Our Team

John Tripp, LAU Executive Director

As the Executive Director of LAU, John is committed to helping your student thrive in their education. John grew up in Southern Utah, where he often spent his time learning and adventuring in the outdoors. His passion for education grew while attending Brigham Young University and Utah State University. After graduation, John acted on his love of teaching and began working with students from 3rd through 12th grade. He even spent 18 years developing an early college program to help his students navigate the overwhelming road to higher education. John passed on his love of learning to his ten children, and he continues to spark that passion in his eight grandchildren by reading with them regularly. John currently lives in Hyrum, Utah, with his wife, two cats, and a dog. Together, they often spend their time outdoors in the Wellsville mountains.

Email: john@lautah.org 

Shelly Jenkins, LAU Director of Operations

Shelly’s commitment to LAU’s mission and passion for student success will help to ensure a rewarding experience for your student. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and is currently working towards a Master’s in Information Technology Management. Shelly currently lives in Northern Utah with her nine amazing children and can often be found gardening, rowing, or adventuring in the mountains.

Email: shelly@lautah.org

Sharla Nelson, LAU Executive Assistant & Communications Specialist

It’s often easy to feel disconnected from your student’s education, but Sharla’s dedication to LAU’s students and families helps create a one-of-a-kind community. In her own words, she’s “passionate about helping students experience a unique and meaningful education.” Sharla received a degree in office administration, and she enjoys using it to help LAU students and families. In addition, she loves spending time with her family and can regularly be found serving her community, reading great literature, or continuing her education.

Email: sharla@lautah.org

Linda Hansen, Director of Administrative Services

Having homeschooled her own children, Linda knows just how to create an exciting and educational environment for your student. She’s also had the opportunity to teach several homeschool groups. Linda currently lives in Cedar City, Utah, with her two children. She has a deep passion for classic books, antiques, and old-fashioned flowers.

Email: linda@lautah.org

John Tripp, LAU Executive Director

As the Executive Director of LAU, John is committed to helping your student thrive in their education. John grew up in Southern Utah, where he often spent his time learning and adventuring in the outdoors. His passion for education grew while attending Brigham Young University and Utah State University. After graduation, John acted on his love of teaching and began working with students from 3rd through 12th grade. He even spent 18 years developing an early college program to help his students navigate the overwhelming road to higher education. John passed on his love of learning to his ten children, and he continues to spark that passion in his eight grandchildren by reading with them regularly. John currently lives in Hyrum, Utah, with his wife, two cats, and a dog. Together, they often spend their time outdoors in the Wellsville mountains.

John Tripp, LAU Executive Director

As the Executive Director of LAU, John is committed to helping your student thrive in their education. John grew up in Southern Utah, where he often spent his time learning and adventuring in the outdoors. His passion for education grew while attending Brigham Young University and Utah State University. After graduation, John acted on his love of teaching and began working with students from 3rd through 12th grade. He even spent 18 years developing an early college program to help his students navigate the overwhelming road to higher education. John passed on his love of learning to his ten children, and he continues to spark that passion in his eight grandchildren by reading with them regularly. John currently lives in Hyrum, Utah, with his wife, two cats, and a dog. Together, they often spend their time outdoors in the Wellsville mountains.

John Tripp, LAU Executive Director

As the Executive Director of LAU, John is committed to helping your student thrive in their education. John grew up in Southern Utah, where he often spent his time learning and adventuring in the outdoors. His passion for education grew while attending Brigham Young University and Utah State University. After graduation, John acted on his love of teaching and began working with students from 3rd through 12th grade. He even spent 18 years developing an early college program to help his students navigate the overwhelming road to higher education. John passed on his love of learning to his ten children, and he continues to spark that passion in his eight grandchildren by reading with them regularly. John currently lives in Hyrum, Utah, with his wife, two cats, and a dog. Together, they often spend their time outdoors in the Wellsville mountains.

John Tripp, LAU Executive Director

As the Executive Director of LAU, John is committed to helping your student thrive in their education. John grew up in Southern Utah, where he often spent his time learning and adventuring in the outdoors. His passion for education grew while attending Brigham Young University and Utah State University. After graduation, John acted on his love of teaching and began working with students from 3rd through 12th grade. He even spent 18 years developing an early college program to help his students navigate the overwhelming road to higher education. John passed on his love of learning to his ten children, and he continues to spark that passion in his eight grandchildren by reading with them regularly. John currently lives in Hyrum, Utah, with his wife, two cats, and a dog. Together, they often spend their time outdoors in the Wellsville mountains.

