PA Program Staff
PA Program Staff
Kelly Aldridge
Kelly is the Faculty and Staff Administration Manager for Physician Assistant Education and Sciences. She is responsible for faculty affairs, faculty and staff recruitment, human resource management, purchasing, and assisting with business operations. Kelly has over 23 years of experience working at the University of Utah. She likes to travel and spend time with her grandchildren. She also likes to attend the Utah Football games…Go Utes!
Email: kelly.aldridge@hsc.utah.edu
Amy Amann
Amy is the Administrative Director of the Division of Physician Assistant Education and Sciences. She is responsible for the administration and management of the division including oversight of operations, budget and finance, strategy and development, and human resource management. She received her MBA from the University of Utah and has many years of experience in healthcare administration including operations, management, program development, compliance, contracting, and revenue integrity. Amy is originally from Colorado, and in her spare time she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time outdoors with her family.
Email: amy.amann@hsc.utah.edu
Brenden Ashdown
Brenden is the Billing, Contracts, and Inventory Manager for the PA Division. He is responsible for maintaining clinical site and preceptor contracts for clinical student rotations. Brenden holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Utah and a Masters in Criminal Justice from Weber State University. When not working, Brenden is an avid Freestyle BMX rider and competes nationally in contests during the summer and Snowboards in the winter.
Email: brenden.ashdown@hsc.utah.edu
Jason Atherton
Jason Atherton is the Director of Education for the University of Utah PA program, where he leads the staff team responsible for program operations and student services. His primary focus is ensuring that students successfully navigate the program while providing faculty and staff with the support they need to foster student success. Jason has been with the University of Utah for more than 11 years and holds degrees in communication, business, and educational leadership. Outside of work, he enjoys camping with his family, golfing, and exploring Utah.
Email: Jason.Atherton@hsc.utah.edu
Leslie Cepeda
Leslie Cepeda Echeverria is the Didactic Education & Student Support Manager for the University of Utah Physician Assistant Program at the Salt Lake City campus. She collaborates with faculty, staff, and instructors to support PA students throughout their time in the program, providing academic advising, coordinating programming and events, and contributing to admissions and student success initiatives. Leslie brings a strong background in student affairs, with experience as a Student Success Advocate, Undergraduate Research Advisor, Graduate Assistant in Housing & Residential Education, and College Access Advisor. She is passionate about fostering an inclusive, student-centered learning environment that values the diverse experiences and strengths students bring. She holds a B.A. in Anthropology (Health Emphasis) and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership & Policy from the University of Utah and is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Email: leslie.cepeda@utah.edu
Doris Dalton
As Director of Admissions for the PA program, Doris is responsible for applicant advising and the development and implementation of admissions policies and processes. She earned her Master of Public Adminstration at the University of Utah, and joined the program in 2005. In addition, she serves as a member of the Recruitment and Admissions Council of the Physician Assistant Education Association, and chairs the Enhancements Committee for the national Central Application Service for Physician Assistants, CASPA.
Email: ddalton@upap.utah.edu
Brigette Dunbeck
Brigette is the Clinical Education and Site Recruitment Manager for Salt Lake City. She supports students as they progress in their clinical year through program administration and clinical rotation placements. In this role she works with program staff and regional preceptors to ensure students have the resources they need to complete their clinical rotations. Brigette has experience in higher education and non-profit administration, specializing in education program development and community building. Bridgette is originally from Utah and graduated from the University of Utah with both her Bachelor of Political Science & Gender Studies and her Master of Public Administration. Outside of work, she can be found exploring Utah with her pup Edwin.
Email: brigette.dunbeck@utah.edu
Jaxson Day
As the IT specialist for the Salt Lake City PA Division, Jaxson provides technical and audiovisual support for students, staff, and faculty. Not only ensuring IVC classes run smoothly while connected to the St. George campus but also providing IT support alongside SOM IT. Jaxson graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree in gaming which he completed while working IT for the main campus allowing him to work closely with technology throughout college. In his free time, Jaxson enjoys playing video games, reading books, and skiing at Snowbird.
