Expanding Our Statewide Team

Now that Help Me Grow has gone statewide, we want to welcome aboard and introduce you to our newest staff members! Here's a little bit about each of them.

Kali Iverson
 Kali Iverson was born and raised in the small town of Huntsville, Utah. She attended Utah State University, where she graduated quickly with a degree in Family, Consumer, and Human Development. She chose this degree because of a deep desire to support and strengthen families, believing that strong families make for a strong community. Apart from loving the job she now has at Help Me Grow, Kali also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being outdoors, cooking, and travelling throughout the world. Kali is our Community Liaison in the Salt Lake and surrounding areas.

Amanda Mortenson

My name is Amanda Mortenson and I am the Resource Specialist for Help Me Grow. Originally from Orem, I moved to Logan in 2007 and graduated with my bachelors from Utah State in 2011. I met my husband, Landen, during my time in Cache Valley and we have now been married for 3 years. We are very excited to welcome our baby girl at the end of April. I love to attempt crafts I find on Pinterest, bake, and hang out with my friends and family.

Ilse Dekoeyer-Laros

This February, I joined the Help Me Grow team as a Child Development Specialist. Originally from The Netherlands, I worked with Dr. Alan Fogel in the infancy research lab at the University of Utah Psychology Department, where I studied early mother-child relationships, as well as early self-awareness, emotions, and emotion regulation. Since 2002, I have been teaching at the University of Utah. Teaching became my main profession in 2006 (as our research funding ended) and became one of my passions. I am happy to have just been awarded the Superior Teaching Award of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (CSBS)! My other passion has been to spread awareness and education about the field of Infant Mental Health, as a founding member of the Utah Association for Infant Mental Health (UAIMH), of which I am currently the President. Related to this, I have a desire to help parents so they can help their children develop into happy, healthy, independent individuals who are able to connect well with others. I am excited to be a part of the Help Me Grow team, and to have the opportunity to do more for parents and children in Utah!

Kim Newman

Hi my name is Kim Newman, and I am 26.  I was born and raised in Magna.  I am the youngest of 5 kids.  have 2 brothers, 2 sisters, and they are all married with children. I went to Utah State University (GO AGGIES!!) from 2007-2010, and graduated with a BA in Psychology, with a minor in Spanish. I love to play games of all sorts, my favorite game being Betrayal at House on the Hill.  I enjoy movies, reading, hanging out with friends, cooking/baking, being random and weird, and having fun.  I love traveling, and have been to many States, and several foreign countries, and am excited to go to Europe this summer.

Jen Kuhn

Jen Kuhn is originally from Columbus, Ohio. She attended Brigham Young University and majored in Family Life: Home and Family Living Emphasis. Prior to graduating, she worked as an intern for Help Me Grow Utah. This past year she has worked for Children's Hunger Alliance and United Way of Central Ohio as a Wellness Coordinator. She is passionate about strengthening families and is excited to be a part of the Help Me Grow team again, working in Northern Utah. She enjoys the outdoors, spending time with family and friends, and playing sports.

Jodi West

Jodi West was born and raised in Hyde Park, Utah. She graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Family, Consumer, and Human Development with an emphasis in Family Finance. For the last four years, she has been the Regional Coordinator for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties. Jodi is excited to join the Help Me Grow team as the Community Liaison in Southern Utah. With her husband Brady, they look forward to their new adventures in a warmer climate.

Help Me Grow welcomes our newest team members with a big THANK YOU to them, as well as our other staff, including: Barbara Leavitt, Robin Lindsay, Julie Miller, Rebekah Tucker, Andrea Gamarra, Hillary Michael, Cami Olsen. Without these ladies we couldn't serve our great state!

Have questions about child development? Contact us by dailing 2-1-1 and asking for Help Me Grow Utah. Or call us directly at 801-691-5322.