UCP/ECHO Staff
UCP/ECHO Staff
Principal Investigators
Research Managers
Study Coordinators
Mary Ruth Wiggins enjoys hiking, camping, and taking pictures in all the beautiful places that Utah has to offer. She has always loved working with kids and has done so in many different settings including youth corrections, therapeutic group homes and K-8 schools. She is passionate about reading and literacy. Even though her own children are now grown, she can often be found leaving the library with a stack of children’s books. She is dedicated to supporting the well-being of children and is glad to be working with the Utah Children’s Project/ECHO program to better understand children’s health.
Julie Koldewyn graduated from USU with an MS in Human Dimensions of Ecosystem Science and Management in 2016 and has worked on the UCP/ECHO project since 2020. In her spare time, she loves to foster rabbits for a local rabbit rescue, hike, and go to concerts.
Halle is a study coordinator with the Utah Children's Project for the Preconception to Perinatal Outcomes (PPO) study and the ECHO program. In 2022 she earned her MS in Public Health with a certificate in Statistics. She is excited to combine her passion for research and reproductive health in this role.
Angel graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in Psychology and a certificate in Human Factors in 2022. He was born in Mexico and came to the United States when he was two years old. His favorite thing about Utah is all of the nature it has to offer. He has worked on the UCP/ECHO project since 2024 as a study coordinator. Angel is bilingual and works closely with Spanish-speaking patients. In his free time, he likes to go camping, dancing, and doing photography.
Jordana graduated from Brigham Young University in 2018 with a BS in Family Science: Human Development. She has since worked with children in varying degrees ranging from mental health hospitals to teen treatment facilities and teaching in schools. She has always had an interest in learning what influences child development and is excited to be part of ECHO, especially to better serve the Spanish-speaking populations. In her free time, she enjoys being outside, traveling, and spending time with her husband and cat.
Alexis lives in Cache valley with her husband and kids. She graduated from USU with a BS in Biology and Biochemistry in 2014, and has worked as a project assistant for the Utah Children's Project/ECHO Cache site since 2017. She enjoys puzzles, funny movies, traveling, and reading.
Nikki Rice moved to Cache Valley in 2017 with her husband and three kids. She has enjoyed hiking, running, biking, and skiing in the mountains almost every day since she arrived. She is a former kindergarten teacher and yoga instructor with a passion for research. She completed a master’s degree in kinesiology at USU in 2021. Working for the UCP/ECHO project has been a wonderful opportunity for her to combine her interest in research, her joy for working with children, and her desire to organize!
Abril Bell graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Family Consumer and Human Development with an emphasis in community services.
Emily graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Cognitive Science in 2024. She then joined the UCP/ECHO project that same year working as a study coordinator. In her previous research position, Emily worked with elderly adults, so she is excited to be working with children in this new role. Emily loves to crochet, read, and sing when she isn't working or spending time with her friends.
Sierra graduated from Utah State University with a BS in Human Development and Family Studies. She worked for USU Extension for six years as an educator with Create Better Health and then Healthy Relationships Utah. She is passionate about working with families and serving her community. She enjoys spending time with her family, camping, reading, or crafting. Sierra joined the ECHO project in 2025.
Lab Manager
Research Associate
Database Analysts
Shaobo graduated from the University of Utah, with hands-on experience in data analysis and data modeling in an industry company: Haasen Tara Feed Inc.
At Haasen Tara Feed Inc., he was responsible for evaluating and improving statistical models, interpreting business logic in MySQL, and developing data quality assessment logic using EXCEL VBA, as well as creating input data UI for the company.
Shaobo has some technical background with SQL, R, and Excel VBA, and has worked with business intelligence tools such as Microsoft Power BI.
Administrative Assistant
Lindsay grew up in Murray, Utah. She enjoys camping, riding in her side-by-side, spending time with family, and traveling. She also does wood-working, sewing, and collecting fun earrings. Before coming to this department, she worked as an Administrative Assistant for five departments in the College of Education, mostly for the Educational Psychology Department. Lindsay is excited to be joining this team.
Regulatory Coordinator
Graduate Students
Liv is currently an undergrade sophomore at the University of Utah studying medical laboratory sciences and chemistry. She is originally from the Bay Area and comes from a bilingual home with Hebrew as the main language. She moved to Utah to pursue education and explore Utah's beautiful nature. In her free time, Liv loves to hangout with animals, spend time with friends, and watch tv shows in bed.
Dina Sabra grew up in California before moving overseas to attend medical school at the
Islamic University of Gaza. Since 2024, she has been completing her clinical rotations at the
University of Utah. She is a prospective 2026 MD graduate and plans to pursue a career in
pediatrics because of her strong interest in working with children and supporting
family-centered, preventive care. She is bilingual and comes from a multicultural
background, which has shaped her passion for working with and supporting diverse
communities.
Outside of medicine, she enjoys spending time with family, exploring Utah’s natural beauty,
and crocheting handmade gifts for loved ones. She also enjoys working with children
through teaching and community involvement
