Advisory Council Members
2012-2013
Dr. Christine D. Clark Bischke
Dr. Christine D. Clark Bischke has worked in the field of visual impairments since
1999, beginning as a teacher of students with visual impairments. She completed
her Ph.D. in Special Education (Early Childhood) from the University of Utah, M.Ed.
in Special Education (Visual Impairments) from the University of Utah and B.S. in
Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Utah.
Dr. Bischke is currently the Associate Professor (Clinical), Visual Impairments
Program at the University of Utah. She also serves as Director, Multi-University Consortium Teacher
Preparation Program in Sensory Impairments at the University of Utah. After completing her doctorate
in 2006, she was employed as a faculty member in the low vision and blindness teacher education
program at Illinois State University. Dr. Bischke has a strong understanding of the educational needs of
students with visual impairments and through her current position, is acquiring a stronger
understanding of the educational needs of students who are deaf and hard of hearing and deafblind.
Suzy Blackham
Suzy Blackham received a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education with a teaching
endorsement in Visual Impairments from the University of Utah. She works as an
Itinerant Teacher of the Visually Impaired for Utah Schools for the Deaf and the
Blind in Ogden City School District, Morgan County School District, and several
charter schools throughout Weber and Davis counties. The students Suzy serve
range in age from pre-school to post-high school; and ability level from highly
academic to severely multiply impaired. Suzy also works as an instructor at the
Utah Work Introduction Network (UWIN) summer program and serves as secretary on the Utah AER
board (Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired). She lives in
the Salt Lake area with her husband, their dog, and two tortoises.
Linda Carver
Linda Carver has been an advocate for students in Weber School District for 29
years. She began her career teaching special education students at the
elementary and secondary level for eight years. Because of her love for students,
her knowledge, and leadership skills, Mrs. Carver was named principal at Canyon
View School, a position she held for eight years. The next four years she served
as Weber School District Director of Student Services, which encompasses
supervision of counselors, nurses, and providing services in all aspects of student
needs. In July 2003, Mrs. Carver was appointed Assistant Superintendent of Weber School District
where she oversees the Special Education department; Human Resources and Payroll; Student Services;
Community Relations and Safety. Mrs. Carver graduated from Ogden High School; received a Bachelor
of Science Degree from Weber State University; a Master’s Degree and Administrative Endorsement
from Utah State University. She holds degrees in history, psychology, sociology, and special education.
Mrs. Carver generously gives of her time and resources in supporting community programs and serves
on numerous committees and boards. She was awarded the “Principal of the Year” award by Weber
District and was named “Community Champion for Children” by McKay Dee Hospital. Weber School
District is fortunate to have Mrs. Linda Carver represent them.
Kay Clark
Kay Clark has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Special Education
from BYU Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from BYU. She has been
involved in the special education field for over 35 years. She has been a resource
teacher, school principal and currently the director of special education for Alpine
School District. She has lived in the Orem area for most of her life. She went to
schools in the Alpine School District and now has grandchildren attending school
in Alpine.
Kay has been the Special Education Director for Alpine School District for 10 years and has been uplifted
and challenged in her current assignment. She is honored to serve on the advisory council for USDB.
Tony Jepson
Mr. Jepson received undergraduate education degree from Brigham Young
University and Masters in Education of the Visually Impaired from the University
of Northern Colorado. He worked as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired for
Jordan School District for many years and is currently the Executive Director of
the Utah Foundation for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Mr. Jepson is also the
father of five children including two with visual impairments, one of which has
multiple disabilities.
Jenifer Lloyd
Jenifer Lloyd is a member of the Utah State Bar and received her J.D. from the
University of Utah. She also has a D.V.M. from Colorado State University, a
M.S.P.H. from the University of Colorado, and a B.S. in Biochemistry from the
University of Wyoming. Jenifer worked in federal and state public health agencies
before going to law school, and is currently the Deputy Director for the Association
for Utah Community Health, a non-profit organization that serves Utah’s
community health centers. She is the mother of three children, including an oldest daughter who has
severe vision and hearing loss and is served by the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. She lives in
Cottonwood Heights with her family and their two delightful but non-trainable dogs.
Dan Mathis
Dan was born deaf and grew up in the Salt lake Valley, graduating from Hillcrest
High School. He uses American Sign Language and English for this everyday
communication. He was schooled in the USDB education the first half of his
formative years and then mainstreamed toward high school graduation. His
maternal grandparents were also Deaf and they made a significant impact on his
identify growing up into a well-rounded (hopefully) bilingual Deaf person. He
graduated with a double BA in Deaf Studies and ASL and then a MA in Sign Language Teaching from
Gallaudet University. He is married to Stephanie and they have four children, of which one is Deaf.
Their Deaf son goes to Jean Massieu School of the Deaf in SLC. Dan currently teaches at Davis Applied
Technology College in the ASL-interpreting Program, after living on the east coast for 15 years. His
passion and interests are promoting signing for the deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families,
improving the quality of their academic and social education, ASL instruction, Deaf Culture and History,
watching & participating in some sporting events (played baseball at Gallaudet, basketball and softball in
amateur leagues), family history, studying gospel principles, and spending time with family.