Email: jaxson.day@hsc.utah.edu
Abby Dowd
Abby Dowd is an Instructional Designer for the Division of Physician Assistant Education and Sciences. In this role, she collaborates with faculty to design and enhance learning experiences. She’s passionate about creating engaging and learner-centered content that helps future healthcare professionals succeed. When she’s not working, she enjoys running, baking, crocheting, and spending time with her family.
Email: abby.dowd@utah.edu
Jen Levin
Jen Levin is an Instructional Designer for the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program. In her role, she partners with faculty to build engaging and effective learning experiences for students. She has experience as an instructional designer in corporate, nonprofit, and K–12 settings. She holds an M.A. in Instructional Design from Utah State University and an M.S. in Music Education from Indiana University. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, creative hobbies, and spending time with her family.
Email: jen.levin@utah.edu
Jared Olney
Jared is the Financial Management Analyst for the Division of Physician Assistant Education and Sciences. He attended college at Weber State University and has been working in finance for various departments within the University of Utah for 20 years. When he's not crunching numbers, he enjoys spending time with his family, supporting U of U athletics, and over-exerting himself in sporting activities.
Email: jared.olney@hsc.utah.edu
Bethany Perkes
Bethany is a Didactic Education Logistics Manager (SLC) for the Utah Physician Assistant Program. She works together with faculty & staff to organize and schedule the didactic year. They also ensure PA students have access to the resources they need during their didactic year of the program. Bethany has been with the U since 2016 and joined UPAP in 2022. She was born and raised in Utah and earned both their A.S. degree at SLCC and B.S. degree at the U as a non-traditional transfer student. When they're not working, Bethany can be found road tripping with her wife, crafting, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and avoiding cooking.
Email: bethany.perkes@utah.edu
Olivia Tuivai
Olivia is the Clinical Education and Student Support Manager for the Division of Physician Assistant Education and Sciences. Olivia holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Dixie State University, and a Master of Education with an emphasis in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Southern Utah University. With over five years of experience in higher education, Olivia has taken on roles that center around student support, engagement, and success, always striving to create welcoming spaces where all students feel seen and valued. Olivia grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has lived in St George for the past 7 years. Outside of work, you can find her on the pickleball or volleyball court or unwinding with a good reality TV show.
Email: olivia.renza@utah.edu
Erika Van Hove
Erika's title is Administrative Assistant working in the Family Practice and Physician Assistant area reporting to Kelly Aldridge. She is originally from Minnesota, graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and has also lived in California, Oregon, British Columbia, and Illinois. She has a background in a variety of industries and roles such as Marketing and Market Research in Food Service, Financial Services, Mining, and a few others. While new to Academia and Health Services she is nonetheless excited for the new challenges, friends and experiences she knows she will find here. She is married, a mother of two daughters and grandmother of two lively grade schoolers. She enjoys books and book clubs, Netflix and its cousins, and loves to get together for laughs with her family and friends as often as possible.
Email: erika.vanhove@utah.edu
Krystal Whitney
As a Clinical Education & Site Recruitment Manager, Krystal sets up clinical rotation opportunities with student personal contacts, helps develop and maintain clinical rotation schedules, communicates with all preceptors with requests and schedule updates, manages change of rotation requests, conducts site visits to support recruitment and retention efforts, along with contributing to additional projects. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Krystal has lived in eight different states. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Hawaiʻi Pacific University and is currently pursuing her MBA at Southern Utah University. Krystal fills time with creative hobbies such as crocheting, writing, Dungeons and Dragons, quilting (and far too many more to list) as well as hiking, kayaking, and rock hounding.
Karen Winningham
Karen serves as the Didactic Education Logistics Manager, for the St. George campus, where she uses a collaborative approach and dedication to creating a supportive and well-organized learning environment. She works closely with faculty, staff, and students to ensure the St. George campus runs smoothly—always working toward enhancing the educational experience and meeting the unique needs of the cohort. Karen has worked with the University of Utah 1999 working in the Containing Education and Community Enrichment (CECE) department and more specifically in the Professional Education department.
Email: karen.winningham@utah.edu
