Our Team

Kristen Hackett, Executive Team Assistant and Intern Coordinator, became involved with United Families International while studying at BYU-Idaho. After completing a Bachelor of Science in Marriage and Family, and completing an internship with UFI, Kristen wanted to stay involved. The 5-Point Mission of UFI: family, marriage, life, parents, and religious liberty are passions for Kristen which she feels strongly need defending and strengthening. Most important to Kristen is her own family. She and her husband, Ryan, have 5 children, a beautiful daughter-in-law, one amazing grandson, Carter, and will soon welcome another grandson. Kristen loves doing anything with her family, but especially vacationing. She loves visiting new places and being exposed to new cultures. One of her favorite pastimes is reading. Most summer days you will find her sitting by her swimming pool, watching kids play and reading a good book!

I am a student at Brigham Young University Idaho, studying Family and Human Relations. I am set to graduate in July of 2024 with my bachelor's degree. I live in a small town in Idaho with my husband and our various barn animals where we live on a farm that keeps us plenty busy. I want to advocate for families and children by spreading the word about various issues that concern families and children.

Jennifer is a senior at Brigham Young University-Idaho and will be graduating in July 2024 with a bachelor's degree in Marriage and Family Studies. Through her studies at BYU-I, Jennifer has focused her interests on Child and Family Advocacy. Jennifer joins United Families International as an intern because of their commitment to strengthen and defend the family as a foundational unit of society. Jennifer resides in Meridian, Idaho and is married to her high school sweetheart. She is a mom to four children and has enjoyed homeschooling them for the past 11 years. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys gardening, photography, traveling, and exploring the outdoors with her family.

Annie is a senior at Brigham Young University- Idaho and is graduating in April 2024 with her degree in Marriage and Family Studies. She lives with her husband in Henderson, Nevada and together they have 6 awesome kids ranging from 19 to 8 years old. She loves spending time with her family, especially when food and games are involved. Annie enjoys reading books, listening to podcasts, baking and eating goodies, walking the dog and planning family adventures. She appreciates the opportunity to be involved with UFI in promoting marriage and family, two subjects near and dear to her heart.

Kinsley Price is a recent graduate of Brigham Young University-Idaho. She has a bachelor's degree in Marriage and Family Studies with a minor in Biology. Kinsley also studied Intercultural Peacebuilding at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, where she learned that achieving peace begins within, turning outward one person at a time. She hopes to use her education to do meaningful work that will uplift others and empower them to become the change needed in their families and communities. During her undergrad, she had the opportunity to attend CSW68 at the United Nations with United Families International, which furthered her passion for advocating for families in a world where families are easily overlooked.

Because I have spent the last 25 years raising a family with my husband, I have been quick to find interest in the defense of the family.  Promoting and assisting this defense has become a new passion.  I also enjoys reading, working as a family, hiking, long walks, and learning to cook healthy meals.

Graduating in Marriage and Family Studies, and as a wife and Moth, Cora has a vested interest in the family.  She has attended UN Meetings, and is excited to use her skills to strengthen the work of United Families International.

Sarah Sabin graduated from BYU-Idaho with a degree in Marriage and Family Studies,  She is married to her best friend and is a homeschooling mom of seven beautiful children.  She spends her time wrangling kids and animals at their family's hobby farm.

Sandy Howard's involvement with United Families International (UFI) has grown from her initial role as the Facebook Coordinator to her current volunteer roles as the HomeFront Director and a member of the UN Missions Team.  She is dedicated to the promotion and defense of traditional family values and constitutional freedoms. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in History from Brigham Young University, Sandy's academic pursuits mirror her love for the lessons of history and learning about other cultures. She enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, playing the piano, and cherishes time spent with family.  Alongside her husband, Quinn, she is a proud parent to six children and a doting grandparent to three grandchildren.

Yalaina Griffin graduated from Brigham Young University - Idaho in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in marriage and Family Studies.  She is passionate about strengthening and defending families, and began volunteering for United Families shortly after graduating.  She was raised in Utah and now lives in Missouri with her husband and two children.  Her hobbies include reading, learning the fine arts, and spending time outdoors.

