writer for TechBuzz, along with being a member of the USU GAS Small Satellite Team. He's from the Bay Area.

Lane Spurlock majors in Digital Marketing and Entrepreneurship at UVU. From Frederick, MD, Lane has a passion for innovation and is actively engaged in working with startups.

Kira Hakes is a freshman at UVU. She attended Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy. Kira was one of the first SheTech-TechBuzz Media Interns in 2023-24.

Allison Korth is returning Goldman Sachs Summer Analyst. Originally from Walnut Creek, California, Korth studied business at BYU. In 2020-21, she was an intern for TechBuzz, one of our first from BYU.

Karin Anderson is a nonfiction and fiction writer focused on people, places, and cultures of the Great Basin. She was an English professor at UVU for 30 years. She earned a English PhD from the UofU.

Born and raised in Budapest, Gergo Szikszai is a senior at the University of Utah studying Finance and minoring in Entrepreneurship. Gergo is deeply interested in Utah’s thriving tech industry.

Isabelle Wolcheck has been a SheTech-TechBuzz media intern during 2023-24. Isabelle is also a SheTech Student Board member. She attends DaVinci Academy of Science and the Arts in Ogden, Utah.

Chase Prather is a Venture Capital Research Associate at ARK Investment Management. Previously, he was a Venture Capital Associate at Sweater VC. While at the UofU, Chase became our first intern.

Logan Mallory is VP of Marketing at Motivosity. Previously, at Workfront and LogMeIn, he served marketing director positions. He also served as adjunct faculty at BYU where he earned an MBA and BA.

Alli Sather attends Da Vinci Academy of the Sciences and the Arts in Ogden, UT. She has been a SheTech-TechBuzz intern during 2023-24, the inaugural year of the internship.

Jennifer is Sr Exec VP Human Resources at Paycom, an Oklahoma-based payroll company that has growing presence in Salt Lake City.

Benson Grotegut is a Junior at Brigham Young University's Information Systems program. He enjoys website development, programming, and data analysis. Born and raised in Midway, Utah, he enjoys moun...

Connor Holland studied Economics at BYU. He hails from San Jose, CA and loves to read, juggle and surf. He's an avid traveler. Connor was an intern and writer for TechBuzz.

Gabby studied Strategic Communications at the UofU. She was born in Sandy, UT and enjoys living an active lifestyles, sports, and spending time with family. Gabby was an intern for TechBuzz.

Brian Rodriguez, from Mesa, AZ, studied Strategic Communications at the UofU and was on the Dean's List. He enjoys hiking, fishing, music, photography and writing. He was an intern at TechBuzz.

Eliza Jane Pace studied Communication and Journalism at the UofU. In Winter and Spring of 2021, she was an intern at TechBuzz. She is now a reporter for KSL 5 and recently also worked for Fox 13 News.

Shantelle Erskine is a Homebuilder Concierge at Sunrun. Born in Ogden, UT, Shantelle studied Communications at UVU. In 2021 she interned for TechBuzz News and wrote articles as a student journalist.

Grace Weston is Co-Founder (with her sister, Camille), of Nona Rose, a brand awareness and community-building agency based in Pleasant Grove, UT. Grace studied entrepreneurship at BYU.

Robby Poffenberger is a copy writer at Better Being. In 2023 he graduated in Journalism from UVU where he edited the school's news publication. That year he also he served as a TechBuzz intern.

Tara Spalding is the Chief Experience Officer and Managing Director of International Programs for World Trade Center Utah (WTC Utah), based in Salt Lake City.

Ryan Seamons is COO of Latitude and the Founder of Groove, a leadership organization that helps leaders actually do something to improve employee engagement via a four-step program and survey.

Cydni Tetro, 2023 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, nationally renowned technology leader, trailblazer for women in tech, is President of Women Tech Council and CIO of Swire Coca Cola.

Christian Cabrera is a Senior at UVU, pursuing a degree in Information Systems. Born to Mexican parents and raised in Mesa, Arizona, Christian loves travel, having visited over 22 countries.

Griffin Croft, from San Clemente, CA, studies Finance at BYU and hopes one day to work in private equity. Croft was a TechBuzz Intern.

Trevor Smith is from Provo, Utah. He is studying Accounting and Finance at BYU. He currently serves as BYU's Pickleball Club President. He was an intern at TechBuzz.

Kiel Shaub received his Ph.D. in English from UCLA, moved to Utah and now writes on intersections among education, technology, science, and the humanities. He reports on EdTech for TechBuzz.

