Board of Directors
Gabriela Benitez
Chapter President
Gabriela is a Senior Benefits Advisor at Diversified Insurance Group. Her focus is delivering profitability to clients by identifying, and implementing innovative strategies to reduce employee and employer costs.
Melissa Ceballos, PHR, SHRM-SCP
Past President
Melissa spent 19 years working for a Global Transportation Company in areas of HR, Talent Acquisition, and Management, and made a move to the Financial Services industry in 2016 and is currently the Director of Talent and Business Acquisition for Elevated Retirement Group.
Crystal McFarland, PHR
President Elect / Programs
Crystal has been an HR practitioner for over 18 years with multiple roles in supporting employees and leaders. She is currently employed by WGU and serves as a P&T (HR) Director over the WGU Affiliates. The most rewarding part of being in HR is creating an environment where leaders see HR as a strategic service that they cannot do without and adding value to all things people.
Sheena Blauvelt SHRM-SCP
Past President
Sheena is the Director of HR at USANA where she leads the company in talent acquisition, organizational development, and culture matters. She has over 20 years of experience in the industry and has a passion for helping businesses and its people find ultimate success!
Sarra Idehen, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Director of Certification
Sarra is the owner of Exec-Assist Group and holds her SHRM-SCP and SPHR certifications. She has served on the Salt Lake SHRM board in several capacities and served as president of Image Masters Toastmaster Club.
Chad Gannon
Director of Workforce Readiness
Chad Gannon is currently the Director of Human Resources for Northrop Grumman’s Strategic Deterrent Systems Division. He has responsibility for all staffing activities within the division serving major locations in Utah, Alabama, Colorado, and Nebraska. Mr. Gannon holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Minnesota in Human Resource Development and a Master’s in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis Olin Business School. Mr. Gannon also holds a Six Sigma Green Belt from the American Society for Quality and is a PHR and SHRM-CP certified professional.
Stacey Holscher
Asst. Co-Director of Programs
Stacey Holscher has over 16 years’ experience working in Human Resources and is currently the Operations Manager for Monterey Technologies, Inc. Stacey is PHR certified and has been focused on human resources, talent acquisition, and building exceptional workgroups throughout her career. Stacey has a Masters in Business Administration with a background in Exercise Physiology. In addition to her work with the South Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce Women in Business, she also serves as a Planning Commissioner for the City of South Salt Lake, Utah, and is the President for Canvas4ACause, a nonprofit organization.
Jaydee Blackburn, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, PHRca
Director of Programs
Jaydee Blackburn, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, PHRca has worked in Human Resources for 15 years and is currently an Associate Director, Human Resources for the University of Utah. In his past corporate roles, Jaydee has focused on all areas of Human Resources; specializing Talent Management, Organizational Development, and being a Strategic Partner to company executives. Jaydee holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management from Utah State University, a Masters in Business Administration from Westminster College, and has obtained his credentials as a SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). In addition, Jaydee also serves on the Board of Directors for a non-profit, Youth Futures focused on child homelessness.
Beca Mark
Director of Programs
Beca Mark is the CEO and Founder of Megastar HR, an HR consulting and outsourcing firm located in Sandy, UT. She has worked in the HR industry for over 12 years, most recently as the Vice President of HR for Brighton Hospice. Beca received a Master's in Public Administration with an emphasis in HR Management from Brigham Young University. She is passionate about leading teams and supporting companies changing the world for the better.
April Powell
Committee Director
April is the HR Director for Utah Community Action, providing strategic leadership to the agency. She enjoys contributing to a business by setting & achieving Human Resource goals to increase the success of the business and make the organization a great place to work.
Latonya Howell
Co-Director of Diversity
Latonya Howell has over 15 years of HR experience and is the Vice President of HR for Tafi and Daz 3D. In her role, she provides executive-level leadership and guidance to the organization's HR operations. Latonya holds a Bachelor of Science in Child and Family Services. She's also a member of the National African American Gun Association, a published author, artist, and an SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP).
Tyler Corwin
Co-Director of Diversity
Tyler Corwin is joining our board for the first year after being in the HR industry for over a decade, with experience primarily in the software, education, and sales industries. As an HR Professional, Tyler works to bridge the gap between leadership and the employee base by working directly with executives and other company leaders to address employee feedback. Tyler is a gay man whose passion for people and advocacy started at age 19 while working in direct care and as a Behavior Specialist for individuals with developmental disabilities; it is this passion that drove him to serve as the Co-Director of IED on the Salt Lake SHRM Board of Directors. Over the years, Tyler has given back to our community by supporting various non-profit organization activities and community outreach efforts, including volunteering to help refugees develop resumes, apply for jobs, and become familiarized with United States/Utah hiring practices.
