Jessica Atkinson is the COO at Hygiene Edge and an assistant professor at Dixie State University. Jessica is a pioneering co-creator of resources for Dental Hygienists at any stage of their career. These resources, primarily offered as videos, help dental professionals brush up on, refresh or learn a tip/trick that can improve their practice. She is proud to have learned from the best in her industry and is invested in sharing what she has learned with the next generation of dental professionals.

Nina Barnes is a passionate advocate for higher education. She serves as the Vice-Chair of the Utah Board of Higher Education, co-chair of the Southern Utah University presidential search committee, and is an adjunct professor for identity politics. Nina is an entrepreneur at heart, but became community champion on the Cedar City Council where she served for two terms. She founded the Cedar City Veteran's Memorial Park and the community-built Park Discovery. Now a resident of St. George, Nina is most proud of her work as a wife and mother.

Lindsey Boyer is the executive director of the Dove Center, which empowers those impacted by domestic abuse and sexual violence. Lindsey began her career with the Division of Child and Family Services, eventually becoming a clinical counselor for the community at large. She is a champion for a better workplace and community, insisting that Dove Center services are available to ANYONE who needs them with NO exceptions. Among her many accomplishments, Lindsey started an evidence-based prevention education program for middle school, high school and university students. In one year, this program served 73 girls in 6 schools.

Kathy Cieslewicz has been a pillar of the Washington County art community for over 25 years. She is currently the Director and Curator of the Dixie State University (DSU) Sears Art Museum. Kathy has hosted the DSU Business of Art Conference, which empowers artists as entrepreneurs, for 10 years. In addition to teaching at DSU, she offers private instruction and has dedicated much of her time to providing art classes to students in Hildale and Colorado City. In addition to her time in the classroom, Kathy has taken students and local artists on immersive art tours in Europe for the past 10 years.

Judith Cooley is the CEO of JNC Property Management. In addition to operating her own business, she is dedicated to helping Veterans and others in need. She has spearheaded the Christmas for Veterans project, which provides gifts to every single resident of the Ivins Veteran home and beyond. Judith also created the Vietnam Monument to give Veterans the welcome home and “thank you” that they deserve. She attributes much of her community involvement to a former boss who taught her to give back to the community in meaningful ways.

Shirlee Draper is a force for change. She is a founder of the Short Creek Community Alliance, which facilitated efforts that led to the election of Hildale’s first female mayor. Since then, Shirlee has been engaged in community rebuilding including building parks, a community center, recreation center, and housing solutions. She has trained numerous service providers and government agencies in cultural sensitivity. She is committed to creating a more accepting, understanding environment for our FLDS neighbors. Shirlee serves as the Director of Operations for Cherish Families and is a single mother to four amazing humans.

Terri Draper is one of Southern Utah’s most respected community leaders. She has directed communications at Intermountain's St. George Regional hospital since 1995 and currently oversees marketing and communications for 15 Intermountain hospitals across Utah. Terri’s work for Intermountain Healthcare has won local, state and national awards. She was the founding president of the Southern Utah Public Information Officer Association and has served on the Dixie State University School of Business Advisory Board, St. George City Arts Commission, and the Leadership Dixie Board.

Sharmane Gull has spent her career helping to craft government policy that drives both immediate and long-term positive change. Most recently, Sharmane shaped a successful collaboration between State & County stakeholders to develop and implement five successful programs to bridge our local justice system. She secured over $1.3 million for Washington County's behavioral health & justice system, $225K for an intergenerational poverty project, and $3.2 million to build a new Crisis Care Receiving Center for Washington County. Her most important accomplishment is being a mother to her two wonderful children who inspire her to live life with purpose.

LuAnn Lundquist has been a leader in senior services in the St. George area since 2002. She has served on the Caregiver Advisory Board of the Area Agency on Aging for almost 20 years. She also served as a regional manager and statewide education coordinator for the Utah Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. With the help of her husband, Kurt, and sister, Mitzi Sullivan, LuAnn started a nonprofit to continue services to local seniors. This year Memory Matters Utah will celebrate ten years providing direct, personal services to meet the needs of local families dealing with the challenges of Alzheimer's & other forms of dementia.

Jill is a fierce and 'PROUD' Mama Dragon. Over the past five years, her journey of leaning in, listening and learning to become a better LGBTQ+ advocate and ally has opened the door for so many fulfilling opportunities to serve the community. Through her volunteer work with Encircle St. George, as Advisory Board Chair, she has connected with numerous beautiful LGBTQ+ individuals and their families. Jill is committed to reducing teen suicide by shining a light on the daily challenges that many gay teens face living in Utah. She is a freelance graphic artist, a t-shirt designer, and volunteers for Switch Point, Encircle, and the PTA.

Dr. Jacqueline Powell works to inspire the medical students she teaches at Rocky Vista University (RVU) to be leaders in their community. Being originally from Montreal, Quebec, Canada and of Jamaican descent and having lived in several different countries, including Canada, United States, and the Caribbean Islands of Dominica and Grenada, she holds diverse perspectives and an appreciation of all cultures. In her role as Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI) Committee at RVU, Dr. Powell collaborates throughout the community to support and highlight minority-owned businesses and leaders. Dr. Powell’s greatest accomplishment is raising her incredibly awesome teenage son.

Dr. Sharon Richens is the founder and CEO Richens Eye Center - an advanced eye care and surgical center. She has served as President of the Utah Medical Association and as the Utah delegate to the American Medical Association. Dr. Richens is a pioneer in medicine, bringing new technologies, techniques, and training to the ophthalmology world. She supports the Physicians Free Clinic by providing eye care to those in need and is a mentor to pre-medical students at Dixie State University. Her example has helped other women and girls in the community realize their full potential.

Dr. Tasha Toy serves as the Assistant Vice President and Senior Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Dixie State University. She has been a force for diversity and inclusion in Washington County and is a fierce advocate for women, the BIPOC community, and her students. Dr. Toy excels in her field by building momentum for transformative work to occur. She does not seek the spotlight; rather, she works to make sure people around her feel empowered to lead. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she secured a grant to address food disparities for the local community. Through this grant, her team bridged the gap and supported neighbors with fresh fruits, vegetables and meat during an uncertain time.

Kathie Thayne is a household name in the St. George Area. As the former CEO of the Huntsman World Senior Games, Kathie led efforts to grow participation in the games from several hundred to over 10,000 participants. Through her work, the games have saved many, many lives through health testing. Kathie has served on many different community boards, including: Dixie State College Board of Trustees, St. George Area Chamber of Commerce, Hospital Ethics Committee, Leadership Dixie Board, and the Dixie Tech Board. She serves as the Vice president of the Huntsman World Senior Games Board of Trustees and brought the Dickens' Christmas Festival to Southern Utah.

Alissa Urzi has worked for the St. George Police Department as the victim witness coordinator for the last decade. She has served the residents of St. George during some of the most trying times of their lives. Alissa has served on several multi-disiplinary teams and coalitions that focus on ending domestic violence and sexual assault. She has maintained a positive and healthy working relationship with sister city Police Departments as well as other community partners such as the Dove Center and the Children's Justice Center. Each year, she volunteers on the sexual assault response team at Burning Man. She is a proud mom to two amazing boys and believes that growth doesn't happen in comfort zones.