Utah Board & Staff
President
Katharine Biele was born in Salt Lake City. She taught and studied in Hong Kong and Taiwan, where she worked as a stringer for Newsweek and NBC News as well as reported for a local English-language newspaper, the China Post. She has a Bachelorʼs degree in history from the University of Utah and a Masterʼs in Journalism from Northwesternʼs Medill School of Journalism.
She worked for the Birmingham (Ala) Post Herald, the Ogden (Utah) Standard- Examiner, and now City Weekly. She works on newsletters and websites for her church, for the League of Women Voters and her P.E.O. chapter. She is a founding parent of Salt Lake Arts Academy, was a board member for Amigos de las Americas-Salt Lake City, as well as past president of the Utah Womenʼs Forum. She served as youth director at St. Paulʼs Episcopal Church. She has served as the Co-President and President for the Salt Lake League, was Communications Director for the Utah League, and has been serving as president of LWV Utah. CONTACT: president@lwvutah.org
President-elect
Kathryn MacKay is an emeritus professor -- in the History Department., also teaches in Honors, Women & Gender Studies, and Economics. She came to Utah from California in 1969 and earned a PhD from the University of Utah. She taught Art History class there and history classes for USU in the Uintah Basin before joining WSU full time in 1988.
MacKay has been active in women's issues for many years -- she started the Women and Gender Studies program at WSU. She has been involved with the Weber County League, serving on its board, registering voters, helping out with projects.
Vice President of Local Leagues
Julia Kretschmar remembers attending LWV’s meetings in Bountiful with her mother in the 1970s and this inspired her to join the Summit-Wasatch Unit while living in Park City. She enjoys attending the monthly meetings and has volunteered at several events. While living in Park City she served on the Summit County Democrat Executive Committee as the party’s treasurer. She strongly believes in election integrity and has served as a poll worker for many elections.
Julia was raised in Bountiful and has lived most of her life in various Utah cities. She earned her Bachelor's of Elementary Education at Westminster College and her Master’s of Education at the University of Utah. She started her career as a special education teacher in Granite School District. She has since taught in many different capacities and grade levels. She treasures the time she spent on each student's educational journey. She recently moved to Salt Lake City due to her husband's job and to be closer to her parents. She is very proud of her two grown daughters. During the past few years, Julia has taken a break from teaching and has been taking care of several family members during their health struggles. She enjoys reading, crafting, and spending time with her family. Julia is honored to be nominated to become an integral part of the League’s activism in our State.
Director, Voter Services
Katie Dahl is a classic utility player in political reform work, having developed skills over her career in organizing, fundraising, operations, communications, lobbying, and coalition building.
As manager of strategic partnerships she contributed to the advancement of FairVote’s legislative, coalition building, and movement support initiatives. Her priorities included management of outreach to state coalition and constituency groups; oversight of FairVote’s network support servicing efforts; and support of FairVote’s legislative and campaign objectives.
Before joining FairVote in August of 2018, she developed and executed communications strategies to support machine learning projects for The Internet Archive. At the Colorado and California Common Cause organizations, she worked to strategically plan and execute organizational priorities including on organizational development, membership and fundraising, communications and coalition building, and organizing and lobbying for statewide advocacy organizations.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Akron and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Colorado-Boulder.
Director, Legislative Action
Cynthia Phillips has been an educator in secondary schools for nearly 40 years teaching Latin, History, English Language Arts, and Ancient Greek. She has served as a teacher and administrator at both the Waterford School in Sandy, and at the Weilenmann School of Discovery in Park City. Most recently, Cindy has supported schools as an education consultant.
Cindy is the Vice Chair of the governor-appointed Utah State Charter School Board. She has served on various state, regional, and local boards and committees including the Northeastern Utah Educational Services Board, the Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission, and the Lone Peak Hospital Board.
