ThrivePoint Utah Compliance

Shannon Smith

Board Chair

Shannon Smith brings a wealth of experience as a charter school founder and operator. She currently serves on the nonprofit charter school boards for both ThrivePoint High School, a public high school charter school, and Calibre Academy, a K-8 public school charter. Smith is co-founder and executive director of Taylion Academy, a public charter school in San Bernardino County, California.

As the co-founder and executive director, Smith is both a positive motivator and staunch supporter of teachers, staff, parents, and students. She believes that all students can succeed if given the right educational environment. Smith has lead teams of charter school teachers and staff with strategic planning and professional development. She also conducts community outreach and engagement and recruits board members and other stakeholders passionate about the mission and vision of the schools that she leads.

She has taught at all grade levels and has developed expertise in the areas of literacy, education, and response to intervention. Smith also has experience working with students with special needs and the related services that this student population may require. Smith has also worked to develop ThrivePoint Academy’s personalized learning model, working with student success coaches and teachers to help each student to have their own personalized student success plans specific to the students’ needs and educational goals.

Dr. Jodie Radford

Vice Chair

In 2020, Dr. Radford co-authored a charter petition for the Palmdale Academy Charter School. Through this process Dr. Radford worked with the Charter School Division of the California Department of education regarding the requirements, accountability, and review of charter schools. As a district level coordinator of the Antelope Valley High School District and high school Principal in the Palmdale School District she has conducted annual reviews of five different charters. Dr. Radford has a great deal of experience
with governing boards regarding budgets, accountability, curriculum, and school
management.

Stephanie Christensen

Board Secretary

Stephanie Christensen has worked in charter schools all over the state of Utah as a Special Education Consultant and Independent Contractor. Prior to consulting, she taught Special Education in Utah charter schools grades K-12. Christensen worked as a Special Education Director at a Utah charter school for grades 7-12, where she was able to collaborate with Utah Parent Center And Vocational Rehabilitation to further advocate for students with disabilities.

Christensen continues to work with the Utah Program Improvement Plan System
(UPIPS) compliance team for reviewing and monitoring special education files
throughout the state. As a Charter Special Education Director (CSPED) board member from 2017 to 2022 and president from 2021 to 2022, she assisted with organizing conferences, participating in planning and organizing, collaborated with other special education directors across Utah and organized educational events such as conferences.

As a member of Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) since September 2022, Christensen collaborates with institutions of higher education (IHEs) and Utah school district administrators to creatively build capacity in teacher preparation programs.

Alan Anderson

Board Member

Alan Anderson’s nonprofit experience includes serving 15 years as President/CEO of a 501(c)6 Chamber of Commerce (business association) in Salt Lake County.

As president and CEO of the chamber, Anderson was responsible for managing
staff, overseeing volunteer boards and the various business programs of the chamber of commerce. He reported monthly to a fifteen-member board of directors made up of business and community leaders. He lobbied city councils, county councils, and legislative bodies maintain a business-friendly climate as part of this role.

Anderson volunteers as Fundraising Department Head for the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA), a 501(c)3 educational body, helping the model railroad hobby around the world. While volunteering with the NMRA, Anderson mets with volunteer NMRA leadership on various fundraising activities, including setting up accounts at Smile.Amazon.com (now discontinued) and eBay charities/Giving Works.

Anderson continues to serve as a community member for the governing board at Holy Cross Hospital Jordan Valley, formally Jordan Valley Medical Center.

Jamie Duncan Plott

Board Treasurer

As the spirit Director at the University of Utah, for the past 12 years, I have experience with fundraising and overseeing six different budgets, yearly. I work extensively with group organization, (50+ students), managing all calendars for four different sports, seasons, away, game, travel, community appearances, and extensive practice schedules. I have grown this program with the core values of inclusivity, belonging, branding, and excellence in our craft.