Category: FAB 40 2024

Take us to church, Adam. Comedy church, that is! Adam Broud is a stand-up comedian whose jokes have landed him center page at Carolines on Broadway in New York City, filming improv specials with Dry Bar Unscripted, opening up for Colin Mochrie, and writing scripted comedic commercials with Brian Regan. Not only that, but Adam is the co-host of Comedy Church in Salt Lake City, along with Greg Kyte. Like many great comedians that stem from Utah, Adam got his start at local ImprovBroadway, where there are shows every Friday and Saturday night in Provo. Encore!

Plot Twist I grew up poor and in a rural area. Adults used to ask me as a kid if I wanted to grow up to be an actor or something in entertainment, and I always said no, feeling inadequate. I told myself that until 2021. By that point, I had been hosting for Dry Bar, writing for Studio C, and had filmed improv specials, but for whatever reason, that mentality of “work is something you do to survive” stuck with me. It wasn’t until 2021 that I came to the conclusion that, even though I wasn’t focusing on comedy, it was clear that things were going well for me there. So, I did the big scary thing of making the switch to full-time comedy.

New Chapter When I was 15, I started doing speech and debate. I was a theater kid growing up, so I always did the competitions where you’d perform monologues from plays. But speech and debate had a unique division called “After Dinner Speaking.” Basically, it was stand-up comedy. For the first time in my life, I got to write my own comedic monologue and perform it all over the state. It was amazing to see something I created take me to a state competition where I ultimately got second place and got to perform stand-up in front of 800 people. It taught me the importance of spending my life creating, not just consuming. So, thank you public schools and after-school activities — without them, I’m confident I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today.

Dream Storybook World “The Phantom Tollbooth.” It was the first book that exposed me to a more complex type of humor. That book rewired my brain to look at the world in completely new ways. Plus, I wouldn’t mind eating some subtraction stew at the end of a meal so I could be hungry again for the food I loved.

Just My Type Station 22. Fried chicken is my true food love. 

Life Genre … Comedy?

When Lisa Hall arrived at UVU in 2010, she was the first woman to be hired onto the tenure track in the Department of Theatre, and went on to become the first woman to earn tenure, become chair of the department, and eventually earn a full professorship. She did all of that while directing, writing and raising two kids. While teaching at UVU, Lisa has directed shows at UVU, HCTO, An Other Theatre Company and Sackerson, and adapted or written plays for BYU, UVU and AOTC. Next? Lisa has begun work writing two new musicals, one of which was featured in the Harrington Center Exploration of New Works.

www.lisahallcreative.net

Plot Twist When I finished my undergraduate degree, I moved across the country and got my masters in playwriting. It was a difficult time, and, after that, I questioned whether I really loved to write. I let it go for many years, and mostly focused on other aspects of creativity. But as time passed I came back to writing, and I found a renewed love for it. It feels so much more fun now, and I’ve branched out into writing musicals and novels. I won’t say I’m great at it, but it’s become a joy in my life I wouldn’t have expected years ago.

Hero’s Journey When you are a creative person, you have to exist bravely in the world. There have been many times when I’ve been rejected, stopped, discouraged or dismissed. Being creative isn’t usually a solitary life — you create in order to communicate and share, which opens you up to the influence of other people. It was discouraging when people didn’t see value or worth in me — but I’ve learned that you can’t react to that by shutting out others and trying to go your own way. Because the influence, collaboration and sharing of other people in creative endeavors is also the source of the most joy and possibility.

Vital Title I love “Rebecca” by Daphne DeMaurier because of how beautifully atmospheric it is. I love the way memory and sensation play out in the text, and how dreams and experience blend as well.

Character Backstory I am a dual citizen in the U.S. and England! My father was British, so I’ve always maintained a British passport.

Life Genre Grand adventure meets cozy romance.

Audiobook or Physical Physical books. I even try to make sure I have my favorite books in hardback. Building my own personal library makes me happy.

