UEN Professional Development Staff Information

Justin manages the professional development department at UEN. His expertise lies in instructional design, technology integration, learning strategies and process improvement. He began his career as a network designer for Cisco Systems in 2000 and joined the University of Utah in 2005 in Business and Auxiliary Services before joining the Utah Education Network in 2013. Throughout his career, Justin has implemented several training programs designed to increase learning comprehension and improve customer service strategies. At UEN, he is responsible for the Utah Education Technology Endorsement Program, Leadership in Personalized and Digital Learning for school principals, professional development opportunities and Canvas LMS. Justin strives to create positive working relationships with school districts, libraries, Utah State Office of Education, Utah System of Higher Education and educational partners to improve student education in Utah. Justin has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and a Master of Education degree in Instructional Design and Educational Technology from the University of Utah.

Nicole is an educational technology specialist who equips school counselors with the tools they need to implement comprehensive school counseling programs and increase equitable student outcomes through technology. She also provides academic planning and advising for teachers looking to complete the Educational Technology Endorsement. She has previously worked as an Academic Advisor, School Counselor and College/Career Advisor in all K-12 settings. She holds a Master's in Educational Psychology / School Counseling from the University of Utah.

Rob's X

Rob is a multimedia education expert who provides teachers with the skills and knowledge to integrate video, images and other forms of media effectively into their classrooms. He guides teachers in fostering student creativity through media production and teaches courses that help educators learn the basics of computer usage. Previously, Rob taught Spanish and language arts in Granite School District. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Spanish education with an English minor and a Master's in Instructional Design and Educational Technology from the University of Utah.

Katie Blunt is the UEN product manager over eMedia and hosts UEN's PDTV series. Previously, Katie worked as an Educational Technology Specialist for the Canyons School District and taught sixth grade in the Jordan School District. She served as the Utah Coalition for Educational Technology president from 2015-2016. She has a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy and a master’s in Instructional Design and Educational Technology from the University of Utah. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University. Katie has K-12 administrative licensure and teaching endorsements in ESL, Ed Tech, Instructional Coaching, Keyboarding and Multimedia. She is an ISTE, Apple, Nearpod and Google certified educator.

Val is skilled in the area of instructional design. She is dedicated to helping educators create engaging and effective online courses. She earned a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Kansas State University and a Master's of English in Writing, Rhetoric and Digital Media Studies from Northern Arizona University. She most recently worked as an English teacher and concurrent enrollment instructor in Washington County School District.

Lora Gibbons is a UEN trainer specializing in instructional design, LMS integration, artificial intelligence, and student-driven learning. She is dedicated to helping educators create exciting learning experiences for their students. Lora earned a master's degree in Instructional Design and Educational Technology from the University of Utah and a bachelor's degree in Biology Composite Teaching with a minor in PE and Coaching from Brigham Young University. She currently serves on the Utah Science Teaching Association board and, from 2023-2024, as a DoD STEM Ambassador. She received the Governor's Medal for Science and Technology K-12 in 2023 and Teacher of the Year in 2017 from her school. She is an avid STEM enthusiast. Before joining UEN, Lora was a secondary science department lead and a middle school teacher.

Dani Sloan
Senior Technology Trainer
Product Manager Leadership Training

Dani's X

Dani is the UEN product manager overseeing leadership training, the principal’s Ed Tech Endorsement, and the Utah Tech Leaders Network (UTTLN). She is enthusiastic about supporting educators in developing their leadership capacity, advancing their research skills, and integrating digital citizenship into everyday teaching. She has served on Utah's Digital Wellness, Citizenship, and Safe Technology Commission and was the Utah Coalition for Education Technology president. Before joining UEN, Dani was a School Technology Specialist and Elementary Teacher for the Granite School District. She has a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy, a Master's in Instructional Design and Educational Psychology, and a Bachelor's in Elementary Education from the University of Utah, where she is currently an Adjunct Instructor for the IDET Program. Dani has a K-12 administrative license and an EdTech Endorsement. She is an ISTE Certified Educator and a Certified Educational Technology Leader (CETL).

Braxton Thornley
Senior Technology Trainer

Braxton specializes in using technology to personalize learning and utilizing artificial intelligence to promote student success. Before joining UEN’s professional development team, Braxton worked as a high school language arts teacher and digital learning coach in Jordan School District. During his time in Jordan, Braxton was recognized as a “Most Valuable Educator” by Instructure and the Utah Jazz, a “Top Fifty Imaginative Teacher” by Disney, and one of the district’s twelve “Outstanding Educators of the Year” in 2022. Braxton holds ESL, educational technology, and instructional coaching endorsements in addition to a Bachelor’s degree in English education from Utah Tech University. He is currently pursuing an M.Ed. in K-12 School Leadership at the University of Utah.

Kayla Towner
Senior Technology Trainer
Product Manager for Utah's Online Library

Kayla's X

Kayla is dedicated to promoting student agency through innovative learning methods that offer more choices and diverse ways to demonstrate competency. Kayla enjoys using technology to ignite students' curiosity and encourage critical and creative thinking. She is also experienced in working with Canvas LMS and integrating Microsoft Office tools. Prior to her current role, Kayla was an elementary school teacher in both Utah and South Korea. Kayla is ISTE Certified and has a Master's in the Arts of Teaching from Westminster University.