Spring 2017 Staff

Alyssa Gisseman Ball

Major and minor: English Language major; Editing minor

Hometown: Warner Robins, Georgia

Staff positions: Assistant Managing Editor, Analytics Director, and Web Team Member

Dream job: Content writer and SEO strategist at a digital marketing company. Oh wait, that’s what I do now!

Most memorable thing you’ve done in the past year: I got married and am no longer a menace to society!

What is something hard that you’ve had to do in your life? Serve a mission in the murder capital of the world: San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Read Alyssa’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and her professional portfolio website.

 

Emilee Pugh Bell

Major and minor: English Language major; Editing and Nonprofit Management minors

Hometown: Chewelah, Washington

Staff positions: Assistant Managing Editor, PR & Correspondence Team Member, and Translation Team Member

Most memorable thing you’ve done in the past year: Married my sweetheart and best friend, Jarrett Bell

Unique hobbies: Knitting, weeding, rummaging through the foreclosed housing market for fixer uppers, pretending like I’m on the Great British Baking Show, watching political documentaries, and reading for my book club

Read Emilee’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn.

 

Liz Blodgett

Major and minor: English major; Editing minor

Hometown: Royersford, Pennsylvania

Staff positions: Associate Editor and Art Director

What is your perfect pizza? If I have to eat pizza, it’s definitely Hawaiian BBQ.

Do you speak any foreign languages? Not really, I’ve studied Romanian and Spanish though.

Favorite band/singer/group? Imagine Dragons (at the moment)

One item on your bucket list: Make a 90% accurate historical costume from either the English thirteenth century or American Colonial era

Read Liz’s Mormon Insights articles

 

Rebecca Cazanave

Major and minor: English major; Creative Writing and Editing minors

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Staff positions: Managing Editor and Design Team Member

Personal motto: I can do hard things.

Dream job: Adolescent Fiction Author

Favorite book: The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Favorite quote: “He to whom God has given knowledge / And the gift of speaking eloquently, / Must not keep silent nor conceal the gift. / But he must willingly display it.” —Marie de France

Read Rebecca’s Mormon Insights articles and connect with her on LinkedIn.

 

Charlotte Noelle Champenois

Major and minor: Family History–Genealogy and German Studies double major; Editing minor

Hometown: Allerød, Denmark (original hometown) and Provo, Utah (the last fifteen years)

Staff position: Teaching Assistant and Translation Team Director

Dream job: Working with family history and editing

Favorite singers: Rasmus Seebach (Danish), Christina Stürmer (German), and Indila (French)

Anything else? My middle name means “Christmas.” When I was in kindergarten, I thought my name was “Julegodte” (this was my nickname at home; it means “Christmas goody”).

If you could have dinner with any person, who would it be? Helen Keller

Read Charlotte’s Mormon Insights articles.

 

Cynthia Chan

Major and minor: English major; Editing minor

Hometown: Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada

Staff positions: Copyeditor and Social Media Director

Favorite vacation spot: London or Hong Kong

Do you speak any foreign languages? Cantonese

Favorite book: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Unique hobbies: Playing the violin and piano, obsessing over musical theatre, and having the entirety of In the Heights memorized

Read Cynthia’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Instagram, LinkedIn, and her professional portfolio website.

 

Mariana Chrisney

Major and minor: Communications major with an emphasis in News Media; Editing minor

Hometown: Camas, Washington

Staff positions: Associate Editor, Assistant Translation Director, and Assistant Social Media Director

One item on your bucket list: Visiting the Ghibli Museum and the owl and bird cafes in Japan

Personal motto: If it’s not on a plate, then it can wait.

If you could be any superhero, who would you be? Robbie Rotten

What must you always have on your person? My wedding ring and a pair of earrings

Read Mariana’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and her professional portfolio website.

