SPEAKERS

Miki Akimoto is the chief impact officer at the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP). In this role, she partners with the CEO to implement NCFP’s strategic plan, enhance sector partnerships, and ensure a strong measurement and evaluation plan. She aligns and integrates NCFP’s revenue, relationship management, and program strategies. Miki oversees NCFP’s programs and advancement teams. Miki has a long professional history in the philanthropic sector. Most recently, she served as a senior philanthropic strategist at Bank of America’s Private Bank. In that role, she provided consultation and support for families, foundations, and major nonprofits regarding their governance, grantmaking, and impact strategies. Prior to joining Bank of America, Miki was vice president and then acting president of Philanthropy Massachusetts, the regional association of foundations, corporate givers, and other donors in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She also served as the first director of grants management for the Annie E. Casey Foundation and as a program officer at AmeriCorps. Miki is actively involved in the philanthropic community both nationally and locally. She serves as the chair of the board of the Full Frame Initiative, and as president of the Third Sector Holdings board. Past board experience includes the Lenny Zakim Fund, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, YWCA Boston, and the Boston Foundation for Architecture. She is also a co-founder of the Saffron Circle, the first Asian giving circle in Massachusetts. Miki holds a bachelor of political science degree from Stanford University, and lives in Medford, Massachusetts. In her spare time, she bakes, reads, and travels to far flung places whenever she can.

Miranda was appointed president of Huntsman Mental Health Foundation in May 2025. Prior to joining HMHF, Miranda was a business and marketing executive at companies including CHG Healthcare, HealthEquity, Sunrun and Vivint Solar. She also led marketing and awareness for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, where she oversaw philanthropic and cause marketing initiatives that led to more than $2.5B in fundraising dollars for 170 children’s hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. During her time at CMN Hospitals, Miranda worked closely with major brands, including Walmart, Marriott International, Ace Hardware, RE/MAX, Costco, and more. Miranda has a bachelor’s degree in communication from Southern Utah University and an MBA from Brigham Young University. She is passionate about making mental health care accessible to everyone and enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons.

Chief Executive Officer / Executive Chairman / Independent Board Director / Investor Carine Clark is a four-time president and CEO of high-growth tech companies, specializing in helping companies scale. Her reputation as a data-driven marketing executive at Novell, Altiris and Symantec opened doors to lead Allegiance, MartizCX and Banyan as president and CEO. She recently accepted the Chief Executive Officer position at First Colony Mortgage, a fast growing financial services company headquartered in Utah. Previously she was 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 serves as the chair of GOEO (The Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity) and the executive board of Silicon Slopes, a non-profit helping Utah’s tech community thrive. Currently she’s the Executive Chairman for Domo and serves as an independent board director for Nelnet Bank. She also serves on the Salt Lake City Olympic Bid committee and works with every major university in Utah to help students be more prepared for tech jobs. Carine has received numerous awards 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. Most recently, she was 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.

Susan Drake brings over 25 years of experience in public education and nonprofit leadership, having served as a teacher, principal, executive director of Learning Forward Ohio, and Director of Operations at Festa, a nonprofit focused on ending poverty through education and relationships. She holds a certification in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University and has presented nationally on leadership and professional learning. In her current role as a Customer First Measurement Coach with the Stand Together Foundation, Susan partners with nonprofits to strengthen cycles of customer listening and embed feedback into organizational decision-making.

Amy is a graduate of the University of Utah with a BS in Marketing. She has spent the past 25 years serving in the community, giving 1,000+ volunteer hours with her final salute serving as Chair of the Skyline High School Super Reunion. Having finally “graduated” from the public-school volunteer arena, she received a second high school diploma from Skyline High School. She has served on the Utah Hogle Zoo Board, numerous PTA boards, and currently serves as Vice President of the Robert H. and Katharine B. Garff Foundation. She and her husband John have 5 children and two exceptionally gifted grandchildren.

Melissa leads the Customer First Measurement team at Stand Together Foundation, where her team is advancing a movement to place community voice at the center of impact measurement and program design. Her team partners with social entrepreneurs across the country to develop tools that support nonprofit capacity building and guide philanthropic investment. With a background in business intelligence, knowledge systems and finance across nonprofit and for-profit sectors, Melissa brings a unique systems-oriented lens to her work. Outside of work, Melissa is a dedicated foster parent in Arlington VA, deepening her commitment to community impact.

