"Dr. Rick" Hawks - Executive Director

Rick Hawks graduated from Brigham Young University with his Masters and Ed.D. He has been working in Utah at Weber Human Services, a community mental health center, for 26 years and has been licensed as a psychologist for the past 10 years. Rick has a strong interest in helping LDS members with mental health concerns. He has volunteered with organizations such as SAVE & Hidden Treasures (now Mental Health Resource Foundation) for the past 25 years. Rick has served in numerous ward and stake callings. Some of which include, Bishopric, Stake Mission Presidency, Elder's Quorum President, High Priest Group Leader, Young Men's President, youth Sunday School teacher, and Primary teacher. Rick and his wife, Karla, have three daughters and four grandchildren

James O. Mason

James O. Mason served as the President of the Bountiful, Utah Temple from November 2000 until 2003. He was called to serve as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 2, 1994. As a Seventy, he served as the President of the Africa and Africa West areas and as a counselor in the North America East Area Presidency and Assistant Executive Director of the Temple Department.

He served the Church as a missionary, bishop, stake president, and regional representative. He was a member of the National Scouting Committee of the Boy Scouts of America while concurrently serving on the Young Men General Board. Prior to his present assignment, he served several years in Africa, most recently as Area President  of the Africa West Area.

He is retired from the U.S. Public Health Service, which he headed from 1989 to 1993, as Assistant Secretary for Health in the Department of Health and Human Services. He is a native of Salt Lake City and holds Bachelor’s and medical degrees from the University of Utah, and master’s and doctor’s degrees in public health from Harvard University. He and his wife, Marie Smith Mason, are parents of seven children and twenty-three grandchildren.

Joe J. Christensen

Joe is a native Idahoan, having grown up in the little farming community of Banida. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and received a PhD from Washington State University. Joe served his country in uniform as an officer in the United States Air Force. He has spent more than 30 years in the Church Educational system first as a Director of several Institutes of
Religion and then as Associate Church Commissioner of Education overseeing the worldwide program of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion.

His Church service includes the General Boards of the Young Men and Melchizadek Priesthood MIA. He has been a Regional Representative and has served as President of the Mexico City Mission and as President of the Missionary Training Center in Provo. At the time of his call to the First Quorum of the Seventy Joe was President of Ricks College (BYU Idaho). As a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy He was assigned as President of the Brazil Area and then the North America Northwest Area of the Church. He was then called to the Presidency of the Seventy where he served until his release to emeritus general authority status in 1999. Following that release Joe and his wife Barbara Kohler served as President and Matron of the San Diego Temple. Joe has been an active scouter, having served as a Council Commissioner and on the National Explorer Standing Committee. He is a recipient of the "Silver Beaver" award. Joe is married to the former Barbara Kohler of Midway, Utah. They are the parents of six children and grandparents to 28 grandchildren. Joe is a noted author who has published articles and books on Gospel themes.

Ardeth G. Kapp

Ardeth G. Kapp, author and lecturer, has served as president of the Church’s Young Women organization (1984-92). She served with her husband, Heber B Kapp, as he presided over the Canada Vancouver Mission from 1992-1995. She was an institute teacher at the institute adjacent to the University of Utah.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah, and a master’s in curriculum development from BYU. She was a member of the Church Curriculum Planning Committee as well as a board member of the Church Educational System and of Deseret Book Company and on the Board of Directors for the Deseret News Publishing Company and the Board of Trustees for Southern Virginia College. She is currently a member of Board of Directors for Utah Youth Village, and Deseret Book Company. 

Sister Kapp has had a long career in the education field. She was an instructor for Mountain States Telephone Company, a teacher in the Davis county school system, and a writer and instructor in the College of Utah Network for Instructional Television series. At BYU she was an instructor in the College of Education, coordinator of student leadership development, and chaired the Advisory Committee on Women’s Concerns. She received the Honored Alumni Award from BYU College of Education.

Ardeth Kapp has written a total of 12 publications, all by Deseret Book. Some of her most recent titles include: Lead, Guide, and Walk Beside; The Temple, Our Home Away from Home; What Stripling Warriors Learned from Their Mothers; and Rejoice, His Promises are Sure.

Paul G.  Ripplinger

Paul is married to Shirlene Ripplinger. He has served in many capacities as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of  Latter-day Saints. He has been a teacher, Served in multiple Bishoprics, including Bishop. He has also served as Executive Secretary to two Regional Representatives. And, he has served as Mission President and has also been a Humanitarian Missionary in  Asia.

Among his accomplishments, he was a Vice President of Finance and Administration for Standard Corporation in the Media Industry. He has also been a Zone Manager for UNISYS in the Computer Industry. Paul enjoys watching and being a fan of most sports. He enjoys playing Golf, Fishing, and Traveling.

Ripplinger has personal acquaintances with a number of people who suffer from social/emotional and/or mental illness challenges. And has had a fairly extensive exposure to these problems in society while serving as a Humanitarian Missionary in Asia. He is very interested in helping people with these concerns.

Robert A Echard

Robert was born in 1940 in Portsmouth, Virginia. In 1959 he attended William and Mary College in Virginia, after which, he served an LDS Mission in the Northwestern States. He married Beth Schrumpf in the Oakland California Temple. They now have four children.

