Local School Board

Julie King is the mother of 4 children and a fierce advocate for learning in all its forms to meet the individual needs of each child. Julie graduated from BYU in 1997 with a degree in Family Sciences with an emphasis in Human Development. She has worked as a social worker, specializing in children who have suffered abuse and neglect as well as those who have experienced domestic violence. Julie and her husband have previously been foster parents and she has a special place in her heart for children aging out of care.

She is a strong advocate for Dual Language Immersion as she has had children participate in both Spanish and Chinese Immersion programs. She also strongly supports Advanced Learning Lab as well as supports for students with disabilities.

Julie has served on multiple PTA boards as well as serving as the PTA President at Riverview Elementary and the President of the Westlake PTA Council. She has served on SCC for several schools and was appointed to serve on the Alpine District Community Council. She was appointed by the Utah State Board of Education to serve on the Student Data Privacy Advisory Group. In 2012, she was honored to be named the Parenting Magazine Mom Congress Utah Delegate. In 1999, she was the Utah County Child Advocate of the Year.

Happy to call herself a nerd, Julie loves history, travel, and is an avid reader. She is also a published author.

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I graduated from West Jordan High School. I then moved to Provo to attend BYU. I received a BA in Spanish with a math minor from BYU. I joined the Utah Army National Guard and studied Arabic at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. I met my husband, Sam, there.

We have six kids; oldest is 22, and youngest is 9. We love camping and road trips and camping road trips together. We also enjoy video games, card games, and board games. All of my children have attended schools in my district and 22/23 school year I will have a student in elementary, middle, and high school.

I enjoy gardening and feel very successful when I grow enough tomatoes to be able to bottle my own produce. I am currently trying to figure out how to gracefully get rid of my lawn. Why is there so much Kentucky bluegrass in the desert?

I have been a math aide in the Jordan School District since January 2017, at Joel P Jensen Middle School since August 2019 and at West Jordan High School (both schools are in my district) before that. I love math! I frequently help ELL students in Spanish with their math and with Jr high navigation. I love my job, but honestly it can be very discouraging.

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Local School Board

I am a product of the Salt Lake City School District and have lived in my precinct for 30 of my 35 years of life. The 5 years spent out of the precinct were during graduate school and time spent establishing my career. There was no place like precinct 1, so I knew it was time to move back when the opportunity became available.

My educational background is that I hold a bachelors degree in social work and a masters degree in educational leadership and policy, both from the University of Utah. I currently work at the Bennion Center for Community Engagement at the University of Utah where I work with students to strengthen community through learning, scholarship, and advocacy. I also teach a course called Pathways to Community Engagement.

In my free time I enjoy time outdoors, University of Utah Athletics (especially Gymnastics and Football), cooking, and spending time with my partner, Katherine and our two 8 year old dogs.

Utah State Board of Education

The oldest of four daughters, I’m happiest in the mountains with my dogs, at an outdoor concert with friends, or on my bike.

I can talk sports, the latest episode of the Bachelor, and the details of environmental policy. I love good coffee in the mountains and reciting Jay-Z lyrics when teaching the US Constitution to my students. My roots are Salt Lake City. My mom, “Kimbo” was a proud East High grad and my best memories are engrained in my late Grandma’s house on 16th Ave. Salt Lake City is home, and there isn’t a ridgeline in the foothills my feet (or bike tires) haven’t been on.

After coming out in 2009, I promised myself that no matter what, I would live my life authentically. There are no shadows, no tricks, no illusions. What you see is what you get. I’m real(e). I am both a teacher and a learner. It may seem simple, but these are my paramount values – to be myself and to be transparent to those I serve. I believe this creates relatability and a welcoming environment for those around me.

Experience and Qualifications:

Passion for Education:

-Director of Digital Marketing at Salt Lake Community College
-Adjunct professor in Political Science
-Salt Lake Library Board of Directors
-Former Public Relations and Marketing Director at Utah State University
-Master’s Degree in Political Science and Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Utah State University
-Daughter and Sister of Utah public school teachers (Churchill Jr High & Ridgeline HS)

Advocate for Public Land:

-Salt Lake County Open Space Trust Committee, Member, District 1
-Salt Lake County Mountainous Planning District Planning Commission
-Researcher at the Center for Rural Lands and Public Economics
-Avid biker, hiker, and you’ll often find me on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail with my two dogs, Eva and Franklin.

