2025 SUMMIT: Growing People, Place, and Prosperity

OCTOBER 27-28, 2025

SPEAKER BIOS

Steve Waldrip

Steve Waldrip serves as Senior Advisor for Housing Strategy and Innovation in the Office of Governor Cox. He has extensive experience in real estate development, law, and government operations, working across both public and private partnerships.

For over a decade, he was a partner and co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Homes Fund, which helps middle-class professionals achieve homeownership. He also serves on the boards of United Way Northern Utah and the Ogden Valley Land Trust, contributing to community and conservation efforts.

Waldrip chaired the Utah Commission on Housing Affordability and continues to play an active role on the commission. In addition, he represented District 8 in the Utah House of Representatives from 2019 to 2022.

Johnny Ferry

President, CEO, Utah Manufacturers Association and Honeyville, Inc.

Erik Daenitz

Erik provides experience working in municipal finance, budgeting, economic development, statistical analysis, and fixed income portfolio construction. At ZPFI, he has completed multiple area plans, general plans, fiscal impact analyses, water, sewer, pressurized irrigation, and storm water rates studies along with water impact fee studies. He led economic and fiscal analysis on Park City’s Main Street Area Plan, served as an advisor and financial modeler to Weber County on a highest and best use redevelopment of City-owned property on Ogden’s 25th Street, and recently completed the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services 2024 Master Plan to guide new liquor store siting initiatives and investments. Prior to joining ZPFI, Erik worked for Park City Municipal Corporation as its Deputy Budget Director overseeing capital projects and revenue forecasting and then as Park City’s Director of Economic Development and Data Analytics. Prior to his time in the public sector, he worked in Fixed Income Portfolio Construction and Risk Management at Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM).

As economic development director, Erik was heavily involved in negotiating Park City’s pending public-private partnership and PID with Deer Valley Resort, while also overseeing the City’s Lower Park Avenue RDA. He also served as an internal statistical consultant to the City’s departments and helped develop new techniques for forecasting Park City’s sales taxes. Additionally, he collaborated with the City’s public utilities department to develop a new water rates structure along with fiscal impact forecasts. Erik has a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication: News Editorial from the University of Utah and is completing a second bachelor's degree in Mathematics: Applied Statistics also from the University of Utah.

Wilf Sommerkorn

Wilf Sommerkorn retired as the Director of Regional Planning and Transportation for Salt Lake County in 2019, where he served from 2014. Prior to that, he was Salt Lake City Planning Director from 2008 to 2014, and Director of the Davis County Community & Economic Development Department for 14 years. He was a planner in various positions with that Department from 1981. Wilf has also served as the Community Development Director for Centerville City and Clearfield City, and as an adjunct professor of urban planning at the University of Utah, where he taught a class in the Politics of Planning, something every planner should know!

Wilf has served as Legislative Chair for the Utah Chapter of the American Planning Association since 1990, where he has had a role in writing the state codes regarding land use. He was President of the APA Utah Chapter from 1986 to 1988. Wilf holds a BS in Physical Geography and Geology from the University of Utah, and an MS in Urban Planning from the
University of Tennessee.

Wilf now works with the non-profit Utah Land Use Institute as Deputy Executive Director, where he conducts training sessions on land use, and on the role and function of planning commissions, councils, and staff. He is currently serving on the Kaysville City
Planning Commission.

Nate Stireman

Nate Stireman is a holistic land steward, mentor, and agricultural producer at Steep Mountain Farm in Wellsville, Utah. His work blends a wide-ranging background in landscaping, carpentry, permaculture design, and wilderness guiding with a deep commitment to regenerative agriculture and community connection.

Nate’s journey began in the gardens of his family home in Davis County and took root in 2009 when he transformed a city lot into a thriving urban homestead with gardens, chickens, and bees. After apprenticing at Heartwater Farm and Ford Farms in Southern Utah, Nate and his wife Tara purchased 11 acres of pasture in Wellsville, where they began the long-term process of cultivating a productive, biodiverse, and resilient
landscape. Today, Steep Mountain Farm spans 16 acres and serves as both a working farm and a space for education, hosting interns, visitors, and community members who want to learn about regenerative land practices.

Nate enjoys sharing knowledge, building connections, and advocating for better ways of caring for the land and growing food. When he’s not on the farm, you’ll likely find him on a river, a mountain trail, or at a live music show.

Alanna Nafziger

Alanna Nafziger is a descendant of Logan City’s founding settlers and has lived in Cache Valley for 35 years. She is an experienced organic farmer with a bachelor’s in Sustainable Agriculture, and a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Utah State University. Alanna holds a deep understanding of living on the land, long striving to implement kindness and grace while advocating for her region’s quality of life.

In her spare time, she loves walking her dog Yoki, cooking and sharing meals with friends and family, enjoying the mountains, rivers, and lakes, tending her garden, reading, and appreciating the small things.

Tim Watkins

Tim Watkins, AICP, works with the Community and Economic Development team at the Wasatch Front Regional Council. He supports urban and rural communities with technical planning resources in support of the regional Wasatch Choice Vision. Tim has prior local government experience with Cache County, Layton City, the City & County of Denver, Colorado, after starting his planning career with Envision Utah.

Tim holds a Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning from Utah State University, and specializes in urban design, visualization and growth impact analysis for elevated public engagement. In his spare time, Tim enjoys road trips with his family, mentoring youth, tracking NBA standings, and biking in Utah’s beautiful mountains.

Philip Gleason

Philip J. Gleason, father of 7, grandfather of 30, and great-grandfather of 4. He has a background in construction and property development. Current projects include developing agricultural cooperative communities in Utah & Arizona under the Operation Self-Reliance Initiative (OSR). Future projects include development in Idaho, Wyoming, and Canada. OSR helps families transition from a city lifestyle of dependencies to a country culture with like-minded neighbors while remaining debt free. We use invitations, education, and examples.

