Kathryn Bond Stockton is a Distinguished Professor of English, former Associate Vice President for Equity and Diversity, and inaugural Dean of the School for Cultural & Social Transformation at the University of Utah, where she teaches queer theory, theories of race and racialized gender, and twentieth-century literature and film. Two of her books—Beautiful Bottom, Beautiful Shame: Where “Black” Meets “Queer” and The Queer Child (Duke University Press)—were national finalists for the Lambda Literary Award in LGBT Studies. In addition, her recent book Making Out (NYU Press) was a 2020 national finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award for memoir. Her most recent book (with MIT Press) is entitled Gender(s) and she has also authored God Between Their Lips (Stanford University Press). Stockton has taught at Cornell University’s School of Criticism and Theory and, along with her university’s top teaching award, she has received the Equality Utah Allies Award for LGBT activism, the NOW Lifetime Achievement Award, the YWCA Outstanding Achievement Award in Arts and Communication, the Crompton Noll Prize for Best Essay in Gay and Lesbian Studies from the Modern Language Association, and the Rosenblatt Prize for Excellence, the highest honor granted by the University of Utah .

Katie Hoffman-Abby is a member of the President’s Executive team at the University of Utah. As Vice President, she is responsible for the development, expansion and day to day operations of the Career Success Presidential Initiative operating under the brand U Career Success. A 1984 University of Utah graduate in Nutrition and Food Science, Ms. Hoffman-Abby began her career as a nutritionist for the Utah State Health Department. Shortly thereafter, she found a more permanent home in the healthcare staffing industry. She co-founded VISTA Staffing Solutions in 1990 serving first as Chief Operations Officer and then President. In 2007, VISTA was acquired by On Assignment, NYSE: ASGN, one of the largest healthcare, scientific, IT and engineering staffing companies in the US. Ms. Hoffman-Abby joined the executive team at On Assignment ultimately accepting the challenge of turning around a failing nurse travel division. Using the knowledge and skill set acquired as an entrepreneur, Ms. Hoffman-Abby has led the re-tooling of Career Services for the University of Utah. Achieving ongoing success in a pilot housed in the David Eccles School of Business, she is currently scaling the program to all 18 colleges on campus. The program, largely employer driven, is focused on providing engagement and talent acquisition opportunities for employer partners from around the globe. Building strong corporate relationships is proving beneficial for students as they have access to more and better opportunities in a variety of industries. Ms. Hoffman-Abby, a self described gym rat, is addicted to endurance sports and is a veteran of 16 marathons (including qualifying for and completing the Boston Marathon). She is an avid triathlete having completed more races than can be counted. She successfully finished the Wisconsin Ironman in 2007. Current interests also include independent film, French language and culture, scuba diving, and world travel.

Tara Hardison, PhD, is the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs & Belonging at the University of Utah, David Eccles School of Business. With over 13 years of experience in higher education student affairs, Dr. Hardison’s commitment to equity and access is evident across her leadership and research. As a student affairs administrator, Dr. Hardison is responsible for the strategy and oversight of functions including academic advising, student engagement, academic success, assessment, first-generation and low-income cohort programs, and basic needs resources. With a student population in which 30% of survey respondents indicate experiencing hunger due to food insecurity, she envisioned and developed the “In a Pinch” Pantry nearly four years ago, an initiative that has expanded to serve hundreds of students each month through direct food assistance, connection to resources, and educational opportunities. Beyond her administrative duties, Dr. Hardison is the advisor for the Women in Business organization at the David Eccles School of Business, where she mentors and supports women in the Eccles School through their academic and professional endeavors, striving to amplify gender equity in the classroom, workplace, and beyond. Furthermore, Dr. Hardison works with higher education leaders and institutions as a consultant with expertise in higher education strategy, belonging efforts, organizational culture, optimization, and change management. Dr. Hardison obtained her PhD in Education Leadership & Policy from the University of Utah, where her research focused on college access and experiences for students with histories of incarceration. Across her roles, responsibilities, and research spans a clear focus on ensuring equitable access, sense of belonging, and transformative impact for higher education students, staff, and faculty alike.

Diana Cross WoodburySenior Director, U Career Success, University of UtahA former New York public relations and marketing executive, Diana has plied her skills in television production for the PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), banking industry community relations, youth tennis promotion for the United States Tennis Association, and higher education for the State University of New York. After earning a master’s degree from Union Graduate College in Schenectady, New York, she pivoted to teaching English composition and literature to high school and college students. A move west introduced her to Utah’s red rocks and its flagship institution of learning, where she was delighted to assume a role that combines her loves of marketing and student empowerment. She currently acts as a strategic advisor to expand the reach of U Career Success’s world-class services and leads a team of marketing and events professionals to get the word out.