Experience in state and local organizations:

-Salt Lake Chamber Leadership Utah graduate
-40 under 40, American Association for Women in Community Colleges
-University of Utah Chi Omega Advisory Board
-Poll Worker 2020 election
-Ballpark Community Council, Vice Chair

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As the daughter of a working-class Mexican family, I grew up raised by my mother, grandmother, aunties, and godmothers in Los Angeles. When we left LA, we lost a big part of our support system. My parents did their best to manage the needs of three daughters, but we struggled emotionally and financially without our community. My parents worked long and odd hours to ensure that we could have a car to get to school. For a time, I woke up at 4 am to take my dad to work so that my sisters and I could have a car to get to school. Despite being unable to help with my homework or attend parent-teacher conferences or community council meetings, my parents would say, “Did you do your homework?” “I got a call from the school saying you missed 1st period. What happened?” and “You were supposed to be home by 3:45 pm, where were you, young lady?” Some assumed that my parents didn’t care about my education because they were not physically present, but trust me, they were very involved when they asked me for updates on my academics, attendance, etc.

As a student, I silently navigated my experiences as an ESL student and my financial and mental health struggles. Despite not always knowing who I could turn to for help, I studied hard. As an ESL student, I recall feeling isolated and unsmart. It wasn’t until my mom said, “But Mija, why are you still in the program?” that I felt emboldened to ask my counselor to test out of ESL. As I participated in mainstream courses, I took note of what my classmates were doing. I inquired about honors and AP classes. I got involved with soccer and dance company and even ran for student body president. I still felt inadequate, but I knew my parents counted on me to do my part at school and at home. In my junior year of high school, Mr. J, my career advisor, recommended me to a conference called Meeting of the Minds, a program for first-generation college students, which was held in Seattle, WA. At the conference, I met others with similar experiences to mine. This was my first time out of state and being a part of an experience that had me considering possibilities outside of working after graduation. As graduation approached, Mrs. T, a representative from the U of U, came to the career center at Granger High. She talked to me about college, federal financial aid, and scholarships. She told me her story – she was a first-generation college student with similar worries and dreams for her family. She told me I was worthy and capable. That day, her story made the invisible facts of my life feel seen. I felt like Mr. J and Mrs. T believed in me.

I would not have made it without my parents, those resources for kids like me, and people in the school who believed in me. They all taught me about engagement, the importance of collaboration between schools and outside resources, and compassion. Today, I am a proud graduate of Granger High with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a Master’s in Social Work. I am also a small business owner of a private practice called Madre Tierra Counseling & Consulting, where I provide trauma-informed services to individuals, communities, families, and organizations.

Utah State Board of Education

I am a passionate teacher, a lover of the outdoors (and Utah has so much to offer!), a bookworm, and a neighbor and citizen like the rest of you. I studied Special Education at Brigham Young University receiving my Bachelors and Masters of Science. I taught special education for six years in Provo School District, followed by two and a half years at an inner-city high school in St. Louis, Missouri. I currently teach at a public high school in Granite School District and love what I do! I received National Board Certification for Exceptional Needs in 2020 and am a Utah Teacher Fellow.

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I married the love of my life (a native of West Jordan!) in a hot air balloon on 7.14.21. Yes, the math teacher in me picked a date that had a fun numerical pattern! We are enjoying setting up house and creating a home in Kearns. Cameron and I love DIY home improvement projects (although Cameron may not use the word “love”), drinking milk shakes and binge watching tv shows.

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My pathway to public education was non-traditional. As an artist, I presented choreography in Philadelphia, New York and throughout Virginia prior to moving back to Salt Lake City to found and direct a community dance non-profit. One way I funded my artistic work was teaching in public schools, specifically for disabled students. When my own children started school, I grew this part of my artistic practice and become more involved in public education advocacy at the school, district, state, and federal levels through groups such as Action Utah and service on committees with the USBE.

Outside of policy advocacy, I'm still a working arts educator with the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program at the University of Utah and as faculty in the College of Fine Arts working with pre-service educators. I also enjoy creating school gardens, running science fairs & debate tournaments, and watching my kids dance and play baseball!

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I am Heidi Harris Gross. I grew up in Huntsville, Utah and attended Valley Elementary, Valley Jr. High and Weber High School. After high school I then went to Utah State University and earned a degree in Home Economics and Consumer Education. After graduating from USU I then attended Weber State University and received my Elementary Education Endorsement. I am married to Mike Gross. Together we have raised 5 children. We now have 3 of those children married and have 8 grandbabies. When we were first married we built our first home in North Ogden where our children attended school. As the last child graduated from high school we built a new home in Huntsville. As a family we have enjoyed over the years, Disneyland, skiing, camping and playing games. Growing up I was active in the 4-H programs, enjoyed playing softball, volleyball and being out walking or riding by bike. Today I still enjoy doing those things. I also enjoy reading good books and playing the piano. I have also enjoyed traveling. I lived in Japan for a summer with an exchange program and have had several opportunities to travel with our school district while learning about our country and history. I am always up for a good trip.

Family is important to me. I enjoy having extended family and my own children and their families together. Over the years we have created many traditions that we all enjoy together. Playing games, going to the zoo, museums, shows, sporting events, hiking, camping, and shopping adventures. There are days we never know where the next adventure will take us but it always adds great memories to our family story.