Meg Whitman was confirmed in a unanimous vote by the U.S. Senate as the eighteenth United States Ambassador to Kenya on July 14, 2022. In Kenya she focused on accelerating economic growth and development, forged new conservation initiatives, supported good governance and democratic principles and oversaw significant humanitarian assistance. She returned home in December 2024 with the change in U.S. administration. Ambassador Whitman has significant experience leading business organizations, from start-ups to large multinational companies in Silicon Valley. She has served as the President and CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and the Hewlett-Packard Company, both multinational information technology companies. She also served as President and CEO of eBay Inc, an online marketplace and digital payments company. Ms. Whitman has also been a member of numerous corporate boards of directors, including those of Procter & Gamble and General Motors. Committed to equality in education and protection of the environment, Ambassador Whitman has been National Board Chair of Teach For America and a Member of the Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy. Ambassador Whitman is married to Dr. Griffith Harsh, a neurosurgeon. They have two grown sons and three grandchildren. Whitman holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an AB in Economics from Princeton University.

Jeremy Andrus is President & CEO of Traeger Grills, the original wood pellet grill brand that has taken the outdoor cooking world by storm. He and a financial partner acquired the company in 2014, transforming it from a small, regional, 26-year-old business into a multi-hundred-million- dollar brand that owns over 50% of the global wood pellet grill market. This was largely achieved by Jeremy leading an overhaul that would result in moving the company’s headquarters from Oregon to Utah and rebuilding its team with an emphasis on the people and culture behind the company. Jeremy took Traeger public on the NYSE in July 2021. While Traeger has become Jeremy’s most successful growth story, it isn’t his first. He joined start-up Skullcandy in 2005 with 4 employees and less than $1m in sales. Under his leadership, Skullcandy disrupted the headphone and wearable electronic space, growing into a $300m public company. Jeremy was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016, MountainWest Capital Network Utah Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017, and was inducted into the Utah Technology Council Hall of Fame in 2018. Jeremy received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and B.A. from Brigham Young University. He serves on the board of directors of World Trade Center Utah, Silicon Slopes, and Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. He lives in Salt Lake City with his wife Kristin and their six children. After years of experimenting and working with professional pitmasters and chefs, Jeremy now makes the perfect steak.

Jake Boyer is CEO of The Boyer Company, one of the largest privately held real estate development firms in the western United States, with nearly 50 million square feet developed. He has overseen major projects across multiple sectors, including managing the 2.1 million-square-foot Gateway development in downtown Salt Lake City. Jake has served on numerous business and community boards, including the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s Economic Advisory Council, the Salt Lake Chamber, and the United Way. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and finance from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Gov. Spencer J. Cox is a husband, father, farmer, recovering attorney, and Utah’s 18th governor. He also served as the 2023-2024 chairman of the National Governors Association. Gov. Cox has a long track record of public service, serving as a city councilmember, mayor, county commissioner and state legislator before being appointed as Utah’s lieutenant governor in 2013. He was sworn in as governor on Jan. 4, 2021. During his first term in office, Gov. Cox cut $1.1 billion in taxes, implemented landmark changes in water law, water conservation and infrastructure planning, locked in record funding for education and teachers, enacted universal school choice and secured funds for affordable housing. A long-time advocate for suicide prevention and mental health resources, he’s become a national voice on protecting youth from the harms of social media. He also signed early education and workforce program funding, launched the One Utah Health Collaborative, and expanded opportunities for women, diverse communities and those living in rural parts of the state. With a focus on solutions, Gov. Cox promotes respect in politics and innovation in government, works across party lines to find common ground and regularly participates in hands-on service projects. These elements were the foundation of his NGA Chair’s Initiative, “Disagree Better: Healthy Conflict for Better Policy.” A sixth-generation Utahn, Gov. Cox was born and raised in Fairview, a town of 1,200 in the center of the state. He met First Lady Abby Palmer Cox at age 16 and they married after he returned from serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico. He attended Snow College, Utah State University and the Washington and Lee University School of Law, then clerked for U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart and worked at a Salt Lake City law firm. Several years later, Gov. Cox and First Lady Cox moved back to Fairview to raise their four children – Gavin, Kaleb, Adam, and Emma Kate – on the family farm. The governor, first lady and Emma Kate currently reside in the Kearns Mansion, also known as the Governor’s Mansion, in Salt Lake City.

