Nominations Open for the 2022 Element Awards
The St. George Area Chamber of Commerce seeks to honor women who are generating major social and economic contributions to the Washington County Area. They are extraordinary women who are in their element, doing what they do best and breaking down barriers. These women have launched businesses, created jobs, or are major influencers for change.
TIMELINE and SELECTION PROCESS
Jan. 14, 2022: Nomination Deadline
Mid- January, 2022: Review and Selection Process
Finalists and winners are selected by a panel of judges through several rounds of evaluation.
Late January 2022: Notification to Recipients
Nominators and Nominees
Feb. 8, 2022: Mandatory Photo and Video Shoot
Late February, 2022: Official Public Announcement
March 31, 2022: The Element Awards event. St George Convention Center, Ballroom. Semi-Formal.
2021 Element Awardees
Stefanie Bevans
Stefanie Bevans is the Co-owner and CEO of both Steamroller Copies, Inc. and Design To Print, Inc. She is responsible for business relations throughout the U.S. and provides leadership for a 90+ person workforce. Stefanie oversees all business development, marketing, production, HR, and administrative affairs. Combined, Steamroller Copies and Design To Print are the largest print provider in Southern Utah. In 2017 Stefanie received the prestigious Utah Small Business Person of the Year, a first for a Southern Utah company. She has volunteered countless hours in the community and is a leader in economic opportunity, the arts, and education in Southern Utah.
Sergeant Choli Ence
Sergeant Choli Ence is a public servant in its truest form and has spent her adult life protecting those that are unable to protect themselves. She has served as a leader in law enforcement for 16 years and the United States military for 24 years. Choli is also an adjunct and digital forensic examiner. During a deployment to Afghanistan, Choli realized that despite all the issues and divides our country has faced and is currently facing, it is still the only country in which she would want to live.
Danyelle Evans
Danyelle Evans is the owner of Mobile Dental Hygiene of St. George where she delivers dental hygiene services to individuals who cannot access traditional dental facilities. Through legislative advocacy efforts, she was instrumental in opening direct access to preventative dental care to underserved populations with the passage of SB177 in 2015. In 2021 she also championed SB103, which allows hygienists to directly bill Medicaid and be reimbursed for services provided in public health settings. Danyelle serves as Legislative Chair of the Utah Dental Hygienists’ Association, Co-chair of the Utah Oral Health Coalition, and State Rep of the national Oral Health Progress and Equity Network.
Dr. Martina Gaspari
Dr. Martina Gaspari is a Consulting Senior Scientist at GeneSTAT Molecular Diagnostics, where she has been instrumental in advancing the science behind COVID-19 tests. Despite the newness of the disease, and the many unforseen challenges securing raw materials, Martina defeated “the supply wars” by finding new solutions through patience, flexibility, and creativity. Her leadership guided the scientific team to create one of the most sensitive and easiest to read COVID-19 tests in the world. She believes the presence of women leaders promotes positive change and better outcomes in workplaces and communities.
Nicole Goulding
Nicole Goulding was born and raised in the beautiful deserts of Southern Utah. She is a graduate of Dixie High School and Hairitage Hair Academy. Nicole worked doing hair while attending Dixie College and received a degree in science. She also has had a family-born love of flying from a young age. She received her private pilot license at the age of 18. She married Dusky Goulding in 2004, and they have 5 beautiful children together. Being a mother is the joy of her life. Nicole and her sister-in-law, Tasha, are the co-founders of a non-profit organization named Tans Treats, where they feed almost 800 children in need on the weekends.
Mayor Donia Jessop
Donia Jessop was born and raised in Short Creek. She raised 10 children, and became an advocate for her community—starting with becoming a founder of a grassroots coalition: Short Creek Community Alliance. In 2017, she was elected the first female mayor of Hildale. Through her leadership, many doors have been opened, including access to mental health therapy, securing new school bonds for improved education, facilitating private ownership, bringing fiber-optics, and recruiting new businesses which created hundreds of job opportunities. Donia is deeply committed to her people, community, and creating a safe place for raising families.
