Utah Foundation today announced the addition of three new employees to its growing staff, including Dan Bammes as communications director, and two research analysts, Christopher Collard and Melissa Proctor.
Each brings tremendous skill and enthusiasm to Utah Foundation.
One of Utah’s most respected reporters and radio news anchors since 1975, Bammes brings more than four decades of communications experience to the Foundation. Prior to joining Utah Foundation, he spent 12 years as the morning host at KUER public radio. He was also a wire service bureau chief and an instructor for journalism students at the University of Utah. Bammes has traveled the state producing numerous major news stories, and also has in-depth knowledge of Utah’s history being a descendant of the state's Pioneer settlers.
Serving an internship with Utah Foundation for the duration of 2014, Collard was recently promoted permanent position as research analyst. Throughout the past year, he conducted research on several topics and is the author of Utah Foundation’s recent report on Utah bonding. Collard will complete his Master of Public Policy degree at the University of Utah in April. He brings many skills, including a penchant for quantitative and fiscal analysis. His undergraduate work was in international relations, with minors in Arabic and math.
Proctor recently returned to Utah after earning a Master of Arts in Religion at Yale Divinity School and a soon-to-be-awarded PhD in Religious Studies from Brown University. Her academic and research endeavors have included politics, law, ethics, social theory and philosophy. She has taught and conducted research at Princeton, Harvard, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, and other institutions.
“We are proud to report that 2014 was a very successful year for the Utah Foundation, allowing us to expand our team with three extremely talented individuals,” said Stephen Kroes, Utah Foundation’s president. “We are privileged to add them to our staff and benefit from their unique talents, interests, and enthusiasm. As we enter our 70th year, we are stronger than ever.”
