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Heather is an experienced community leader and advocate. Before joining CAP Utah, Heather worked with Utah Issues as a Policy Analyst for six years, primarily working on affordable housing. In 2002 Heather launched the Economic Opportunity Initiative to seek methods for low-income Utahns to build assets. As a part of her work at Utah Issues, Heather also initiated the statewide Utah IDA Network. In the fall of 2003 Heather became Utah Issues' Director of Community and Government Relations and began working closely with CAP Utah.
Heather has contributed to and authored numerous publications. As an Adjunct Professor at the University of Utah, Heather has taught a Housing and Community Development course for the Family and Consumer Studies and Urban Planning departments.
As Executive Director of CAP Utah, Heather secured funding to initiate the statewide Earn it. Keep it. Save it. coalition that provides free tax preparations statewide. Heather also initiated CAP Utah's public policy work and the annual Democracy Day held at the State Legislature. Her leadership has also lead to CAP Utah's authorship of Utah's Annual Report on Poverty.
Heather holds a B.S. in Sociology from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan.
Heather was recently honored by Utah Business Magazine as one of Utah’s 30 Women to Watch.
Phone: 801-433-3025Fax: 801-596-2011
Email: heather@caputah.org
As the Associate Director for CAP Utah, Paul works on a number of initiatives and programs, including training and technical assistance for Utah's Community Action Agencies.
Paul previously chaired the statewide Earn it. Keep it. Save it. coalition, and directed CAP Utah’s statewide VITA initiative. Paul previously worked for Utah Food Bank Services in the development department, which ignited his enthusiasm to work with volunteers.
Paul, originally from Northampton, England, earned a Bachelors degree in Behavioral Sciences from the University of Northampton and a Masters degree in Management with a non-profit emphasis from the University of Leicester.
Phone: 801-433-3025Fax: 801-596-2011
Email: paul@caputah.org
Shawn Teigen has been the Housing Policy Analyst for CAP Utah since December of 2006. As an advocate and researcher, he has been involved with numerous issues including foreclosure, zoning, manufactured/mobile homes, redevelopment agencies, homelessness, Housing Credits (Low Income Housing Tax Credits) and the Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund.
Shawn sits on the Salt Lake City Housing Advisory Board, providing an advocate's viewpoint to the mayor. He also sits on the board of the Multi-Ethnic Development Corporation, which owns seven apartment projects across the state and one multi-use condominium project.
Shawn previously served two years in Kazakhstan with the U.S. Peace Corps. This experience directed him toward non-profit work. Shawn has a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Utah.
Phone: 801-433-3025Fax: 801-596-2011
Email: shawn@caputah.org
As the Work Supports Policy Analyst at CAP Utah, Melissa works on issues related to Cash Assistance programs such as the Family Employment Program (FEP), Child Care Assistance, General Assistance, Unemployment Insurance, Workforce Development and other programs that help support low- and no-income individuals in achieving self-sufficiency. Melissa co-chairs the Monthly Advocates' Meeting in collaboration with the Utah Health Policy Project, the Department of Workforce Services, and the Department of Health. The Monthly Meeting provides a forum for community advocates and state agencies to work together to find solutions for Utah's poor. Melissa also chairs the Family Investment Coalition, a statewide coalition of organizations dedicated to helping all Utah families become permanently self-sufficient
Previously, Melissa served as an Equal Justice Works/Americorps Attorney in Minnesota where she developed and implemented programs that helped increase the availability of legal services to low-income individuals. She also worked as a research associate and criminologist in Florida where she trained juvenile justice staff and worked on the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice's What Works Initiative, which focused on providing research-based programming to juveniles in the criminal justice system.
Melissa received her law degree in 2001 from the University of Minnesota, and her M.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Florida State University in 2008. She has also taught several college level courses on law and the judicial system.
Phone: 801-433-3025Fax: 801-596-2011
Email: melissa@caputah.org
As the Asset Development Director for CAP Utah, Melissa works on a number of asset building programs, such as Utah Saves, and coordinates the statewide Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) outreach and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
Melissa also chairs the statewide Earn it. Keep it. Save it. coalition, which brings together community partners from across the state once a month to work on asset-building programs. This collaboration discusses statewide policy initiatives, VITA implementation, and strives to strengthen the VITA program throughout Utah. The Utah VITA effort has over 600 volunteers, working at 51 sites to complete over 15,000 free tax returns annually. Melissa previously worked on VITA and Community Action in Phoenix, Arizona. She not only gained a passion for community action and has become extremely dedicated to VITA by seeing the impact it has on families and communities.
Melissa, originally from Northern California earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from the University of Utah. During this time she became familiar with and dedicated to low-income issues within Utah. Later, she gained a Masters of Social Work degree with an emphasis in planning, administration and community from Arizona State University.
As the Asset Development Coordinator for CAP Utah, Casey works on issues related to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in both Salt Lake and Tooele counties. Working with the Growing Assets and Income Now (GAIN) coalition, Casey focuses on outreach for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other asset programs that strengthen low-to-moderate income families’ financial stability.
Casey has previous non-profit experience as a Direct Support Professional helping the people live independent lives, this experience helped guide him to work with Community Action Partnership of Utah. Casey holds a B.S. in Psychology from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan.
As the Data and Marketing Analyst, Heidi partners with Community Action agencies throughout the state of Utah. Her focus is to capture detailed information about how many low income people are being served in the state and to increase awareness of each program.
Heidi joins Community Action Partnership of Utah with over 12 years of for-profit marketing and management experience in the financial services industry. During this time, she managed corporate funding and volunteer services to serve local charities.
Heidi studied Critical Theory at the University of Utah and is currently working on her Master degree with a focus on Organizational Development.