 

Amy Conway

Major and minor: English major; Editing minor

Hometown: Rexburg, Idaho

Staff positions: Associate Editor, Web Team Member, and Translation Team Member

Favorite quote: “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” —Dr. Seuss

Unique hobbies: I have a vast collection of diverse quotes and unique words.

What is something hard that you’ve had to do in your life? I went to South Korea to teach English despite not speaking the language or having taught a single class in my life. Luckily, through a lot of study and hard work, I was able to survive my full two years there.

Read Amy’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Facebook, LinkedIn, and her professional portfolio website.

 

Shantel Fitzgerald

Major and minor: History major with an emphasis in US history; Editing minor

Hometown: Alpine, Utah

Staff positions: Copyeditor, Pinterest Manager, and Assistant Analytics Director

Dream job: Walt Disney Imagineer

One item on your bucket list: To go to the golden retriever festival in Scotland

Favorite band/singer/group? The Killers

If you could be any superhero, who would you be? I don’t know about superhero, but my super power would be to have the ability to heal anything.

Read Shantel’s Mormon Insights articles.

 

Shelby Gardner

Major and minor: Accounting major; Editing minor

Hometown: Ridgefield, Washington

Staff positions: Associate Editor and Web Director

Favorite quote: “The longer you wait for the future, the shorter it will be.” —Loesje

Personal motto: I say we nuke it. We always have options, even if they aren’t good.

What is something hard that you’ve had to do in your life? Serve a mission—since I am an introvert, that pushed my limits.

Anything else? I love canning fruit and homemade jams, and few things bring me as much joy as blueberry fields.

Read Shelby’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Instagram, LinkedIn, and her professional portfolio website.

 

Brynne Jackson

Major and minor: Public Health major; Editing minor

Hometown: Boise, Idaho

Staff positions: Associate Editor, Design Team Member, and Translation Team Member

Dream job: Infectious disease management, eradicating diseases worldwide

Favorite quote: “He compelled himself to be brave until bravery became a habit.” —Michael Lewis, The Undoing Project

If you could have dinner with any person (living or dead, real or imagined), who would it be? Dr. Atul Gawande, my current favorite medical writer. He brings a level of empathy to science that is stunning.

Read Brynne’s Mormon Insights articles.

 

Kiana Kekauoha

Major and minor: English Language major; Communications and Editing minors

Hometown: Van Nuys, California

Staff positions: Copyeditor, Assistant Art Director, and Web Team Member

One item on your bucket list: Eat all forms of potato

Favorite song: “Taylor, the Latte Boy,” by Kristen Chenoweth

If you could be any superhero, who would you be? Whatever Man

If you could have dinner with any person (living or dead, real or imagined), who would it be? Gordon Ramsey

Read Kiana’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on her professional portfolio website.

 

Natalie Kokol

Major and minor: History major; Editing minor

Hometown: American Fork, Utah

Staff positions: Assistant Managing Editor, Web Team Member, and PR & Correspondence Team Member

Dream job: Ice cream taste tester by day, jazz singer by night

Unique hobbies: Looking up movie trivia on IMDb, and then repeating it to other viewers as we watch the movie

Favorite quote: “Some day, you will be old enough to start reading fairytales again.” —C.S. Lewis

Read Natalie’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

 

Stephanie Neher

Major and minor: Linguistics major; Editing minor

Hometown: Gilbert, Arizona

Staff positions: Associate Editor, Facebook Manager, and Analytics Team Member

Dream job: Working for a cool publishing company or as a professional dog rescuer . . . or both

What must you always have on your person? My cellphone—without it I would, quite literally, be lost (I need the GPS).

Do you speak any foreign languages? I speak Mandarin at about the level of a three-year old, if that counts.

Favorite band/singer/group? Panic! At the Disco

Read Stephanie’s Mormon Insights articles.

