UWHEN Announces New Board Chair
2020-2011 Board of Directors Changes
Welcome to Chair Angie Walker
On July 1, Angie Walker became the new Chair of the Utah Women in Higher Education Network (UWHEN) Board of Directors. Walker currently leads Salt Lake Community College’s online education division as the Director of SLCC Online & eLearning Services and teaches as an adjunct faculty member for Southern New Hampshire University. Regarding her new role, Walker shared, “I’m excited and grateful to have the opportunity to serve as the Chair for UWHEN this coming year! This is an amazing group of women who continue to inspire me. We have a great year ahead of us as we focus on expanding access to UWHEN’s events and resources to support all women across our growing organization.” Previously, Walker has worked across university and college levels as an educational administrator, project manager, assessment and instructional designer, and teacher. Walker holds a Master of Arts in Art History from the University of Utah and a Master of Science in Education with an emphasis on Instructional Design from the University of Wisconsin - Stout. She also has a graduate certificate as a Higher Education Teaching Specialist from the University of Utah. Walker is passionate about creating a positive and supporting environment for women working in higher education where they can network, learn, and grow. (And, she does precisely that!)
Looking Ahead: Teri Bladen, Board Chair-Elect
Teri Bladen was elected to serve as Chair-Elect for the UWHEN Board of Directors and will become Chair in July 2021. She is the Director of Campus Recreation at Weber State University (WSU), where she guides her team in creating opportunities that inspire engagement in healthy, active lifestyles. Bladen has been involved with UWHEN since 2013 and served on the Mission and Bylaws subcommittee in the creation of WSU's UWHEN chapter. She has served leadership roles in state, regional, and national associations, and embraces the idea of women moving forward together. UWHEN welcomes Teri’s leadership and appreciates WSU’s strong support of the UWHEN mission!
Gratitude for Repeat Past-Chair Mary Anne Berzins
When asked to comment on her UWHEN experience as both a member of the inaugural UWHEN Board of Directors and as a multi-term UWHEN Board Chair, Mary Anne Berzins (University of Utah) commented, “As I transition to Past Chair, I have spent a little time reflecting on my experience with UWHEN. When I first joined the UWHEN board, as one of the institutional representatives from the University of Utah, being Chair was never a conscious intention for me. I thought I would participate on the board for the required length of time, rotate off, and quietly return to my own little space.”
Berzins continued, “What I did not expect was to enjoy the experience in the way that I have. Being on the board, and then board chair, connected me with many colleagues across the state in ways that I would never have imagined. Making these connections brought both new perspectives and knowledge on a wide range of topics. It is joyful to connect with so many talented colleagues who are generous in sharing their knowledge and experience. Sometimes, being board chair can be onerous, yet, this has not been my experience with UWHEN. I have enjoyed the experience of working with my board colleagues to make available professional development workshops, the annual leadership conference, facilitating the setting up of UWHEN chapters at several institutions, and engaging in substantive conversations about advancing women in the academy. I have grown through this experience, both personally and professionally.”
“Most of all, I have learned that it takes all of us to make UWHEN, as an organization, accessible and relevant to women in our institutions. Over the past ten years, we have achieved much, yet there is much more to do in our evolving landscape. Our work goes on; while it may look and feel different in this COVID 19 era, it is no less relevant today as it was when we started in 2010.”
As a Board of Directors and on behalf of the thousands of UWHEN members that have been served through Mary Anne’s efforts, we express our sincere appreciation for her passion and dedication. (We’re also thankful for a Past-Chair role in which we get to keep her on the Board for another year!)