Becky Matz, Adventures Program Director

Becky is passionate about working with youth. In her words, “I hope I can help spark learning and discovery in youth and also help them recognize their strengths, gifts, and who they are so they can lead in their lives.” She has worked with students in numerous settings, including camps, after-school programs, co-ops, and 4H.

Becky holds a degree in Recreation Management from Brigham Young University. She loves spending time outdoors, cooking, gardening, and traveling.

Email: bmatz@williamsburglearning.com

Tennessee Tarrant

One of the most important qualities for a good mentor to have is to be passionate about the job, and this is where Tennessee excels. He has been joyously teaching and guiding students for eight years and looks forward to a lifelong career of it. 

Tennessee currently lives in Cache Valley, Utah, and is a student of history at Utah State University. He specializes in the Bronze Age Near East, Classical Europe, and the Medieval world, but has a love of every period and place in history. He hopes one day to get a PhD and be a professor for a university. Not only does he love the classroom, but Tennessee loves to perform stunt work, camp, hike, travel, read, and of course hang around his own home. He recently spent the summer of 2023 traveling through half a dozen Middle Eastern countries and working in Egypt as an archeologist. 

Tennessee is so happy to be joining the LAU team and is having fun as an Adventures Lead! 

Email: tennessee.tarrant@williamsburglearning.com

Cissily Braten, Davis Adventures Lead

Having a dedicated mentor is crucial to a student’s success, and there is no doubt that Cissily fills that role. She discovered her passion for mentorship while pursuing a medical degree and quickly switched her paths. Cissily then completed her bachelor’s in Biology from Western Governors University and received an endorsement from the state of Utah in Biology and Middle School Sciences. She has taught in nearly every school setting, whether brick and mortar, online, charter, public, or private. She discovered across the board that students learn best when parents, students, and mentors work together to create transformational learning experiences. In addition to teaching, Cissily enjoys running, reading, and spending time with her husband and two children. 

Email: cissily@williamsburglearning.com

Elizabeth Babcock, Weber Adventures Lead 23F

Elizabeth loves sharing her passion for the outdoors as a mentor. As she says, “The raw learning and growth that occur in nature are difficult to recreate in other settings.” She has served as a mentor for youth and adults of all ages, and that perspective enables her to inspire those around her.

Elizabeth’s family loves spending time outdoors. Hiking, biking, kayaking, backpacking, camping, and exploring lava tubes are a few of the adventures they enjoyed together this last year!

Email: elizabeth@williamsburglearning.com

Jessica Ewell,  S. Salt Lake Adventures Lead

Your student deserves to learn from a mentor with extensive experience in their line of work. Jessica is such a mentor. Her passion for the outdoors began at a young age when growing up in Alaska, where she would frequently fish, hike, boat, and climb. Jessica has worked with children and teens at numerous summer camps since 2001, serving as a counselor, program director, and administrative director. She also has experience working on LAU’s student support team. Jessica is passionate about helping students use skills garnered from the great outdoors to grow personally.  In her own words, “I love watching my kids try new things, expand their interests, and grow as people. I am excited to encourage more kids to do the same.” 

Jessica stays busy homeschooling her children and  hobbies, including working on her home farm and taking care of the family dogs, rabbits, chickens, goats and a horse. 

Email: jessica.ewell@williamsburglearning.com

Sarah Lopez, Cache Adventures Guide

Sarah has always loved learning about math and engineering, but discovered early on that sharing this passion with students was even more exciting! Her favorite parts of mentoring are watching students make their own discoveries through curiosity and exploration, and seeing them catch on to the excitement of learning. 

She has been involved in robotics as a student and mentor for most of her life, and has been a teacher, tutor, and mentor in a variety of educational settings from middle school through college. She has degrees in Math Education, Computer Engineering, and Electrical Engineering from Oklahoma Christian University and Utah State University.

Sarah lives in Logan UT, with her husband and children.