YouTube: Riverbed-Ranch.com

OSRCoslorCove.com

Rebecca Dilg

Rebecca Dilg came to work for the state of Utah at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity in
2018, following her previous years as the commission secretary and economic development director for
Box Elder County. Recruited to serve as the Rural Outreach Manager, she also coordinated the state’s
broadband expansion efforts, focusing on connectivity in rural Utah to support economic opportunities.
Appointed the broadband director in 2021, she launched the state’s first broadband infrastructure grant program to connect over 3,200 rural homes to high-speed, fiber-optic internet.

Today, the broadband office within the Department of Transportation manages nearly $340 million in
federal broadband infrastructure deployment funds to ensure the availability of high-speed internet to
every Utahn.

Bekah Smith

Bekah Smith discovered her passion for people and culture early on, which led her to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Brigham Young University. Originally from West Jordan, Utah, she has been with America First Credit Union for six years, spending the last four in Human Resources. As an HR Generalist, Bekah supports recruitment, staffing, and onboarding efforts, and serves as a primary HR point of contact for her assigned areas. She also plays a key role in employee support, engagement, and development—helping foster a positive and inclusive workplace across the organization.

On top of that, Bekah likes to bike and travel with her new husband and has 2 adorable rabbits.

JJ Dallinga

Born in Eugene, Oregon and raised in Cache Valley, JJ is a proud graduate of Utah State University, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Family Finance in August 2021. He has been with America First Credit Union for nine years, gaining extensive experience in tellering, loan origination, and branch leadership. Currently serving as the Branch Manager in Smithfield, he is dedicated to helping members achieve financial success while fostering a strong, community-focused team environment.

Outside of work, JJ enjoys life as a proud father of two boys and three cats, loves basketball, and is always looking for the next cruise to take.

Brandon Bell

Brandon Bell serves as the Lead Regional Planner for the Bear River Association of Governments, serving Box Elder, Cache, and Rich Counties. In this capacity, he engages in long-range planning responsibilities for the cities and counties within the Bear River Region, assisting them with their planning needs. He served previously as the Countywide Planner for Cache County, the Planning and Zoning Administrator for Pleasant View City, and as Associate Planner for North Ogden City.

Given his deep interest in walkable communities, Brandon has qualified as an accredited member of the Congress for the New Urbanism, an expert in form-based code as a tool for creating those walkable environments. As part of this, he has earned the Form-Based Codes Institute Certificate. He sees form-based codes, particularly larger-scale walkable community codes', as the premier tool for zoning in the future, and, in combination with expanding ownership opportunities, as a path forward for affordable housing.

Brandon graduated cum laude, and with departmental Honors from Utah State University, as part of earning his Bachelors of Landscape Architecture degree, and a minor in Sociology. As part of his studies, he completed an extensive thesis on the relationship between walkable environments and Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Steve Coppieters

Steve has spent his entire life in construction—starting as a kid working summers with his dad and building a 30-year career that spans every part of residential building and development.

Throughout his career he has held key roles in project management, estimating & purchasing, land entitlement and development, and even as CFO—gaining expertise in every facet of the industry.

In 2006, Steve launched Stone Gate Homes, specializing in real estate development, remodeling, and custom home building. More recently, Steve has partnered with 2 other local industry leaders to form Mammoth Group LLC focusing on land development that compliments local planning goals, while also striving to help shape the future of development by proposing smart growth projects that allow population growth without sacrificing the heart of our valley.

Steve also gives back through industry leadership. He’s a past President of the Cache Valley Home Builders Association, currently serves on the Utah Home Builders Association Executive Board, and was recently elected as UHBA’s 2nd Vice President. He also helps shape the next generation of builders as part of the Construction Technology Advisory Committee at Bridgerland Technical College and visiting with local high school trades programs.

Preston Parker

Preston Parker Ph.D. received his formal education in Business Management at Utah State University (Bachelor), Mass Communication at Indiana University (Master and Education Specialist), and Instructional Technology at Utah State University (Doctorate).

Over the past 21 years, Dr. Parker has served in multiple academic positions, including full-time faculty, within the Utah State University programs of Marketing, Strategy, Leadership, and
Entrepreneurship; Management; Communication Studies, and Public Relations; where he has
created and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in social media, management, marketing, public relations, new ventures, professional and corporate communication, intellectual property law, and innovative thinking.

Since 2006, he has served in several roles of the Entrepreneurship program within the Huntsman
School of Business, including his current position as a Founder’s Board member of the Entrepreneurship Center.

Over the years, Dr. Parker has founded several businesses, including multiple restaurants, a
multimedia production studio, an instructional design company, a real estate holdings venture, a
management company, a produce company, and a consulting organization. The most visible businesses in Cache Valley are his two restaurants: Morty’s Cafe and The Crepery.

He is also involved in supporting several local non-profit organizations, including the Logan Kiwanis
Club, Cache Employment and Training Center, CAPSA, Cache Food Pantry, and the Old Barn Community Theatre.

However, really, he would just like to be known as a good husband to his wife of 26 years, and a
good father to his six active children.

Kerri Nakamura

Kerri Nakamura spent 30+ years in public service, specializing at the intersection of public policy and budget. Kerri’s career includes time serving the Salt Lake City Council, Salt Lake City Mayor, Utah League of Cities and Towns, State of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake County Council, and most recently as Chief of Staff to the Salt Lake County Mayor.

Kerri has operated an active consultancy, Kerri Nakamura & Associates, for over 20 years. She advises clients, including governments, non-profit organizations, and small businesses, on performance improvement, strategic planning, public policy, budgeting, and grant acquisition and management.