Alexis Goodman Tarkalson is a senior at Brigham Young University-Idaho studying Political Science with an emphasis in American Government and a cluster in Spanish Fluent Speakers. She became interested in the field of government and allocation of power within the structure as a teenager in high school. In 2022, she did her internship with United Families International and wrote for the blog. Currently, Alexis still works with United Families as a writer and oversees interns writing blogs and their Universal Periodic Reviews. Alexis hopes to attend law school where she can either become a family lawyer and help families stay together, or a constitutional lawyer and fight for religious liberties. When she is not writing or doing research, Alexis loves to spend time with her husband and little boy outside hiking or inside cooking in the kitchen!

Rachel Cannon graduated from Brigham Young University - Idaho in Marriage and Family Studies. She loves to learn new things and spend time in nature. She comes from a family of eight and married her best friend. She says family is her greatest joy in life and is excited about the opportunity to strengthen other families so they can experience that joy too. She has always been passionate about her faith, freedom, and families. She says all of those things come together working with United Families International. Promoting and defending freedom and the family is our most important responsibility.

Jessie Keller, Social Media Coordinator, grew up on Colorado’s Western Slope where she played softball, rode horses, and learned life skills from the strong women in her family. Later she moved to Utah where she started her family, ran her own business, and immersed herself in volunteer and advocacy work for the East Millcreek community and Granite School District. As a transplant to Dallas, Texas in 2012, she quickly found a perfect fit volunteering in the Plano Independent School District. Jessie has over 15 years of experience as a volunteer and advocate for children. Jessie graduated from Brigham Young University, Idaho in the spring of 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Marriage and Family Studies. She followed her degree up by earning her certificate in Human Resource Management, also from Brigham Young University, Idaho in 2020. She celebrated her 23rd wedding anniversary in the summer of 2021 and has three children. Jessie now lives in North West Arkansas with her husband and youngest child.

Bob Spiel, UFI Chairman of the Board, acts as a catalyst for the organization to help facilitate the energy and creativity of the UFI leadership team, as well as help guide its strategic direction. He holds a Master’s Degree in Business from the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University where he specialized in finance and operations management. Bob is a consultant, author and nationally sought after speaker on leadership and customer service. Throughout his career he has worked as a hospital CEO, surgical center CEO, as well as an operations director and COO for two mid-cap companies and a venture capital firm. Bob is the founder and CEO of Spiel & Associates, Inc., a healthcare management consulting firm. He and his wife Judene are the parents of 6 children and the grandparents of 13.

Esme Weathers, Director of Finance, is in charge of UFI’s administration affairs and oversees the organization’s finances. She graduated from Brigham Young University Hawaii with a B.S. in Accounting and minor in Organizational Behavior. Esme has been with UFI ever since she was an accounting intern. She was able to join the team in action for CSW 2012 in United Nations and knows how important UFI’s work is. She is from Malaysia and is fluent in 4 languages. Esme enjoys diversity and loves learning about different cultures and traditions. Her belief and personal background has lead her to have a great passion for protecting and strengthening the family. Esme and Matt, her husband are enjoying and learning the ropes of parenthood with their little ones.

Susan Roylance, Director of International Policy and Social Development, is the author/compiler of several books on international family policy, including the UN Negotiating Guide, The Family and the MDGs – Using Family Capital to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals and Family Capital and the SDGs – Implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Susan participated in many international conferences – and traveled to forty-four countries – visiting orphanages and street children programs, and helping develop family-based care for orphans. Susan is a founder of United Families International (1978), and has been actively involved in many pro-family organizations. She was the CEO/Manager of Roylance Publishing. Susan was a candidate for the U.S. Congress from Washington State, and chaired several initiatives and referendums in Washington and Oregon. She authored a blog for the Deseret News, a Utah daily newspaper, titled: “Families around the World.” Susan and Robert are the parents of seven children, thirty-four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