Teri Slaugh
Secretary
Teri Slaugh is the Director of Growth at Megastar HR, an HR firm that provides next-level recruitment, compensation analysis, payroll administration, and full-service HR. Teri is responsible for directing sales and leading Megastar HR's strategic growth initiatives. Having spent her career in B2B sales, she has a strong ability to connect with anyone, partnering to find solutions for their biggest pain points. Teri is also very active in the community, serving as Secretary on the Board of Directors for Salt Lake SHRM, Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Dual Immersion Academy, and as the Executive Director/Founder for her non-profit Canvas4aCause.org, which empowers youth through creative expression.
Tara Higbee
Director of SHRM Foundation
Tara Higbee is the VP of Culture and Community at Tranont and has been since 2015. She has a passion for driving culture through service and showing employees the impact they make in the organization and the larger community. She received her MA in HR Management and BS in Travel and Tourism.
Lora Lea Mock
Director of Volunteers
Lora Lee is the president of Professional Recruiters which has specialized in the recruitment of corporate stars globally. The best potential teammates are not looking for new jobs. Professional Recruiters identifies and recruits corporate stars and put them to work for their clients.
Mark Tolman, Esq.
Co-Director of Legal Affairs
Mark is a management-side employment attorney at Parsons Behle & Latimer. Mark has served on the Salt Lake SHRM Board for over a decade, and also serves as the Director of Legal Affairs for the Utah Human Resources State Council (Utah SHRM).
Bob Coursey, Esq. SHRM-SCP, SPHR
Co-Director of Legal Affairs
Bob has been an employment lawyer for over 20 years. He spent his first 10 years of practice at Fisher Phillips, one of the most respected employment law firms in the country, where he defended companies in employment-related litigation. He then spent 11 years at Employers Council, where he focused his practice on keeping employers out of trouble. In 2021, Bob started his own company—Modern Age Employment Law—where he counsels, represents, and trains employers who are looking for a modern approach to their employment law and HR challenges.
Bob earned his bachelor’s degree in English from George Mason University in Virginia in 1992. In 1998, he received his law degree, with honors, from Georgia State University College of Law in Atlanta, where he also served on the Law Review. Bob is licensed to practice law in Utah and Georgia. He’s also a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).
Chris Badger, CPA
Treasurer
Chris has been partner at NOW CFO since 2014. He has extensive experience in external financial reporting, support for Boards and investor relationships.
Jessalyn Marler
Co-Director of Member Engagement
Jessalyn has 11 years of HR Management experience as a previous Director of Management Training and is currently a CX Coach at BambooHR. She is an entrepreneur with experience in start-up operations and business acquisition strategies. She also continues to work with a small exclusive list of clients as a consultant with a huge focus on Management development.
Emily Kranendonk, MHR
Director of Social Media
Emily Kranendonk is the HR Manager for WSRP. Emily loves helping people to see that HR can be helpful to employees. Emily achieved a Master's in Human Resources from USU and comes with 7 years of HR experience. She has a bachelor's in Family Consumer Human Development. She is a true-blooded Aggie! Currently, Emily is serving as the Director of Social Media on the Salt Lake SHRM board. She has been on the board for the last 4 years.
Michael Sayre, AIF, CPFA
Director of Sponsorships
Michael is an Advisor with CUI Wealth Management focused on 401(k) plans. His dedication to the HR community has developed through his interaction with outstanding HR professionals in his occupation. He hopes to serve the HR community better through his involvement with the Salt Lake SHRM Board of Directors.
Jason Knight
Director of Membership
Jason is the Principal Benefits Consultant with CUI Benefits based in Midvale, UT and has been in the industry since 2013. He specializes in alternative funding healthcare models like level and self-funding to help small and medium-size employers take control of their medical plan. He has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Utah. He lives in Sugarhouse with his wife and their four children.
Tim Keegan
Co-Director of Member Engagement
Jan Eliason
Director of Public Relations
Jan Eliason is a marketing executive with 21+ years of marketing/business management experience in creating and optimizing businesses within marketing agencies and growth organizations. She is an expert in both traditional and digital marketing strategies and thrives in dynamic and ever changing organizations. Ms. Eliason received a bachelor's degree in Journalism from Utah State University in Logan, Utah, and is proud to be an Aggie. She also has a handsome 4-year-old son and tries to spend as much time with him as possible whether it's hiking in the mountains, attending Real Salt Lake matches, rock climbing at the gym, or snowboarding on Utah's stunning slopes.
Grant Langston, MHR, SPHR
Webmaster
Grant Langston has over 10 years of HR experience and is the Sr. HR Director for Webb Productions. He received his Masters in HR from Utah State University and has been a small business owner for over 14 years. He has a Generalist focus being the jack of all trades – master of some. He has benefitted from great leaders and mentors along his career and hopes to pay it forward as part of SL SHRM.