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 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.

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.

Dani Sloan
Senior Technology Trainer
Product Manager Leadership Training

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.