The start of the New Year marks opportunities for program growth and new staff members at the IRC in Salt Lake City. Learn more about the latest additions to our team.
Kyle Price is our new HIV/Sexual Health Program Coordinator. He joins the IRC straight from Peace Corps Guatemala where he served as a Youth Development Volunteer. Kyle is currently developing an 8 week program for recently arrived refugees between the ages of 18 and 22 aimed at improving life skills through lessons including self esteem, communication, mental and emotional health, substance use prevention, money management, goal setting, sexual health and accessing higher education. This program focuses on developing more technical skills for participants so that they will be able to lead a more healthy and productive life in their new homes. Kyle has been working with youth for over ten years as a mentor and as an educator and studied Political Science, German and International Studies as well as a Masters in Language Pedagogy at the University of Utah.
Becky Gardner is the newest member of the Salt Lake City IRC team, taking the position of Logistics Coordinator for new arrivals and we are very happy to have her. She has been working as an exemplary intern in the employment program for the last four months assisting clients in their job search, working with local companies on refugee retention and other employment issues. Becky has significant experience in studying and working with vulnerable and diverse populations. She has spent time as a development intern in Uganda, teaching English in the Ukraine, and working at domestic violence shelters along the Wasatch Front. In her time at IRC she says that her favorite thing has been “helping people find a sense of stability in their life.” In her new position she will be working to prepare housing for new refugee arrivals so that they have a safe and welcoming place to stay after their long journey. She is always looking for new apartment properties and managers who are open to working with the IRC to secure housing for our newest refugee neighbors. Welcome Becky!
Coordinating the Refugee Health Well Being (RHWB) Project is Jessica Elliott, who brings a wide array of experience through her work with numerous non-profit organizations including CARE International, ACLU of Utah, and LGBTQ Therapist Guild. The RHWB project focuses on newly arrived refugees from Burma with the purpose of providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services to promote health literacy and healthy living as well as psychological well-being. Jessica has also traveled and volunteered in Thailand where she had the opportunity to work with Karen refugees. Jessica holds a BA in Clinical Psychology from Westminster College and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Community Leadership. IRC is excited to have Jessica on staff and looks forward to the contributions she will make to the RHWB Project along with additional resettlement services.