Cindy holds a BA in Latin from Brigham Young University, an MA in Classics from Tufts University, an MA in History from the University of Utah, and is a PhD candidate in Comparative Languages and Cultural Studies at the University of Utah. She loves playing the piano, biking, and spending time with grandchildren. Cindy and her husband Greg reside in Heber City. They have five children and 17 grandchildren
Director, Natural Resources
Lori Jones was an educator for 36 years, most recently as an elementary school principal for six years in the Canyons School District. Lori also served as the district Guidance Specialist, a middle school counselor, high school counselor and a classroom teacher.
During retirement, Lori has enjoyed investigating and learning about new evidenced based practices in natural resources, improving the environment, saving the Great Salt Lake and conserving water resources. Lori has spent her entire life advocating for children and her focus now lies in helping to ensure our children have clean air to breathe and a healthy environment to grow up in. She is especially interested in working with LWV members, community members and students to learn about problems that we are experiencing with the many facets of natural resources. Informing, educating and developing knowledge lays the foundation of caring. When people care, it often fosters a desire to act and engage in problem solving. To make changes, we need information, data, facts, and communication with other stakeholders. Lori is honored and excited to be serving with the LWV as the new volunteer Natural Resources Director.
Treasurer
Kathy Fife retired in 2020 after working for the Department of Workforce services for 29 years. Kathy held multiple positions during that time including Administrative Law Judge, SNAP Program Manager and most recently Assistant Director of the Office of Child Care. While in the Office of Child Care, Kathy was co-administrator of the Child Care and Development Fund (a multi-million dollar federal grant) and was also instrumental in the design and implementation of the Child Care Quality System which is a system that rates the quality of private child care and pre-schools in Utah.
Kathy has lived in the Salt Lake valley for over 35 years after growing up in Laramie, Wyoming. She is a graduate of the University of Utah with a B.S. in Family and Consumer Studies and a minor in Economics. She is married and has three children and three grandchildren.
Director, Communications
Martha Olson is new to the LWV Utah. She was previously involved in the LWV of Darien CT before making Park City, Utah her home.
Martha retired from a 30+ year career leading global iconic brands such as Cheerios, Nestle Toll House, and Calvin Klein. She has worked at the following corporations: General Mills Inc., Nestle Foods, Hanes Brands Inc., Edison Schools, and Warnaco. Building on a strong marketing, strategy and commercial background across fashion and consumer products industries, Martha has leveraged this experience to the boardroom and her volunteer work. Martha’s board experience spans overall strategy development, financial, governance, compensation and succession planning strategies
Martha recently ended her service as Board Chair of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation. Her tenure included Chairing the Governance Committee, Chairing the Strategic Planning Committee and Co-Chairing the Marketing Council. She serves on the Lawrence University Board of Trustees, Chair of the Enrollment Committee and past Chair of Annual Giving. She has advised startups and Cotton Council Inc. and is currently an advisor for Bungee Brand. Martha is also a Visiting Professor in Fashion and Fashion Business at the NYU Gallatin School. Martha serves on the association board of her Utah residence.
Martha holds a BA degree from Lawrence University and an MBA in marketing and finance from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Secretary
Jackie Nicholl - With the demise of Roe v. Wade, I joined the Utah League of Women Voters as an at-large member during the summer of 2022. Looking to fill an organizational need, I agreed to take minutes of League monthly meetings despite being a very new member with limited knowledge about the workings of the League and minimal minute-taking experience. I made the commitment to do the best that I could because I value the work the League was/is doing in these very troubling, political times. I wanted to do my part to help and support the League’s efforts.
I have lived most of my life in Utah. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and retired in 2018 from working with local governments after 30+ years. Since retiring, my husband and I divide our time between St. George and Ogden throughout the year. I appreciate Kathy Biele’s, Peggy Carrico’s, and the other Board members for their efforts and assistance during the past year. I'm looking forward to working with everyone in the coming year.
Office Manager
Peggy Carrico retired in 2015 from Intermountain Healthcare where she worked as the Director of Behavioral Health Services. She has served the local and state Leagues in various capacities over the years, including being LWV-UT Treasurer, Secretary/Treasurer and LWV-UT president. She has also served as a board member for Family Counseling Center and Volunteers of America. Peggy lives in West Bountiful with her two pugs (and a lot of pug-themed paraphernalia). CONTACT: office@lwvutah.org