 

Heather Randall

Major and minor: English major; Editing minor

Hometown: Sandy, Utah

Staff positions: Copyeditor, Copyrights Director, and Twitter Manager

Favorite quote: “It’s nice to be important, but more important to be nice.” —Mom

Unique hobbies: Rapping in the car to music from Hamilton

Favorite band/singer/group? Once upon a time I discovered a bluegrass band called Punch Brothers. You should discover them too.

Read Heather’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and her professional portfolio website.

 

Morgan Reese

Major and minor: English Language major; Editing and English minors

Hometown: Flower Mound, Texas

Staff positions: Assistant Managing Editor, Assistant Copyright Director, and Design Team Member

Most memorable thing you’ve done in the past year: I won a mixed doubles tennis tournament with my fiancé!

One item on your bucket list: Going to Alexandria, Indiana, to paint my own layer on the World’s Largest Ball of Paint

What is your perfect pizza? Thin crust, pepperoni, and jalapeños—what more do you need?

Read Morgan’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and her professional portfolio website.

 

Phyllis Rosen

Major and minor: Post-baccalaureate; Editing minor

Hometown: Provo, Utah

Staff positions: Associate Editor, Design Team Member, and Analytics Team Member

Favorite quote: “Don’t you know the meaning of propriety?” —What’s Up Doc?

Unique hobbies: Road biking

One item on your bucket list: Visit New Zealand

What is something hard that you’ve had to do in your life? Raise kids (hardest but best)

Read Phyllis’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

 

Brett Peper Ruff

Major and minor: English major; Editing minor

Hometown: Alpine, Utah

Staff positions: Associate Editor, Assistant PR & Correspondence Director, and Copyrights Team Member

Favorite book: The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristen D. Randle

Most memorable thing you’ve done in the past year: Got my first speeding ticket

Unique hobbies: Artistic roller-skating and dance teacher

If you could be any superhero, who would you be? Mrs. Incredible

Read Brett’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Madeleine Lewis Smith

Major and minor: Communications major with an emphasis in Public Relations; Editing minor

Hometown: Greenville, North Carolina

Staff positions: Associate Editor, PR & Correspondence Director, and Instagram Manager

Favorite quote: Currently? “We’re smarter than the wood.” —my husband (long story)

Personal motto: Embrace uncertainty

One item on your bucket list: Circumnavigate the globe—without flying

Interesting fact: I’ve swam with sharks (accidentally)—it’s a hazard of growing up in North Carolina and going to the beach there.

Read Madeleine’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and her professional portfolio website.

 

Olivia Snow

Major and minor: Interdisciplinary Humanities major with an emphasis in English literature; Editing minor

Hometown: Bigfork, Montana

Staff position: Teaching Assistant

Unique hobbies: Intense Star Trek appreciation, photography, and vegetarian sushi tasting

What is your perfect pizza? Mushrooms, olives, and too much sauce

Favorite quote: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” —Gandhi

One item on your bucket list: To go on a European art history tour in London, Paris, Rome, Greece, and Spain

 

Maegan Sugrue

Major and minor: English Teaching major; Editing minor

Hometown: Orem, Utah

Staff positions: Associate Editor, Design Team Member, and Copyrights Team Member

Favorite quote: “There’s power in looking silly and not caring that you do.” —Amy Poehler

Personal motto: Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.

Do you speak any foreign languages? I speak enough Spanish to survive in a Spanish-speaking country.

Dream job: Director of a humanities study abroad program for high school students

Read Maegan’s Mormon Insights articles. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

Marvin K. Gardner 

Position at Brigham Young University: Professor, Department of Linguistics and English Language, College of Humanities

Position on Mormon Insights staff: Editor in Chief

Most memorable thing you’ve done in the past year: Spent a week in Paris with Mary for our fortieth wedding anniversary; then co-directed a group of 30 BYU students on a six-week study abroad in Ireland, Wales, England, and Scotland

Unique hobbies: Spending time with our six children and fourteen grandchildren; playing classical piano and organ

Connect with Professor Gardner on LinkedIn.

 

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