April H Gallart, Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) Coordinator and Director of Mission Relations. April attends CSW every year and coordinates UFI team member visits with delegations from around the world. April often serves as mission leader on many of these visits, during which UFI team members present materials which assist ambassadors and counselors in promoting the inclusion of family-friendly language in UN documents. April maintains and develops relations with missions and delegates through out the year. April is bilingual and speaks English and Spanish. She worked as a bilingual elementary school teacher for 2 years and frequently uses her Spanish speaking ability during mission visits. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from CSU Long Beach and a California Teacher’s credential. Issues that she is passionate about include parental rights and religious freedom. She and her husband, Henry, have 4 children.

Marcia Barlow, Vice President of Policy and Senior Advisor, oversees “all things UN” for United Families International. She directs the development and updating of the UN Negotiating Guide and oversees research and policy analysis on domestic, as well as international issues. Some of Marcia’s favorite UFI projects are the Guide to Family Issues series and UFI’s new “Discussion Group” curriculum. She’s particularly interested in the Religious Freedom issue and you’ll often find her testifying at municipal and legislative hearings around the country. Marcia holds a Master’s Degree from Harvard University (Kennedy School of Government) where she specialized in public policy. She and her husband, Greg, have three children and six grandchildren and she’ll tell you that it doesn’t get better than being a grandma.

Before joining UFI, Wendy served as the United Nations Policy and Projects Coordinator for International Organization for the Family and has also been on the leadership team of Sustainable Families. In these roles she has traveled the world meeting with UN Ambassadors and Delegates, attending meetings, sharing materials, and speaking in defense of those things that strengthen the family. Wendy is passionate about the family and religious liberty. She, and her husband Brad have five children and have loved moving into the grandparent stage of life. Wendy finds her greatest pleasures spending time with her family, or becoming familiar with the different beauties, cultures and people of the world.

Greg's professional career has focused on institutional and private real estate investing, development and management.  He has been an active supporter of United Families International for 25 years.  An eternal optimist, Greg believes that society and culture will ultimately return to a traditional view of family and life.

Camille Stilson Williams (J.D., M.A., Brigham Young University) worked as part of the Family Law Research Project at the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University, and has taught family law for undergraduates. Her research interests are related to women’s and family issues. Her publications have supported the sanctity of human life and the necessity of the natural family for the flourishing of individuals and societies. She currently works as an assistant city attorney. She and her husband, Richard, are the parents of five, and the grandparents of twenty-four.

Brad Wixom holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University. Brad has worked in the computer industry, and as CEO/President of a start-up company with sales worldwide. Brad moved into the Energy Industry to work more closely with his family serving as a Director and co-owner of two different organizations. Brad has spoken internationally at United Nations meetings and the World Congress of Families. Brad coauthored a chapter for publication in the book Family Capital and the SDGs: Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. Above all this, Brad views his biggest accomplishments as his marriage of over 30 years to his best friend, Wendy, and the close relationship with their five children, spouses, and grandchildren.

Carol Soelberg, UFI Board Member and Vice President of Organization Development, oversees UFI’s volunteers, internship program, and development of chapters. She has been with United Families International for over ten years lobbying at the UN, attending and speaking at World Congress of Families, organizing chapters, serving as state chapter leader, and as past President of UFI (2006-2008; 2010-Sept, 2013). Carol is the wife of J. Glade Soelberg, mother of 13 married children and grandmother to a growing number of grandchildren. She has a B.A. in Education and Home, Family, and Child Development.

Phil Marriott has served on United Families International’s Board of Directors since 2007. Phil has been involved in many entrepreneurial activities, including real estate development in Texas and Utah. He has worked primarily as a securities financial advisor and has provided insurance solutions as well. Mr. Marriott has served on numerous boards and commissions and been involved with various non-profits, including the CAMIE Awards – an organization that rewards Character and Morality In Entertainment. Mr. Marriott and his wife Cheryl have been married 37 years, and they have five children and seven grandchildren.