Principal Investigators
Research Managers
Study Coordinators
Mary Ruth Wiggins enjoys hiking, camping, and taking pictures in all the beautiful places that Utah has to offer. She has always loved working with kids and has done so in many different settings including youth corrections, therapeutic group homes and K-8 schools. She is passionate about reading and literacy. Even though her own children are now grown, she can often be found leaving the library with a stack of children’s books. She is dedicated to supporting the well-being of children and is glad to be working with the Utah Children’s Project/ECHO program to better understand children’s health.
Julie Koldewyn graduated from USU with an MS in Human Dimensions of Ecosystem Science and Management in 2016 and has worked on the UCP/ECHO project since 2020. In her spare time, she loves to foster rabbits for a local rabbit rescue, hike, and go to concerts.
Halle is a study coordinator with the Utah Children's Project for the Preconception to Perinatal Outcomes (PPO) study and the ECHO program. In 2022 she earned her MS in Public Health with a certificate in Statistics. She is excited to combine her passion for research and reproductive health in this role.
Angel graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in Psychology and a certificate in Human Factors in 2022. He was born in Mexico and came to the United States when he was two years old. His favorite thing about Utah is all of the nature it has to offer. He has worked on the UCP/ECHO project since 2024 as a study coordinator. Angel is bilingual and works closely with Spanish-speaking patients. In his free time, he likes to go camping, dancing, and doing photography.
Jordana graduated from Brigham Young University in 2018 with a BS in Family Science: Human Development. She has since worked with children in varying degrees ranging from mental health hospitals to teen treatment facilities and teaching in schools. She has always had an interest in learning what influences child development and is excited to be part of ECHO, especially to better serve the Spanish-speaking populations. In her free time, she enjoys being outside, traveling, and spending time with her husband and cat.
Alexis lives in Cache valley with her husband and kids. She graduated from USU with a BS in Biology and Biochemistry in 2014, and has worked as a project assistant for the Utah Children's Project/ECHO Cache site since 2017. She enjoys puzzles, funny movies, traveling, and reading.
Nikki Rice moved to Cache Valley in 2017 with her husband and three kids. She has enjoyed hiking, running, biking, and skiing in the mountains almost every day since she arrived. She is a former kindergarten teacher and yoga instructor with a passion for research. She completed a master’s degree in kinesiology at USU in 2021. Working for the UCP/ECHO project has been a wonderful opportunity for her to combine her interest in research, her joy for working with children, and her desire to organize!
Kaitlyn graduated from Brigham Young University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health. She joined the UCP/ECHO Program in 2024 as a study coordinator. Kaitlyn has experience working with children of various backgrounds, from volunteering as a youth crisis counselor to her previous work as a behavior technician/therapist. She is excited to dive deeper into her interests in research and maternal and child health. When Kaitlyn is not working, she enjoys trying new foods, reading romance & high-fantasy novels, and going on adventures with her husband.
Emily graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Cognitive Science in 2024. She then joined the UCP/ECHO project that same year working as a study coordinator. In her previous research position, Emily worked with elderly adults, so she is excited to be working with children in this new role. Emily loves to crochet, read, and sing when she isn't working or spending time with her friends.
Abril Bell graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Family Consumer and Human Development with an emphasis in community services.
Lab Manager
Research Associates
Sandra “Sandie” Edwards is currently a Research Associate in the Department of Pediatrics. She has over 40 years of experience in survey methods and data collection including managing research studies using mail, telephone, face-to-face, and online questionnaires. She is interested in epidemiologic methods and has been an author on numerous publications on computerized data collection, study design, and participant recruiting.
Database Analysts
Shaobo graduated from the University of Utah, with hands-on experience in data analysis and data modeling in an industry company: Haasen Tara Feed Inc.
At Haasen Tara Feed Inc., he was responsible for evaluating and improving statistical models, interpreting business logic in MySQL, and developing data quality assessment logic using EXCEL VBA, as well as creating input data UI for the company.
Shaobo has some technical background with SQL, R, and Excel VBA, and has worked with business intelligence tools such as Microsoft Power BI.
Administrative Assistant
Bri graduated from Florida State University with her bachelor’s degree in human development and family sciences with a minor in psychology. She assists the University of Utah’s division of general pediatrics with administrative needs, including the Utah Children’s Project and several other University programs and clinics. She is also a certified yoga teacher and values connecting with the student and teacher in everyone. When Bri is not working or teaching, she enjoys hiking, skiing, climbing, cooking, and reading.
Regulatory Coordinator
Graduate Students
Bryce lives in Vineyard, Utah, with his wife and three kids. He graduated with a BS in Genetics & Biotechnology in 2016 and has worked in the biopharmaceutical startup space until recently, pursuing an MSTAT in biostatistics. He loves powerlifting, yoga, reading high fantasy, and video games.
Lydia graduated from Colorado Mesa University with a degree in Kinesiology in 2017, where she also played lacrosse. Lydia moved to Utah in 2021 and is currently working on her Master's in Public Health with an emphasis in global health at the University of Utah. She spends the rest of her time traveling, skiing, snowboarding and running and hiking her two border collies.
