Evangeline is a partner at a litigation boutique (translation: she’s a lawyer) where she works on a wide array of matters, from founders’ disputes to trade secret theft cases.  She attended Yale University and then the University of Michigan Law School, graduating with honors from both.  Before returning to her hometown of Salt Lake City in 2019, Evan lived in four different states and five cities.  She loves theater, coffee, succinct emails (with bullet points), and going skiing/hiking/biking with her husband and their three small children.  With those three small children in mind, Evan wants to leave the world a better place for the next generation — and she is proud of the work HEAL is doing to achieve that goal.

Evelyn (she/her) is a finance professional with over 6 years of experience since moving to Utah in 2015. She moved to Salt Lake after earning her undergraduate in Finance, Economics, and the black line on the bottom of the pool (as a swimmer) from Whittier College. While she focuses primarily on financial analysis, underwriting, and contributing to the growth of the “unicorn” fintech start-up she works for during the day, she is passionate about the world around her. You can find her doing all the outdoor activities, painting, cooking, and in the pool at Steiner when not working or advocating. After living in their 1986 Toyota Winnebago for some time, Evelyn, her partner, and their German Shepherd have moved out of the valley and into the mountains in order to protect their health from the poor air quality. She will be part of the finance committee while on HEAL’s board. 

Christy has lived in Salt Lake City since 1997, when she took a job with the non-profit Utah Society for Environmental Education (USEE). For three years she served as USEE’s Programs Director, working with schools along the Jordan River to integrate research-based science and environmental education into daily curriculum. In 2007, she earned her PhD in Biology from the University of Utah. Since then she has been a professor of Environmental Studies and Biology at Westminster College. At Westminster, Christy helps students find their place in the world of environmental science and civic engagement, which includes working with organizations like HEAL Utah. In her free time, Christy can be found working in her garden, trail running or mountain biking, or working as a community organizer for social and environmental justice causes.

Cameron is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and performs financial and control focused audits at a local accounting firm. He has worked with clients in various industries, but specializes in insurance, SOC, 401(k) and nonprofit. Cameron was born and raised on the green and rainy side of Oregon and moved to Utah in 2007 for college. After falling in love with a Utah native and the different, but wonderful mountains and parks, Cameron decided to stick around. Cameron enjoys running with his goldendoodle, preferably in the warmer summer months, reading, and pickleball.

Paul joined the HEAL Utah Board in October of 2016 after being a dedicated supporter and volunteer in recent years. As a recently retired teacher, Paul has enthusiastically jumped on board to be part of HEAL’s important work. He’s written letters to the editors, attends rallies and community events, fundraises, and is willing to fill just about any role to help fight for clean air and renewable energy.

Craig earned a degree in mechanical engineering and worked in Bolivia, Barbados, and the Gulf of Mexico before attending law school at Boston University. He is a member of the Utah State Bar and a partner at Ramey & Schwaller LLP. He has practiced intellectual property law in Utah for over a decade, specializing in mechanical and electromechanical technology, as well as chemical and energy practices. Craig has been a longtime supporter of HEAL and previously served as a Special Advisor to the Board for energy issues.

Sophia is the Communications Manager for the Salt Lake City Sustainability Department (aka “SLCgreen”) where she manages the public outreach platforms and activities for the capital city’s sustainability initiatives. This includes waste & recycling, food access programs, the SLC Climate Positive plan, and others. She previously had the pleasure of working on HEAL Utah’s staff from 2008-2016 as the first development director and then associate director. She’s passionate about protecting Utah’s environment, engaging people in actions to safeguard the planet, and continuing the strengthen HEAL Utah’s community of inspired activists and supporters. She grew up in Salt Lake City, attended college in Massachusetts, and joined the HEAL Utah Board in 2018.

As the Managing Senior Staff Attorney at Western Resource Advocates (WRA), Sophie Hayes represents the organization in state regulatory proceedings and other policy-making forums, with a particular focus on the Utah Public Service Commission. Her work emphasizes renewable resources, grid decarbonization, energy efficiency, and utility-regulatory policies that mitigate and adapt to the harms of a changing climate.

Prior work included private practice, as well as eight years at Utah Clean Energy, directing their regulatory intervention and representing them in regulatory proceedings related to integrated resource planning, net metering, renewable resource acquisition, and energy efficiency.

A Utah native, Hayes isn’t the first in her family to embrace the West’s natural resources. Her grandparents were naturalists, often taking her bird watching and rock collecting. Her grandfather was a geologist, and her grandmother was an environmental advocate in their community. It’s a legacy Hayes is proud to continue.

She holds two degrees from Brigham Young University, including a Juris Doctor from J. Reuben Clark Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a sociocultural emphasis.

Hayes currently resides in Utah with her cat Agate, and enjoys walks along the Jordan River Parkway, table-top games, and planning elaborate parties and Halloween costumes with her nephew.

Dee spent 25 years directing the Peace & Justice Commission for the Salt Lake Catholic Diocese. A long supporter of HEAL causes, her volunteer efforts also include chairing the boards of the League of Women Voters, Utah Issues, Utah’s Health Insurance Risk Pool, and the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah. Some of the many other boards Dee has served on include United Way of Salt Lake, the Utah Foster Care Foundation, and Utah Safe Drinking Water Committee. She has also spent time in Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Sudan, and the former Soviet Union to advocate and provide relief services. A proud mother of grown daughters, Dee enjoys tennis, singing, hiking, and sailing in her spare time.

Gabriela Portugal was born and raised in Mexico City, where she studied medicine and worked in clinical research for over 15 years. She later moved to Salt Lake City, where she became the Director of Cancer programs for Alliance Community Services and later joined the IMC Community Board and the Mexican Consulate Medical Consulting group.

In her little free time as a mom of three, she enjoys CrossFit gym with her teenage son (sometimes her husband joins), traveling, attending concerts, and spending time with her dog Moshi.

Briana Kobor grew up in California and moved to Utah with her family in 2017. She has spent her career in energy policy in various positions, including energy regulatory consulting, nonprofit rooftop solar advocacy, and private sector decarbonization efforts.

She enjoys taking in all the natural beauty that Utah offers in her free time–hiking, climbing, skiing, and exploring with her partner and two young kids. Living along the Wasatch Front, she sees daily how vulnerable our communities are to climate change, air pollution, and other environmental threats. She is honored to be joining the board at HEAL to help support the critical work they are doing every day to give voice to our communities and safeguard a healthy environment for all Utahns.

John R. Contreras is from Nogales, Arizona. He is an epidemiologist and has worked for the Arizona Department of Health. He moved to Utah in 1997 to attend the University of Utah and subsequently attended Johns Hopkins University and Arizona State University. He is the Chair and Director of the MPH Program for Westminster College. He has a depth of experience in environmental health research and has conducted numerous studies here in Utah. 

John enjoys riding his mountain bike and spending time with his son (who currently attends the University of Utah). 

He is very excited to work with HEAL’s board members and serve on the Board.