Logan Christensen studied English at UVU. In 2021-22, he wrote for TechBuzz as an intern. Logan was born and raised in Spanish Fork, UT.

Olivia studied pre-law and economics at the UofU. Olivia was an intern for TechBuzz in Summer of 2021. She now works at Qualtrics in Enterprise Support. She enjoys running/hiking in Utah’s mountains.

Makayla Geddes studied technical writing and fine arts at Weber State University. In the Summer of 2021 she was a TechBuzz Intern. She is now a Logistics Management Specialist at Hill Air Force Base.

Andrea Morris, from Winston-Salem, NC, graduated from BYU. She was a TechBuzz intern in 2021 both as a reporter and a programmer. Morris also interned at RevRoad and now works for Lifetime Products.

Tessa White is CEO of The Job Doctor, a practice dedicated to helping individuals navigate the workplace and companies re-engage their employees. Tessa is a TechBuzz Advisory Board Member.

Davis Warnock is a founder and GP at Prelude, Mercato Partners' venture capital fund. Alongside his partners he invests a newly raised fund into General Technology, Saas, and Cyber Security companies.

Dennis Wood is an Executive Recruiter at Recruiting Connection. Formerly CEO at BoardLevel.io and Chargeback.com, and over HR at Fusion-io, Wood has spent his career building winning organizations.

Austin Miller is Founder and Board Member of IsoTalent.

Rett Putnam is a BYU student studying Economics, Strategy, and Software Development. He's from El Segundo, California and is currently a writing and software development intern at TechBuzz.

From South Jordan, Utah, Emma Hadlock is currently in her first year at Salt Lake Community College studying Communications. She plans to transfer to the UofU next year. She is a TechBuzz intern.

From Farmington, Utah, Corbin Smith is a sophomoe at BYU studying finance. He hopes one day to work in venture capital. He enjoys outdoor activities including skiing, hiking, and mountain biking.

Amy Betancur, from Salt Lake City, is a Junior at BYU studying Business Strategy. Amy loves adventure and delicious cuisine. She is one of the team leads of BYU's TechBuzz internship.

Sarah is a student at BYU. She is a member of the TechBuzz internship class.

Tylee Hunt is a Multi-platform Producer at NBC 5 DFW. She graduated in Digital Journalism and Dance at Marymount Manhattan College. In 2020-21, Tylee was an intern for TechBuzz in St. George, UT.

Caden Judd is originally from Chicago but grew up Walnut Creek, CA. While at BYU Judd became a TechBuzz intern in 2021. He is now Director of User Acquisition at Stutor, an edtech startup in Lehi, UT.

Baylee Hite studied Business at BYU. During Winter Semester 2021, Hite was an intern at TechBuzz. She loves writing. She now owns her own bakery and enjoys boating on Utah lakes in the summertime.

Based in Salt Lake City, Peter Christiansen is a writer for Clearlink. Christiansen writes about satellite internet, rural connectivity, live streaming, and telecom policy.

Brent Thomson is Co-founder and CEO of Blip. After studying computer science at BYU, he started several software companies, including Jive which was sold to LogMeIn in 2018 for $357 million.

Trina Limpert is Executive Director of Silicon Slopes Executive Network, Slopes Collective. She is also Co-Founder of non-profit Tech-Moms. Previously, she held positions at eBay and Oracle.

Trish Alderman, is a mother of four, wife to one, tax accountant in a previous life. She is a Freakonomics junkie and "stay-at-home mom." Trish loves cycling and exploring red rocks with her kids.

Loren Larsen has served as CEO of Videra Health Since 2020. Previously he spent nearly ten years as CTO of HireVue. Larsen focuses on the ethical use of video and AI to improve healthcare.

Heather Nemelka is Founder of Elevare, a Provo-based platform designed to help mothers as they transition back into the workforce, helping them find fulfillment and purpose in their careers.

Jonathan has been in HR for 15 years. He’s worked in small startups to international Fortune 50 organizations. He's currently at IsoTalent and also writes for TechBuzz on HR/ Management topics.

Jennifer grew up in Silicon Valley and has lived on the Wasatch Front since 1985, supporting Utah entrepreneurship and founding the cancer foundation, Healthree.org. Jenny also writes for TechBuzz.

Lane Losee is VP of Operations at IsoTalent, a full-service recruiting firm headquartered in Lehi, Utah.

