Business Women's Forum Steering Committee

Maren Anderson is a Marketing and Communications Manager for University of Utah Health. Her primary role is supporting Network Development and Telehealth, which is responsible for strategic outreach to physicians, partners, and affiliate hospitals. Since graduating from the University of South Carolina, she has opened satellite offices and retail locations for small businesses on both coasts and closer to home in Utah and Idaho. 

Maren has a passion for continuous improvement, choosing to obtain a Master of Strategic Communication later in her career from Westminster College. She loves working with the healthcare teams that care for our community; they connect her to U of U Health's mission and values. She also thrives on the energy of teams and colleagues, taking every opportunity to share what she has learned over 20+ years in business development.

Averiel Bailey is the Senior Development Manager at The American Cancer Society, where she leads transformative fundraising efforts, including The Hope Gala, which supports the Salt Lake City Hope Lodge, and the upcoming Fork Cancer event, a new initiative launching in Spring 2025 to support the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. With a passion for mission-driven work, Averiel is committed to making a tangible impact in the fight against cancer by empowering volunteers and driving initiatives that support the cause. 

Averiel is the Vice-Chair of District 23 and a member of the Salt Lake Chamber Business Women's Forum Steering Committee. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys creative writing, studio recording, and backpacking.

Tara serves as the Programs and Events Manager for the Salt Lake Chamber. She plans and organizes 150 events with her team each year. She works with venues, sponsors, donors, and event attendees to make sure each event runs smoothly. In May of 2016, she graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communication and a minor in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. Her emphasis was in hospitality management. When Tara isn't putting on an event for the Chamber, you can find her running her black lab, Monster, on the Wasatch trails or running with a volunteer group called The Launch Team, which is a program that helps kids ages 10-18 run a half marathon. Tara also loves traveling, camping, and scuba diving with her partner Bryan. 

Katy Blommer is the Founder of Women's Best Life University and a Vice President in banking at American Express, where she has worked for 24 years. She started at Amex doing customer service and worked her way up to the VP level, leading large teams. On her journey, she's learned how to be an excellent leader and coach and found her passion for coaching women in all aspects of their lives. She does this through her company group program called The Working Mom Happiness Method and her successful podcast of the same name. Katy was also named one of Utah Business's 30 Women to Watch in 2023!

I'm in love with all things food. When I'm not designing catered events for others, you’ll find me in my kitchen cooking. Outside of the office, I'm traveling, exploring the outdoors, and hot air ballooning - I'm a certified crew member and licensed student pilot! I put my whole heart into everything I do!

Kimberly Flores is the co-founder of fulFILLed Lifestyle Co., a sustainable lifestyle store located in Park City, Utah. fulFILLed Lifestyle Co. aims to simplify low-waste, toxin-free living with their range of refillable, eco-friendly, and ethically-created products. Before diving head on into entrepreneurship, Flores was the public relations manager at Waterford.org, a Utah-based early education nonprofit with the mission to achieve universal literacy through equity, access, and parent empowerment. Prior to her work with Waterford.org, Flores was the Director of Public Relations and Communication at the Salt Lake Chamber where she oversaw the Chamber’s Housing Gap, Tax Modernization and Gender Wage Gap marketing campaigns. For nearly 15 years, Flores was a television news journalist who won multiple awards for her breaking news and environmentally-focused investigative reports. 

Alexx is a seasoned nonprofit professional who is currently working as the Director of Philanthropy at the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum. She works with community partners to raise funds which will create unique and inviting exhibits that highlight donor organizations while effectively engaging a young audience. She has worked for healthcare nonprofits, government agencies, and, prior to her current role, she managed a corporate philanthropy program at a local Utah company. In 2018, she graduated with a Masters of Arts in Nonprofit Management and Global Community Leadership. In addition to early childhood STEAM education, Alexx also passionately volunteers in the areas of refugee resettlement, female empowerment, and animal welfare. In her free time, Alexx enjoys spending time hiking, backpacking, and camping outside with her husband, Leo, and their dog Betty White.

Emily Griesing is a skilled brand strategist, entrepreneur, and marketing and business development expert who advises organizations and professionals on positioning and promoting themselves in a crowded and competitive market. As the Owner and Chief Strategy Officer of Bossible, Emily crafts custom strategies that make her clients stand out and grow their reputations and reach. She serves established businesses, start-ups, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and in-house professionals across various industries, offering actionable insights to amplify their unique offerings and seize growth opportunities. Emily is a proud Philly native turned mountain enthusiast. You’ll find her practicing yoga, hiking one of Utah’s trails with her dogs, or trying out the newest restaurant with her husband and baby daughter. She is also a proud advocate for women and children, volunteering her time to YWCA Utah.