Tage Flint is the Executive Director of Utah Water Ways, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the efficient use of water in the state of Utah. He has worked in the water supply industry for over 35 years and retired as CEO/General Manager of Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, one of Utah’s largest water authorities. Mr. Flint has extensive experience in irrigation and municipal water conveyance, major dam and reservoir operations, water rights management, federal water project operations, and hydro-power generation. He continues to advise on employee-management interaction, water supply, governmental affairs, and routinely interacts with congressional delegations in Washington DC. He enjoys his service with Utah Water Ways as it offers the first partnership between private corporations, public water agencies, and the Utah Legislature. Mr. Flint remains active in his community and industry by serving on boards and committees. Most notably, in addition to the statewide water conservation non-profit, he has served on the international board of American Water Works Association (AWWA), Commissioner on the Utah Water Development Commission and member of the Utah Water Task Force. Mr. Flint is an avid supporter of the United States Armed Forces and has served in many efforts supporting military missions and installations worldwide. He currently serves as a US Air Force and US Space Force Civic Leader in a support and advisory role to the Secretary of the Air Force and respective service Chiefs of Staff. He is the President of the Utah Defense Alliance, a legislature-vetted group in support of all military missions in the state, and Executive Board member of the Top of Utah Military Affairs Committee. Mr. Flint is the recipient of the AWWA Fuller Award for excellence in water engineering, Lifetime Service Awardee from AWWA and the National Water Resources Association. He is also a Hill Air Force Base Wingman of the Year Honoree, National Guard Bronze Minuteman Awardee, and Utah Military Service Award recipient. Mr. Flint is a Registered Professional Civil Engineer with a BS in Civil Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration. Mr. Flint is married to Lisa who is a Registered Nurse, and they have two sons: Ty Flint, DDS (Kelsi), and Chase Flint, MSF (Tealise), and six grandchildren. His hobbies include camping, reading, golf and photography.

Gail Miller is the owner of the Larry H. Miller Company, established by Larry and Gail in May of 1979 with the purchase of their first automobile dealership in Murray, Utah. Today, the company has a diversified portfolio of businesses and investments across the United States. Their headquarters are in Sandy, Utah. After Larry’s death in 2009, Gail took an active role in the business and continued to grow their legacy. She has focused on and directed the company’s culture and the growth and diversity of its operations. She served as chair of the LHM Board of Directors for five years before turning over that position to her son, Steve. She remains an active member of the board. Gail is also chair of the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation and presides over the Larry H. Miller Education Foundation. Gail has been recognized with many public and private honors. She is the recipient of six honorary doctorate degrees, the Congressional Award Foundation’s Horizon Award, the Salt Lake Chamber’s Giant in Our City Award, and the internationally recognized ATHENA Award. Gail gives freely of her time and actively participates in many business, civic and educational endeavors. She serves on the Zions Bank Advisory Board, Shelter the Homeless Board, and is co-chair of the Kem C. Gardner Institute. She is the author of the book, Courage to Be You, Inspiring Lessons from an Unexpected Journey. Gail and her husband, Kim Wilson, have a combined family of nine children and a large posterity. They enjoy traveling, spending time with family, and serving others. They reside in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Nicholas (Nick) Tedesco is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP). NCFP serves as a hub of learning, connection, and collaboration designed to resource and activate a community of families to be intentional philanthropic stewards. Nick is a passionate advocate for philanthropy and brings over a decade of experience partnering with donors and their families to establish and meet their giving goals. Prior to joining NCFP, Nick served as a Senior Advisor in the J.P. Morgan Philanthropy Centre where he provided clients with insights and services to help meet their philanthropic objectives through innovative advice, thought leadership and opportunities for learning and collaboration. Previously, Nick served as a Relationship Manager at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he helped launch the Giving Pledge—an effort led by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett to encourage the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to commit the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. In this role, Nick managed relationships with current and prospective members of the pledge, as well as their staff and advisors. He helped to connect global philanthropists with one another in effort to exchange knowledge and encourage collaboration. Nick began his career in the social sector as the Deputy Director of the Children’s Health Forum—a national nonprofit focused on the prevention and eradication of childhood diseases that disproportionately impact underserved communities. Nick was named to the inaugural Chronicle of Philanthropy 40 Under 40 ranking in 2016 and the Nonprofit Times Power & Influence List in 2024. He was also named by Inside Philanthropy as the Best Guide to Family Philanthropy in 2023. He has been quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal MarketWatch, Time Magazine and other notable publications. Nick received a B.A. from Villanova University and resides in Washington, D.C.