Aleks was born in Bosnia and moved to the U.S. at 10. She studied Philosophy and Psychology at Weber State University and has worked in violence prevention and fundraising. She’s a music lover, an avid reader, and a devoted dog mom to her senior German Shepherd. Aleks is excited for this next chapter with Preservation Utah.

Brandy Strand grew up in the Rose Park and Glendale area and is a first generation college graduate from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology with an emphasis in cultural diversity. Throughout her career Brandy has served in nonprofits that serve the entire state of Utah, focusing on under resourced and underserved communities. She has honed her skills in nonprofit management with special attention given to sound management practices focused on long-term sustainability and community building. Brandy joined Preservation Utah in July 2023 as the Executive Director. She and her spouse have one rescue dog named Vader and enjoy camping and traveling whenever they can!

Liz Joerger grew up in southern California where she earned a BS in Anthropology. In her early career she practiced archaeological survey and cultural resource management. Liz learned first-hand preservation skills by helping her brother restore several historic homes in the Capitol Hill neighborhood and by watching many YouTube videos! She moved to Utah in 2006 and earned a Masters Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Utah. She has been with Preservation Utah since 2014 and has served many roles within the organization. Liz has two rescue dogs and enjoys gardening, learning about native plants, hiking, camping, traveling, crafting (sewing and pottery) and restoring her 1916 bungalow.

Rachel isn’t originally from Utah, but has called it home for over 25 years, graduating from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science in Communications, a minor in Sociology, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management. She brings over 18 years of event management as well as experience fundraising for many Utah nonprofits. She has used this expertise and combined it with her passion for building sustainability and connecting people to the impact they can have by supporting their local community. Over her tenure, that experience has led her to great institutions like the UMFA, Utah Food Bank, Humane Society of Utah, and now at Preservation Utah. Rachel loves music, reading, and traveling as much as possible in her free time. She and her spouse share their home with 3 rescues, Arlo, Gretta and Millie.

Raised in a rural Massachusetts town incorporated in 1735, Robyn’s favorite pastime was exploring rubble foundations in the forest, creepy basements and visiting the living history sites in the surrounding towns. Her dream was to replace Bob Villa as host of This Old House one day! She was drawn to the Western Regional Architecture Program at the University of Utah and achieved her B.S. in Architectural Design with Emphasis in Historic Preservation in 1997. She enjoyed over two decades in the architecture and structural engineering industry before getting back to her preservation roots by joining Preservation Utah in October 2023.