Kelina Anderson is a born artist — ballet dancer, award-winning actor, commissioned artist — but it’s her work with BYU’s Living Legends that has kept her close to her Native American heritage. The BYU senior studying art history and curatorial studies is a Native American Section Leader with the performing group, where she’s especially known for her fabulous hoop dances. She has extended her talents to numerous powwows, where she recently placed first in the jingle dance category. She now mixes her love for visual arts with her dancing by doing the beadwork for her own regalia. The beadwork keeps her connected to her Native American heritage. She also serves as a mentor to other Native American college and high school students, encouraging them to achieve their own educational goals. Her love for the arts enables Kelina to connect with people from the world, creating loving relationships along the way. 

Fully Booked A typical day in my life is going to school and attending my art history classes. There I learn about the history of the world, artists’ biographies and art works that always impress me. From there, I usually have Living Legends rehearsals where I teach and dance for 3-4 hours. After rehearsals, I get food with friends, draw, beadwork and/or do homework. Somewhere in each day I do something spontaneous with my best friend, like shopping, the gym or playing video games.

Plot Twist Becoming a leader for Living Legends has been a really great and humbling surprise. It has taught me a lot about myself. I have learned so much from the other dancers on the team. They inspire me everyday to do better.

Hero’s Journey In 2021, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. While my family was dealing with this battle, things around me felt like they were falling out of place. I struggled with confidence in my dancing and in relationships. Yet, as I remembered who I am, remembered my ancestors, and remembered the good around me, I knew that there could be beauty in turmoil. 

Vital Title “The Enemy” series by Charlie Higson is my favorite! It is “Lord of the Flies” meets zombies — and I absolutely love zombies. I love the idea of the apocalyptic and the challenges of what it means to be human. 

The Sequel I hope to be working as a curator at a nice museum. I want to be able to use my degree to bring people together.

Teresa Jack is trying the title of “entrepreneur” on for size – and it fits perfectly! After a few unsuccessful attempts at college, and a stint in beauty school (where she got to wash her favorite Jonas Brother’s hair), she realized she wanted a bigger life than being behind the chair could offer her. Instagram had just come out while she was in beauty school, and she began getting hits with content creation. She then paired her strategic marketing brain with her newfound internet intelligence and started to partner with companies — including her favorite show of all time, “Outlander.” After rolling out the digital marketin

Most high school choir teachers don’t have 2,400 balloons fall from the ceiling as the grand finale of their Broadway Best concerts. But Justin Bills isn’t “most teachers.” Not only has Justin been the choir teacher at Salem Hills High School for the past 16 years, but he has also spread his musical expertise throughout happy valley and beyond. Justin led choirs in the October 2011 and April 2013 General Conferences for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and conducted in Chicago Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall and St Mark’s Basilica in Venice. This past summer marked Justin’s fifth trip to Europe as a choral director with the Utah Ambassadors of Music. Justin has also music-directed 25 shows at HCTO, Hale Centre Theater in Sandy, UVU and Sundance, with more on the way! Salem Hills was awarded the 2020 National School of Excellence Award in Fine Arts by the National Federation of High Schools — the only one in the country. Bravo!

Fully Booked I get to my office around 6 a.m. Since the majority of my workday is spent in front of students, I need all the time I can get to handle the administrative elements. I then teach and conduct the five choral ensembles at Salem Hills and teach our AP Music Theory course. After teaching a full day, I typically stay at work until 3:30 to 4 p.m. to get finished up and prep for the next day. I spend some time at home with the boys and Cecily, my wife. Most days out of the year, I’ll then spend most of the evening in rehearsal for whatever show I’m lucky enough to be working.

Plot Twist I knew I wanted to be a choir teacher since I was a sophomore in high school. So, it is weird to think I stuck with my “Plan A” in my career plans. Now that I’m about halfway through a career as a music educator, perhaps what has surprised me the most is how much I still want to learn about the craft and how much I want to keep improving.

Vital Title I love reading U.S. presidential biographies and the biographies of important figures in history. 