Email: slopez@williamsburglearning.com

Juliann Mann, Cache Adventures Lead

Transformational learning can also happen outside of the classroom, and Juliann’s love for the outdoors is the perfect catalyst. She’s currently studying Recreation Administration and Outdoor Adventure Leadership at Utah State University. She regularly takes other college students on multi-day backcountry adventures as part of USU’s outdoor program. Juliann is passionate about getting students of all ages outside and promoting lifelong learning through sports and activities. She believes that adventure is a crucial part of living a meaningful life, and she hopes to help your student find their own love for outdoor adventures. 

Email: juliann@williamsburglearning.com

Sarah Millward, Utah County Adventure Lead

Sarah’s enthusiasm for mentoring shines through in her classroom. Her devotion to her students is apparent from the moment you meet her. She worked as an aide at the ILC last year and is looking forward to returning to the classroom! Sarah is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree at Utah Valley University. She loves sports and has coached several of her children’s baseball and soccer teams. Sarah believes that transformational learning can happen when you least expect it, and she hopes to create those opportunities for your student this year. 

Email: smillward@williamsburglearning.com

Rodney Zedicher, Manti Adventure Lead

Rodney was born in Minnesota and graduated from Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa. He enjoyed working in the state of Washington for 10 years as a youth pastor, and he currently lives in Ephraim working as a pastor. He is married with seven kids and three (soon to be four!) grandkids. Rodney loves the great outdoors, particularly hiking, backpacking, fishing, and spelunking.

Email: rodney.zedicher@williamsburglearning.com

Nels Peter Jensen, CEO & Co-Founder

Nels is CEO and Co-Founder of Williamsburg Learning. He is passionate about helping others learn, grow, and transform themselves, their families, and their communities. Nels is working toward the goal of creating millions of transformational learning experiences in the next ten years.

A native of the Rocky Mountains, Nels grew up in Idaho and Utah and has lived and traveled abroad on five continents. He studied the liberal arts as an undergraduate and received an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the Acton School of Business in Austin, Texas. A father to five energetic children, Nels loves to coach and support them as they grow into young adults and prepare to lead unique lives of meaning. Personally, he is an dedicated father, avid reader, weight lifter, cyclist and yoga instructor. His deepest purpose is to use his talents to help reduce suffering and elevate consciousness.

Email: nels@williamsburglearning.com

Gary Arnell, Chief Administrative Officer & IT Director

Gary’s passion lies in creating reliable and efficient administrative services to simplify and improve your and your student’s Williamsburg experience. Before joining Williamsburg in 2010, Gary worked in software development, project management, and administrative positions for businesses and schools in California and Utah. Today, he oversees the People Operations, Finance, Technology, Registrar, Customer Service, and Communications functions at Williamsburg. Gary is passionate about moral and political philosophy, the liberal arts, and the outdoors. He loves designing systems that support all three in his role at Williamsburg.

Gary completed his undergraduate studies in business and computer science at Utah State University and an M.A. in education from George Wythe University. He lives with his wife, Liesl, and their six children in Cedar City, Utah. Away from work, he enjoys volunteering in his community and spending time with his family—especially if it involves canyoneering, hiking, backpacking, travel, or reading.

Email: gary@williamsburglearning.com

Adam Hailstone, Integrator & Chief Marketing Officer

Adam is passionate about building a vibrant and expanding community to support your student in their adventure through online learning. In his words, “I love inspiring parents and students to get a great education and overcome the barriers in their way. My role directly aligns with my life’s mission, so it’s as much a calling as it is a career.” Adam joined Williamsburg in 2010 as a mentor, and has designed and taught much of The Williamsburg Curriculum. He has presented talks on alternative education throughout the U.S. and Canada and loves finding creative ways to expand and enhance the Williamsburg tribe.

Adam holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from George Wythe University. He lives with his wife, Laura, of thirteen years and their son Emmett in Denver, Colorado. Adam loves wrestling with his son, hiking, reading, discussing, CrossFit, cinema, and making delicious food for family and friends.

Email: adam@williamsburglearning.com

Kim Stanley, Chief Financial Officer & Finance Director

Bio coming soon.

Email: kimberly.stanley@williamsburglearning.com

Rob Noorda, Director of Operations & Lead for all Academic Programs

Bio coming soon.

Email: rob@williamsburglearning.com