Dr. Scott McAward
Scott McAward received his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Counseling Psychology from
the University Of Utah Department Of Educational Psychology. He also holds a B.S.
degree in Psychology from Northern Arizona University and is a licensed
Psychologist in the state of Utah. Dr. McAward is currently the Director of the
Center for Disability Services (CDS) at the University of Utah, a position he has held
since 2008. He also has an appointment as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the
Department of Educational Psychology. Prior to working at CDS, he was the
Assistant Director for Technology & Assessment at the University of Utah Counseling Center for 5
years. He completed a Pre-doctoral Internship at the University of Iowa Counseling Service, where he
specialized in the assessment of learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. He
also completed a two-year fellowship at the Ohio State University Counseling and Consultation Service
providing mental health services to college students.
Michael Jensen
Michael Jensen was elected to the Utah State Board of Education in 2006. He has
been a member of the Board of Trustee for the Utah college of Applied
Technology, served on the Charter School Building Revolving Subaccount
Committee, and served as vice chair of the Instruction, Assessment and
Technology Committee.
Michael received a B.A. in journalism in August 1988, from Brigham Young
University. He then received a M.A. in Behavioral Science; Negotiation, and Conflict Management with
an emphasis in international and cross-cultural negotiations in August 1991, from California State
University, Dominguez Hills. Michael currently works for the Department of veterans Affairs. Michael,
with his wife, have advocated for victims of domestic violence and abuse. Michael has been married for
19 years and has two daughters and one granddaughter.
Sandra Ruconich
Sandra Ruconich earned Bachelor's degrees from the University of Washington
in music and English, a Master's in special education from the University of
Northern Colorado, and a doctorate in special education from Peabody College
of Vanderbilt University. Her Master's and doctoral work focused on visually
impaired students. She has taught at schools for the blind in New Mexico,
Kentucky, and Utah and has taught in university programs which prepare
teachers of the visually impaired in New Mexico, Kentucky, Colorado, and Utah.
From 1997 to 2012 she worked at USDB, serving at various times as a teacher,
program director, and technology specialist. She retired August 1, 2012.
Dr. Clough Shelton
Clough Shelton is Professor and Chief at the University of Utah, OtolaryngologyHead & Neck Surgery. He has been associated with the University since
1994. Prior to that time he was a partner at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles.
He received his M.D. degree from the Southwestern Medical School University
of Texas, interned at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, and did his residency
at Stanford University. His fellowship in Neurotology was completed at the
House Ear Clinic in 1987. He is Board Certified in Neurotology.
He is an active member of both national and international professional societies. Currently, he is
President of the American Neurotology Society, Director of the American Board of Otolaryngology, past
President of the American Otological Society and a former member of the Board of Directors of the
American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.
Erika Smith
Erika was born with a pro-found hearing loss, and was mainstreamed from K-12.
She received a cochlear implant a few months before matriculating into
Dartmouth College at age 17. She used CART services at the college for four
years and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology. Erika worked as a high-tech
consultant until she married and had her first child. She received her M.B.A. in
2010 from Penn State.
Today she lives with her husband and three daughters in Draper. She received a second cochlear
implant in her other ear in 2012. She also served on the Advisory Council to DSDHH (Division of Services
to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing). Her second daughter, Sophia, was identified profoundly deaf at birth.
She received hearing aids at 4 months, and was bilaterally implanted at 12 months. She began
attending the LSL preschool program at JMS in 2013.
Darran Zenger
Darran has Usher Syndrome. Originally from Oregon, he moved to Utah in 2000
and graduated from Utah State University in 2004 with an interest in
Psychology. Since then, Darran has worked many odd jobs and raising his three
children, currently ages 13 to 6. He has met many other deafblind individuals
throughout the world. He is currently pursuing Graduate studies at the
University of Utah with an interest in Social Work, focusing upon deafblind
issues. He also lectures at the University of Utah's Department of Special Education regarding Deafblind
Communication and Assistive Technology. In his spare time, he enjoys time with his kids, learning of
deafblind issues and fishing.
Utah Office of Education Advisory Council Liaisons:
Glenna Gallo
Glenna Gallo holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Special Education
and has worked in special education at the state-level for the past seven years.
Glenna is currently the State Director of Special education in Utah and in the past
has served as a special education teacher, special education team leader,
Monitoring Specialist, Educator Coordinator, and the State and Federal
Compliance Officer.
Glenna feels strongly that compliance with IDEA requirements results in increased student outcomes for
students with disabilities and works with special education staff, advocates, and parents of students
with disabilities at the LEA, State, and national levels to review research, current student achievement,
and compliance data to ensure that Utah is proactively addressing instructional issues that impact
results for students with disabilities.
Christine Timothy
Christine Timothy has been the liaison from the Utah State Office of Education,
Special Education Department for the past eight years. She is the Education
Specialist for Significant Cognitive and Sensory Disabilities. Christine has her
Master’s degree from the University of Utah in Speech Pathology and
Audiology. She is also the State NIMAS Coordinator and oversees the production
of print materials in alternate formats. She is a member of the Task 12 Board
which provides EIPA assessment and trainings. She has been instrumental in support of USDB during the
structure of the State Statute and the State Board Rules. Christine has organized the committees who
have published technical manuals such as the new Braille Standards in Literacy and Math K-6 and others.
She is a member of the Utah Interpreter Board.