Just My Type I am absolutely addicted to the Maple Long Johns at Lehi Country Bakery! It’s a 30-minute drive from Salem, but we make that trip several times a year on Saturday mornings. Totally worth it.

Character Backstory I’m a huge Disney Adult! I was never far from Disneyland as a kid growing up in Los Angeles, and as an adult in Utah, I try to get to Disneyland 2-3 times a year and I wish it were more!

g campaign for “Outlander” for two seasons, she started her very own company. Chelsea Reece is a dress company that has the perfect twirl. The dresses gained the attention of Netflix star, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (“Never Have I Ever”). Maitreyi wore a Chelsea Reece dress for her birthday. Less than a year later, Teresa’s company that started with $500 and a TikTok account is now valued at $6 million and growing.

Teresa Jack is trying the title of “entrepreneur” on for size – and it fits perfectly! After a few unsuccessful attempts at college, and a stint in beauty school (where she got to wash her favorite Jonas Brother’s hair), she realized she wanted a bigger life than being behind the chair could offer her. Instagram had just come out while she was in beauty school, and she began getting hits with content creation. She then paired her strategic marketing brain with her newfound internet intelligence and started to partner with companies — including her favorite show of all time, “Outlander.” After rolling out the digital marketing campaign for “Outlander” for two seasons, she started her very own company. Chelsea Reece is a dress company that has the perfect twirl. The dresses gained the attention of Netflix star, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (“Never Have I Ever”). Maitreyi wore a Chelsea Reece dress for her birthday. Less than a year later, Teresa’s company that started with $500 and a TikTok account is now valued at $6 million and growing.

Fully Booked I use my mornings for training to run in the 2024 TCS New York Marathon. After training, my day is usually filled with meetings, either with my team or networking to make partnerships to strengthen the brand. Even though Chelsea Reece has proven to be a sustainable startup, I still have to give it as much attention and nurturing as I would an infant child. That means around-the-clock decision making and meeting the company needs in order for it to thrive.

Plot Twist The immense support of Chelsea Reece from our customers has been a great surprise. This company started with basically no startup funds. I initially posted a video of the dress on TikTok asking for feedback. Instead, I got hundreds of people responding that they wanted to buy it immediately. What’s more, they were willing to place pre-orders. Those first customers were truly the catalyst of the birth of Chelsea Reece.

Daily Underscore Renee Rapp is the moment!

Character Backstory Most people wouldn’t know that I am a trained sushi chef. I worked at Five Sushi Brothers for five months. 

Dream Storybook World There’s a funny story about this! There’s a webcomic called “Going Up!” that strangely mirrors the events of my life. It features a fashion designer who even looks like me, and has a cocker spaniel like I do!

In 2019, Paxton Schultz was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers and started his professional baseball journey following a UVU career that saw him be a starter for three years. In 2021, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays where he has worked his way up their minor league system to the highest AAA level — one call away from the major leagues. While baseball is clearly important to him, so is his education. He finished his bachelor’s degree while playing professional baseball, but that didn’t stop the finance major (minors in economics and business management). He graduated magna cum laude. That’s a big league accomplishment! 

Fully Booked A typical day in season starts with us arriving at the stadium at about noon (for a 7 p.m. game). From there, we get all of our work in before game time. I’ll start off by going to the weight room to get rolled and stretched out. Then I will get a workout in. Around 3 p.m., we will go out to the field to play catch and throw bullpens. Occasionally, we will have team defense together with everyone to work on a few things. After that, I go inside to get some lunch and head to the training room. From there, I will get any treatment I need to feel ready for my next start day. Then I will go get ready for the game that starts that night.

Plot Twist Getting traded right before the season started back in 2021 was a surprise. In an instant, I was no longer with the Brewers organization. I wasn’t quite sure what to think, but looking back, I can confidently say getting traded to the Toronto Blue Jays organization has worked out for me and was probably one of the best things for my career and player development.

Hero’s Journey Minor-league baseball is a grind. It is hard to be away from friends and family. We play 150 games a year with high expectations on performance to get promoted to the major leagues. However, I get through it with the support of my close family and friends. To have success like I have, it has shown me that I can do hard things and can compete with anyone. 