Luke Howard is from Las Vegas. He just completed his freshman year at BYU, studying finance. He writes for TechBuzz News.

Nolan Jeppesen studies Economics at BYU. Jeppesen has developed a keen interest in AI prompt engineering which he applied, along with research and writing, as an intern for TechBuzz.

Johny Hanna is an entrepreneur in Utah and served as CEO and co-founder of the Utah-based real estate company, Homie. He guest-authored articles for TechBuzz.

Preston Edgin hails from Colorado Springs, CO. While studying at BYU he was an intern for TechBuzz in 2021.

Siria Snounou lives in Clinton, Utah and studied Technical and Professional Writing at Weber State University. She was an intern -reporter for TechBuzz.

David Sampson has worked for EY, served as VP of Finance and Controller for Ancestry.com and Fusion-io as VP of Finance. Recently he has been the CFO of Tolero Pharmaceuticals in Lehi, UT.

Brandy Vega is an entrepreneur, media guru, mother, philanthropist, and advocate. She’s the founder of Vega Media Studios and CEO of DANcan, a tech startup focusing on digital authentication.

Tom Telford is the owner of LÉVO - A Mind Care Company, the co-host and co-founder of BrainStoke, a member of Promise2Live's Advisory Board, and adjunct faculty at Weber State University.

Doug Baird is Founder and President of RainFocus, a Lehi, UT-based events technology company focused on data management, marketing automation, and strategic event management.

Cameron MdBride is CEO of Blomquist Hale Solutions, a Salt Lake City-based company specializing in mental health solutions including stress, anxiety, family counseling, legal problems and eldercare.

Jasmine Aguilar attends American Preparatory Academy in West Valley City, Utah. She serves as a SheTech ambassador for her school. She is a SheTech-TechBuzz media intern.

Sage Singleton is a Utah-based writer and marketing professional at Clearlink. She holds a B.A. in Communication from Westminster College.

Ganel-Lyn Condie is a popular motivational speaker known for inspiring others with her unique honesty, authenticity and spirit. She is dedicated to her family, faith, and inspiring others.

Richard Godfrey is Co-founder and CEO of Salt Lake City-based leadership development organization, Avec me. Godfrey is a member of the Promise2Live Mental Health series sponsored by Silicon Slopes.

Craig Bushey is Electric Thermal Solutions Director for Chromalox. He holds a BA in Environmental Resource Management from Penn State University. He enjoys time with family, skiing, and the outdoors.

Christine Wzorek is CEO of White Label Advisors, a team of Human Capital Strategists based in Salt Lake City supporting high-growth organizations through sustainable talent and people processes.

Robert Bishop is a Salt Lake City-based serial tech entrepreneur who has started, scaled, and exited five tech companies. Currently, he serves as CEO of FLTVlabs. He loves family, cycling and movies.

Emily Flinders is Director of Operations of the Stena Center for Financial Technology at the University of Utah. FintechXstudio is a fintech incubator and accelerator for students at the Stena Center.

Roy Glasberg, Founder and Managing Partner of AnD Ventures, has created and managed hundreds of startup initiatives for several large tech companies and has worked with over 600 startups.

Margaret Woolley Busse is Executive Director at Utah Department of Commerce. She has been a speaker/panelist on regulatory reform, social enterprise, political polarization, and women in leadership.

Joe Staples is Go-to-Market advisor and former CMO with Genesys, Workfront and Motivosity. He an adjunct faculty member at UVU teaching marketing.

Newsha Makooi serves as VP and Dean, Western Governors University (WGU), College of IT. Makooi received his master’s degree in computer information systems from the University of Denver.

Diogo Myrrha is a partner at Album VC, an investment firm headquartered in Lehi, Utah. Diogo is a member of the Tech Buzz News Advisory Board.

Eli Adams is founder of Digital Experience Academy, a bootstrapped business education startup headquartered in Lehi to help people create side businesses in the digital space.

Reuben Holdaway an investor at Convoi Ventures, an active pre-seed venture capital firm in Utah. Additionally, Reuben serves on boards at his alma mater—UVU—and in his local Chamber of Commerce.

Paul Bingham is VP and Associate Dean in WGU’s College of Information Technology. Bingham leads four cybersecurity degree programs with a combined enrollment of over 17,500 full-time students.

Anthony (Tony) Lewis, is CEO and co-founder, of Aumni. Previously, Lewis was a director at Resources Global Professionals (RGP), a San Francisco-based multinational professional services firm.