Robert graduated with his Bachelor Degree in Business Management from Brigham Young University. He received his Juris Doctorate from University of Utah Law School.  His legal career consists of the following positions: Deputy District Attorney, County Attorney, City Attorney, General Practice of Law, Utah Supreme Court Committee for Rules of Civil Procedure, Judge on Utah State Bar’s Attorney Disciplinary Committee, Judicial Nominating Committee,     Utah State Bar Committee for Legal Advertisement, and the Utah State Council of Consumer Credit

Gene W. Atkinson

Gene, husband to Linda Simpson of 31 years and father of six, received a Bachelors degree in social work from Weber State College in 1975 and a Masters degree in social work from the University of Utah in 1977.  He is a licensed clinical social worker and a diplomat in clinical social work.  He has been in private practice doing individual, marriage, and family therapy for over 25 years.  He has worked concurrently at Weber Human Services as a therapist and clinical supervisor.  He founded Northern Utah Treatment Services and Northern Utah Sexual Abuse Treatment Services.  He has served on several community boards including:  LDS Family Services, Weber County School Advisory Board, Weber Child Abuse Coordinating Council, S.A.V.E., and Hidden Treasures Foundation (Now Mental Health Resource Foundation).  He served on the county Planning Commission for several years and has been a

partisan officer for 20 years.  He has been an off-campus instructor for BYU Continuing Education since 1984. Gene has held many positions in the LDS Church. He has served as Bishop (twice), Stake President, Regional Welfare Agent, full-time Mission President, Young Men's President (Twice), Elders Quorum President,  and Assistant Scout Master.

Jack H. Goaslind

Jack Goaslind, a Salt Lake City native, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah.  Later he served two years as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. He was also a Vice President of Affiliated metals, Inc. from 1972 to 1974.

Jack Goaslind has served in many capacities for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some of these positions include: member of The First Quorum of the Seventy, Bishop, Stake President, counselor in the General Presidency of the Aaronic Priesthood Mutual Improvement Association, president of the Arizona Tempe Mission; executive Administrator of the New Zealand South pacific Area; Assistant Managing Director of the Missionary Department; counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency; Asia Area Presidency; President of the North America Northwest Area; counselor in the Utah South Area, President of the Manti, Utah Temple. Elder Goaslind was designated as an emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy and released as a member of the Presidency of the Quorums of the Seventy on October 3, 1998.

Jack married Gwen Caroline Bradford in the Salt Lake Temple on august 19, 1953.  They’re the proud parents of three sons, three daughters, and enjoy their grandchildren.

M. Paul Southwick

Paul is Utah born, raised, and trained. He received Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine degrees from the University of Utah and past graduate training in Chicago. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and received his Laureate award in 1993. He has been actively involved in the community and his service includes 10 years on the Utah State Board of Alcoholism and 10 years on the Weber-Morgan Board of Health, 2 years as chairman. He has served as an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Utah. His practice of Internal Medicine for 45 years was primarily at the Ogden Clinic. His retirement has been busy and includes; being President of the Pioneer Chapter of Sons of Utah Pioneers and consultant to the Missionary Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Other Church callings include Bishop and High Councilor. He has 9 children and 35 grandchildren. His wife of 60 years, Beverly, died in 2003. He has recently married Blanche Wilson.

Darlene C. Hutchison

Throughout her adult life, Darlene Chidester Hutchison has been involved in community and educational efforts. She has served on local, state, and national PTA boards; serving three years as State PTA President. During those years, the Utah PTA developed a successful  national program on alcohol and drug abuse and raised national concerns regarding violence and pornography on television. Darlene served for eight years as an elected member of the Utah State Board of Education, serving two years as vice-chairman and eight years over curriculum.  Darlene was one of the organizers of Citizens for Community Values and for the Utah Chapter for Prevention of Child Abuse and has served on state committees regarding these concerns and other family and community issues.

Darlene recently retired after twenty-one years as a manager in Public Affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During her years in Public Affairs, she trained members on involvement in the community in order to strengthen community life and family values. Darlene is the widow of C. Richard Hutchison and the mother of six children, two of whom are deceased, and twenty grandchildren.

Sherri D. Wittwer

Sherri D. Wittwer is a Salt Lake City native. Sherri has been married to J. David Wittwer for 18 years and they have four children. Sherri received a Bachelors degree in English from the University of Utah and a Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Utah.  She is currently serving as the Executive Director for NAMI Utah (the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Utah). 

Sherri has worked as a technical writer and has written one publication entitled, “Gone Too Soon,” by Covenant Communications.  In addition, she has been involved with a number of community agencies and has served in a variety of capacities within the LDS Church.  Sherri has family members who have a mental illness and is personally familiar with the difficulties many consumers and family members face.

Rulon G. Craven

Rulon G .Craven was employed 20 years at Brigham Young University on the administrative faculty for Business Affairs. He also served as the Director of the Arronic Priesthood working under the direction of the Presiding Bishopric of the LDS Church, after which he served over 13 years as Secretary to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.