Councilwoman Dannielle Larkin
Dannielle and her husband, Darrin, are the owners of a local commercial mechanical contracting business. She is currently a member of the St. George City Council and a former planning commissioner. Dannielle has served on numerous boards that represent many of the things she cares most about in our community, including: Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance, Dove Center, Bicycle Collective, Children’s Museum, Arts Commission, and the Virgin River Land Trust. Dannielle is passionate about elevating the voices of the marginalized and making our community a space of love and acceptance.
Donna MacBean
Donna MacBean is an entrepreneur, innovator, and philanthropist. Originally from Canada, Donna and her late husband moved to St. George in 2005. She started her career in bartending and later went on to manage a retail complex, eventually owning several service stations. In 2017, Donna founded Neighborhood Connection, a St. George based non-profit that provides weekend food packs to children who receive free or reduced-cost lunch. She is the state chaplain for the Utah Elks Association, second vice president of the Utah State Ladies of Elks and co-chair of SGACC Chamber Serves Committee.
Kat Puzey
Kat Puzey is a passionate advocate for local artisan businesses. She is the founder of the Modern Farm and Artisan Co-op in downtown St. George, which provides an affordable storefront for local artisan businesses. During the global pandemic, Kat innovated by launching an online farmers market that offered delivery, while continuing the farmers market in-person events. Kat did all this after losing all funding due to the pandemic (and while pregnant), proving that anything is possible when you decide what you want.
Rosie Sevier
Rosie Sevier is the volunteer and community partner coordinator at Root for Kids. Over the last decade, she has worn several hats in the organization. In her current role, she connects service organizations with active community partners, recruits and mentors interns, engages corporate businesses, and motivates the public sector to collaborate with Root for Kids. She is a board member and volunteer in several non-profits in Washington County and serves on the SGACC Chamber Serves Committee.
Carmen Snow
Born and raised in Washington City, Carmen Snow is a visionary leader in both the private and public sectors. With a background in retail management, Carmen served as the president of the St. George Retail Association. She is also a passionate leader in education having served in PTA for over 25 years. Carmen was the first state PTA president south of Utah County! She has also chaired numerous charitable boards and led in many local and statewide professional associations. She is an advisor to the Washington City Youth Council. Carmen is married to Stanley Snow and is the mother of three and grandmother of nine.
Sherrie Lou Tate
Sherrie Lou Staheli Tate is most known for her work in building Southern Utah’s largest Agri-tourism farm. A fourth-generation farmer’s daughter, Sherrie learned the value of hard work and love for her community, which she considers the greatest gifts. Voted Utah Farm Bureaus 2020 Women’s Advocate for Agriculture, Sherrie has played an important part as a voice for agriculture here in Washington County. With growth and development surrounding the family farm, Sherrie has learned to cultivate change with innovative and original ways to sustain and protect the family farm. Sherrie believes every community needs a doctor, grocery store, and a farm.
Tazia Taylor
An expert in building brand reputation, Tazia Taylor spearheaded the global launch of Intermountain Precision Genomics (IPG), directs marketing for clinical products and research services, and managed the rollout of the world’s largest population study: HerediGene. As part of IPG’s Senior Strategy Team, Tazia plays a key role driving strategy and vision for growth. She also oversees IPG’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative and launched Women Leading with Precision, a program empowering female leaders. She enjoys gardening, yoga, and spending time with her husband, rambunctious three-year-old son, and two dogs.
Launa Williams
Launa has served in the Washington County School District for the past 20 years as a teacher of business and marketing at Dixie High School, and currently as the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at Water Canyon High School in Hildale. She teaches students about the real world and their role in it. Launa has been the advisor for the FBLA and DECA programs which are national organizations that help students prepare to enter the business world. Launa is currently a doctoral student at Baylor University. She is married to Donn and they have three sons (Caelan, Connor, and Casey).
Lori Wright
Lori Wright is the CEO of Family Healthcare which, in 2020 provided 15,000 patients care through 54,298 visits. She has over 24 years of experience in healthcare and is passionate about the integration of medical, behavioral and oral healthcare and developing equity access to high quality integrated care. Lori serves on a variety of committees across the state and throughout Washington and Iron Counties. She is a member of the Association of Community Health Center’s board and is a Certified Medical Practice Executive by the American College of Medical Practice Executives and has a BS and MPA from BYU.