Steven J. Smith is an expert on the hiring process. As ApplicantPro's Chief Hiring Expert and author of The Hiring Tree (2022), Smith is passionate about all aspects of hiring.

Paige Penze is Senior Vice President, Global Commercial Banking, Technology Sector, at Bank of America in Salt Lake City.

Scott Olmsted is a Technology & Green Economy Industry Executive, Global Commercial Banking, with Bank of America Salt Lake City.

Glenn Jakins is CEO of Humless, a Lindon, Utah-based pioneer in reliable power systems based on clean energy sources.

Ivan Houlihan is Senior VP and Head of the US West Coast for IDA Ireland, the national investment development agency for Ireland.

Dr. Mark Matheson has served as partner/director at three investment banks and has taught business at three universities. He has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the UofU and an MBA from Harvard.

Robert Buckley is Chief People Officer at Enveda Biosciences. Previously, he was SVP, Chief People Officer at RainFocus and Minova, and HR Director at eBay. Buckley calls himself an "HR architect."

Glen Mella is Chief Revenue Officer of OliverIQ. Previously, he was CEO and founder of Axcend, Co-Founder of Cypher, and President/COO of Control4. Mella is member of the TechBuzz advisory board.

Saxton Nelson is an audio engineer at KSL 5 TV. In 2021 he graduated with a BA in English from the UofU. That year he served briefly as an intern at TechBuzz.

David Politis, "Marketing Mercenary at The David Politis Company" is a BYU-educated writer covering investments in Utah's tech sector via Utah Money Watch.

Salma Al-Shuqairat is active in SheTech and served as a SheTech Ambassador for Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy in Lindon, UT from 2021-24. Salma is now attending BYU.

Carrie Hill is a public relations and strategic partnership professional with an emphasis on working with nonprofits supporting; women, children, veterans, and mental health awareness.

Joe Tuia'ana is founder and CEO of i love you bro PROJECT, a non-profit that supports men's mental health via support groups, workshops and solution-based therapy.

Curtis Morely is Founder/CEO of Counterfeit Emotions and Founder and CEO of The Entrepreneur's Paradox. Previously, he was the Director of Kahlert Initiative on Technology, from 2019-2022.

Cecily Jorgensen is Dir. of Project Management at Avalaunch Media and Exec. Board Member and Mentorship Cmt Chair of Silicon Slopes Women in Leadership. She graduated from Northern Arizona University.

Amy Miller-Weiland heads the Professional Services, Learning and Development, and Exam teams at YouScience. She's an award-winning tech exec who is dedicated to finding next generation of talent.

Brent Esplin is Executive Director at OASIS Ascent - Millcreek and OASIS Ascent - Provo

Andrea Beckstrom is the founder and medical director at Levo.

Tyler Hogge is a Partner at Pelion Venture Partners. He is a Board Member at Remi and Redo. Previously, he was SVP of Product and Risk at Divvy for four years.

Karen Thraen is a senior at Salt Lake Community College studying Business Administration. Karen is originally from Mexico and moved to Utah in 2021. She is a TechBuzz intern, writing tech articles.

Since 1995, Scott Frazier has been the owner and manager of the Frazier Group, a family office in Lehi, Utah. Previously, he was President of TruVision and TruHearing. He holds an MBA from Harvard.

Savannah Leavitt, Program Manager at Women Tech Council, is also a student at UVU pursuing a degree in Public Relations & Strategic Communication.

Madeleine Felix, a native of Utah, is a returning Goldman Sachs Summer Analyst and intern for TechBuzz. She is a junior at the UofU studying Finance with an emphasis in Advanced Financial Analysis.

Vance Checketts is CEO of auticon US and Board President of the auticon Training Institute. He served as COO at Built, Oracle, EMC, and Dell and holds an MBA from BYU.

Lily Lee is a sophomore at BYU, majoring in Marketing. She is also an OCI intern. She is originally from Mapleton, Utah. She loves all things travel, outdoors, and food. She is a writer for TechBuzz.

Originally from LA, Sonia Covrig is a student at the University of Utah studying International Studies and Japanese. She is fluent in Romanian. In her spare time, she loves to learn about aviation.

Korrinne Pack, a sophomore at American Fork High School, is a 2024 SheTech-TechBuzz Media Intern covering news at Thanksgiving Point. She is interested in math, theater and STEM/engineering.

Marisa Holt, a senior at Utah State University studying Communications, is a TechBuzz intern from Salt Lake City with a passion for fostering a more informed and better world.