Vital Title “Relentless” by Tim Grover. It has helped me a lot in my career, specifically on the mental preparation side of the game. 

The Sequel In five to 10 years, I see myself having an established major league baseball career and starting a family with my wife.

Korianne Orton-Johnson is the head of the Music Dance Theatre Department, an assistant professor in the school of music, and contemporary voice division coordinator — all at BYU. She has the experience and education to back it up. As an international voice teacher with students from the U.S. to India, Korianne uses her BFA in Music, Dance, Theatre and her Master’s of Music in vocal performance to teach for the past 22 years. Korianne has performed all over the world — most recently in Graz, Austria. She has graced stages throughout Utah both on stage and as a music director at Hale Center Theater Orem, SCERA, Sundance Theater, Playmill Theatre West Yellowstone, BYU and UVU.

Fully Booked Each day is always filled with teaching private lessons, teaching a class, possibly a meeting, always answering emails and student mentoring. I love to relax and connect with my kids whether through text or a phone call.

Plot Twist Becoming a professor was a surprise. I always knew I wanted to teach and perform, but I thought it would be kind of “on the side” while I raised my kids. But the impression to get a master’s and then apply for a position at BYU was so strong, I couldn’t ignore it and had to follow through. I’m thrilled to be a professor — it is such a rewarding career. It doesn’t come without challenges but the reward is far greater.

Daily Underscore Weirdly? I don’t listen to a lot of music because it’s my job, but right now, I’m all about SIX The Musical. I’ve seen it twice and get emotional each time because of the woman-power this show exudes.

Vital Title “Year of Yes” by Shonda Rhimes. She is the writer and creator of many TV series that I love. Her writing and imagination are so rich. In this book, she spends a year saying yes to things that are asked of her (TV show appearances, graduation speeches, etc.) even though, at times, she is scared out of her mind. I read this book at least once a year to give me the courage to do things that scare the crap out of me. Even though things may be hard, when it’s all said and done we can look back and be glad that we did it.

Just My Type Definitely Costa Vida and Swig. I’m a weekly customer. Steak Salad and Diet Dr. Pepper, blackberry and coconut cream.

Audiobook or Physical Audio books because I can “read” during my commute to work, but there is nothing like holding a physical book in your hand. 

Luke Furman is a man of many talents: statistics, photography, mountain-exploration, podcasting. Add “former NCAA Division 1 Volleyball Coach,” and you’ve just scratched the surface. A book theme was perfect for Luke — he has his own list of favorite readings on his website, thelukefurman.com! On top of working full-time, he also co-owns an outdoor-based brand called Bushwhackers. He and his partner, Chandler, have paired their passion for outdoor photography with adventurous escapades to bring a community together for hikes, camping trips and volunteering with the forest service. Luke and Chandler have also featured 24 local photographers from Payson to Ogden through Bushwhackers — celebrating the talent of capturing wild places. Get the shot with Luke!

Fully Booked Up at 4:30 a.m. for some kind of workout. I may do some meditation, reading or writing before heading to work in Park City. After work, I may be getting out on a hike, prepping for a weekend trip, recording a podcast, managing various aspects of Bushwhackers or doing nothing to recharge the batteries. 

Plot Twist The best surprise has been the reception our efforts with Bushwhackers has gotten and the community we’ve built because of it. It never fails to amaze me how lucky we are to know so many amazing people. As someone who moved here without knowing anyone, it’s truly a blessing to now be at the center of it all, driving it forward for others to share in as well.

Hero’s Journey In 2020, I received a freak diagnosis of POTS, a nervous system disorder that affects the heart, and it completely halted my life. I went from a high-functioning athlete to hardly being able to get off the couch. All physical activity exhausted me and I was on medication to help balance me out for a couple years. It wasn’t until I moved to SLC and became more involved in the outdoors that I somehow outgrew it. To look back on everything I’ve gotten to do since then is incredible.

Vital Title “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius. I continually get something new out of it.