Jennifer is a business professional with over 20 years of management experience in banking, outdoor retail, business administration, consulting and veterinary hospital management. She loves collaborating with others, solving problems and creating new opportunities for connection and growth. She is enthusiastic and energetic about her work and loves facilitating the growing network of community connections for Project Connection.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, exercising, reading, listening to music, being outside hiking, paddle boarding, rock climbing and traveling.

Cathy Holt joined The Other Side in August 2020 as the Development Director, overseeing fundraising and development efforts for The Other Side Academy in Salt Lake City and Denver, as well as The Other Side Village. A Utah native and graduate of the University of Utah, Cathy spent 17 years in the San Francisco Bay Area raising three sons before returning home, drawn back by her love for family and the outdoors.

Kat Kaddas is the Events & Programs Manager at the Salt Lake Chamber, where she has been an integral part of the team since 2018. A natural storyteller, Kat strives to bring a bit of magic to each endeavor in order to create memorable events and programs for the Chamber's extensive network. In fact, she has proudly run the Business Women's Forum for two years and consistently strives to improve this program. 

Kat first found the magic while specializing in guest experiences at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. There, she played a key role in crafting unforgettable moments at the Jedi Training Academy and Test Track.

A 2017 graduate of Westminster University with a degree in Documentary Film Production, Kat combines her creative storytelling skills with her event management expertise to drive success in all her endeavors.

Madison Keyser is the Director of Corporate Development at Utah Paperbox, overseeing HR, supplier audits, and marketing/PR. She began her HR career in 2018 with Zions Bancorporation and Amazon before joining her family’s business in 2022 as the fifth generation. Madison, who holds an Economics degree from the University of Utah and a Master of Project Management from Boston University, is set to follow in her father’s footsteps as the company's future President.

With over 10 years of Administrative/Executive Assistant experience, Mariah currently works as an Executive Assistant at JourneyTEAM, an award winning, Gold-Certified Microsoft Partner. JourneyTEAM specializes in all three Microsoft Clouds: Modern Workplace, Microsoft Azure, and Microsoft Business Applications, including Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform and is dedicated to helping customers achieve a competitive advantage by identifying the best solutions and services that accommodate their business needs.

After growing up in the Pacific Northwest and owning a successful Mobile Notary business in Seattle, WA, Mariah decided to move to Salt Lake City in 2021. Assisting multiple executives and supporting epic teams of outstanding colleagues taught her a tremendous amount about people, their personalities, and how to help them succeed. 

Kelly has been with LUX since its beginning in 1995, and comes from a long history in the food industry. One of Kelly’s first dates with her husband, John, was working side by side at a wedding with him and his sister, Pat Slade. Kelly’s passion and love for the business shines through every day working with employees, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the business. In addition to being a managing partner, she is heavily involved with the sister company, LUX Hospitality Group. 

Jennifer Penn is a Utah native with a bachelor's degree in Health Education and Promotion from the University of Utah. She is currently a Branch Manager for America First Credit Union with over eleven years of experience. Jennifer is passionate about providing exceptional financial services and is known for her commitment to serving others. She enjoys being adventurous and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In her free time, Jennifer is an avid traveler who enjoys trying new foods, attending lively concerts, and running with her husky.

Brigetta Uta'i currently serves as the Community Engagement Manager for Visit Salt Lake. Although she was raised in Utah, Brigetta recently moved back to Utah after spending the greater decade all over the U.S. and Germany as a proud military spouse. She has spent the vast majority of her professional career in event management and client services. Brigetta is an avid sport fan and loves playing a variety of sports as well as being a spectator. She and her husband a good road trip or exploring somewhere new and spending time with their Bordie Collie, Manu.

Diana brings over 30 years of Human Resource and Administrative experience to the company. Since joining the company 25 years ago, Diana has worked both as Director of Business Development, a Recruiter/Producer, and in her current role as Vice President of Perelson Temporary Staffing. Diana has been instrumental in bringing in and managing key clients and
accounts over the years, in addition to building the Temporary Division to record earnings. With her outgoing nature and deep networks, Diana creates strong business relationships—many of which turn into long-term friendships, attesting to the loyalty she earns from her clients and candidates. Diana is active in many business associations, including the Business Women’s
Forum Committee (past Chair), Salt Lake Chamber's President Ambassadors (past Chair), Mountain West Capital Network, and Economic Development Corporation of Utah.