Panelists

Aimee Winder Newton is the founder and principal of AWN Strategies, where she advises foundations, schools, governments, and organizations on technology policy that protects kids' safety and mental health.

While serving as a senior advisor to Utah Governor Spencer Cox and founding director of the Utah Office of Families, Aimee was instrumental in making Utah a national leader in addressing the impact of technology on youth mental health. Her work included first-in-the-nation social media regulation, the App Store Accountability Act, limits on targeted advertising, and removing cell phones from schools. She also led the governor's statewide campaigns on the harms of social media and the power of family connection.

Aimee has served in elected office for more than a decade and chairs the Salt Lake County Council, where she sits on the county's Behavioral Health Advisory Council and helped open a 24/7 mental health receiving center. A University of Utah graduate, she began her career in public relations as a city communications director.

Aimee and her husband, Matt, have four children, two in-law children, and one granddaughter. Her family's own experience with mental health challenges shapes her advocacy. 

  Carine Clark is a seasoned executive and Chief Executive Officer of First Colony Mortgage, a fast-growing financial services company headquartered in Utah. With a track record as a four-time president and CEO of high-growth tech companies, she specializes in helping organizations scale. Her reputation as a data-driven marketing executive at Novell, Altiris, and Symantec opened doors to lead Allegiance, MaritzCX, and Banyan as president and CEO. Prior to First Colony Mortgage, she served as the Chief Innovation Officer at Lumio HX.

She is an active angel and venture investor in SaaS software companies and supports entrepreneurs in the US, Latin America, Israel, and Australia. 

Carine recently concluded her tenure as chair of GOED (The Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development). She continues to serve on the executive board of Silicon Slopes, a non-profit helping Utah's tech community thrive. Currently, she is the Executive Chairman for Domo and serves as an independent board director for Nelnet Bank and MX.  She also serves on the Salt Lake City Olympic Steering committee and works with every major university in Utah to help students prepare for tech careers. 

Carine has received numerous accolades, including the EY Entrepreneur of The Year® Award in the Utah Region and Utah Business Magazine’s CEO of the Year. In 2021, she was named Outstanding Director for a Public Company by the National Association of Corporate Directors Utah. She was also recognized for Technology Leadership at the Sundance Film Festival’s Women’s Leadership Celebration. Carine earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational communications and an MBA from Brigham Young University. 

John Barrand was appointed by Governor Cox to lead the Division of Human Resource Management effective February 9, 2021. The original press release from the Office of the Governor can be found here. 

“As Chief HR Officer, John Barrand will bring the best practices from the private sector to state government as we continue to build on the great work DHRM has provided to state employees for years,” Gov. Cox said. “We’re excited to welcome John to the team and look forward to his insights in guiding this important state resource.” 

John has served as the director of human resources for Backcountry.com based in Park City, UT, and both Enlivant and Rockit Ranch Productions in Chicago. He also has HR experience at Allstate Insurance and Procter and Gamble. He has a master’s degree in human resource management from the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University and a bachelor’s degree in organizational communications from Brigham Young University-Idaho.  

Kristen Bell DeTienne, Ph.D., is a Professor of Organizational Leadership and Strategy at Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Business, where she teaches negotiation and organizational behavior at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and has published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings. Her research has received numerous national and international awards, and she is the author of books on management and electronic communication used internationally.

Dr. DeTienne’s research and writing explore a range of issues related to organizational behavior, leadership, communication, ethics, and the employee experience. Of particular relevance to this year’s Utah Talent Forum, she co-authored the Harvard Business Review article “How to Manage an Employee with Depression,” which offers practical guidance to leaders navigating mental health challenges in the workplace and was later included in the HBR Guide to Better Mental Health at Work. Her work reflects a particular interest in how leaders can build healthier, more effective relationships and workplaces while navigating the complex human challenges that arise in organizations.