Tired Trope Nothing makes me more anxious or annoyed than the feeling of being late.

The Sequel It would be incredible to be working for Bushwhackers full-time. To get to share outdoor experiences with others, potentially as a guide myself, would be an unbelievable way to make a living.

If you are a health student at UVU, you have crossed paths with Brittney. A teacher for over 10 years, Brittney has taught in various positions at Alpine School District — including being a student council advisor, health teacher, and advocate for the Latinx community. Brittney was awarded “The Spirit of Orem” in 2020, an award presented every year to two individuals who have made great contributions to Orem. Her spirit spreads throughout UVU where she helps run the School of Health Education, while also running her own therapy practice in Pleasant Grove working with teenagers and adults. Brittney is an advocate for all — her clients, students and victims of sexual abuse. 

Fully Booked I wake up with my husband and together we will get our daughter and ourselves ready. Depending on the day, either my husband will go to work or I will. We are so lucky to be able to rotate who actually goes into work and who stays home with our 1-year-old. If it’s a work day for me, I will go mentor a student teacher, teach classes and see clients. If it’s a home day I will take my daughter to gymnastics, go to a park or try out a new cooking creation. We love to go-go-go! In the evening after dinner and after our daughter goes to bed, you can find us playing games, watching reality TV or going out on a date night in pursuit of finding the most unique things to do in Utah, or hosting family and friends at our place.

Hero’s Journey There were years of my life that I truly believed that I wasn’t smart enough to go to college, and there were voices around me that would validate that insecurity. It took a lot of work to build up that belief in myself and now here I am with multiple diplomas hanging on my walls and teaching at an incredible university!

New Chapter I would say that my life is made out of little turning points. Little by little I’ve become who I am and little by little I will create who I still want to become!

Tired Trope Deprecating humor. No need to put ourselves or others down.

Daily Underscore John Mayer. 

Character Backstory I love novelty! My favorite activity is something I have never done before. I love trying new things and expanding myself.

Dream Storybook World Hogwarts!

Knives out! Lindsey Hargett, aka LK Cooking, is a personal chef, cooking instructor, caterer and recipe developer. After graduating from Culinary School at MTECH in Lehi, Lindsey spent a few years working at restaurants and learned all about the food, but wished she could connect more with the people. Becoming a private chef was the obvious next step. Looking back on her eight years of entrepreneurship, this chef has chopped and sautéed all around Utah for beloved clients and big-name bosses alike. Lindsey was awarded the “Home-Based Business of the Year” award from her local chamber of commerce. Lindsey and her husband have been married for 10 years, and dating since they were 14. Their dogs have the best parents. And @lkcooking has over 5,000 instagram followers who are showered with cooking content galore!

Fully Booked My mornings start with Indian masala chai. I’m always swimming in emails — I joke that I didn’t go to culinary school to end up spending so much time on my computer, but it happened! I do most of my cooking classes from my home kitchen in the evenings, so I get the kitchen ready and set everything up for whatever class I have planned. I cook or bake with my students, then clean up and head to the gym. If I’m away catering for a retreat or vacation, I am in the kitchen by 6 a.m. and don’t leave until around 11 p.m. 

New Chapter I worked at a dental office after culinary school and was feeling lost. One of the patients was clearly a bit wary about me working on him instead of his regular professional. When he asked if I was in hygiene school, I said, “No, actually, I went to culinary school!” He mentioned that he and his wife needed someone to prepare meals for them to help with their health, so I wrote my cell number on the back of his appointment card, and the rest is history! I started cooking for them once a week, and my career snowballed.

Just My Type The butter cake at Sol Agave is unreal. I would do literally anything to get my hands on that recipe.

Tired Trope When people leave doors/cabinets open. It makes a room look so messy and chaotic. 

Dream Storybook World “The Hobbit.” In the Shire, specifically. It’s just so cozy! You know all of your neighbors, and all you have to fill your time with is gardening, making tea and enjoying food together in the grassy hills under the sun. 

Audiobook or Physical I love to listen while I cook!