The Center Thanks the Summer Research Fellows for 2015
The International Center for Law and Religion Studies expresses its thanks to the outstanding scholars who have completed their term as Summer Research Fellows. The program brings the students into the worldwide work of the Center, as they complete internships with the offices of the legal counsels of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City and in many other parts of the world, participate in Center research, writing, and publishing projects, and help to maintain the Center’s international web presence. This year’s group of fourteen students spent time in Brazil, South Africa, Germany, Argentina, New Zealand, Mexico, Hong Kong, Russia, and Salt Lake City….
Tanner J. Bean
São Paulo, Brazil
Tanner Bean grew up in South Jordan, Utah. After graduating from Bingham High School in 2009, he attended Snow College to graduate with his associate’s degree in 2010. He then served as a full-time missionary in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Upon his return from Brazil, Tanner attended Brigham Young University where he graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. He was married in May of 2014. Tanner enjoys writing poetry, the arts, and the summer heat.
Tye L. Christensen
São Paulo, Brazil
Tye Christensen was born in Decatur, Alabama. Although his family moved around while growing up, he claims Idaho Falls, Idaho as his home. He attended Brigham Young University – Idaho (BYU-I) for a semester before serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Londrina, Brazil. Upon his return, Tye continued pursuing his degree at BYU-I in International Studies. In 2013 he participated in a semester study abroad program in Jerusalem, Israel. He graduated from BYU-I in April 2014 and began at the J. Reuben Clark Law School in the fall. Tye is excited to return to Brazil and to work with the Area Legal Counsel for the LDS Church there.
Ian Collins
Johannesburg, South Africa
Ian Collins grew up in Redding, California where he developed a love for snowboarding and an interest in law at nearby Mt. Shasta. To distract him from the cold lift rides up the mountain, Ian’s father, a civil litigator, would discuss his cases with Ian, never knowing those conversations would result in law school. Ian served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Madagascar, where he became fluent in Malagasy. Ian attended BYU and graduated with a degree in political science in April 2014. While at BYU he spent a semester in Washington D.C. on BYU’s Washington Seminar Program as an intern for the Federal Judicial Center. Ian is now in his first year at BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School and is looking forward to working in Johannesburg this summer.
David M. Doty
Frankfurt, Germany
BYU Law student, David Doty, became interested in freedom of religion after joining the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 24 in New York City in 2009. As a by-product of the missionary proselytizing efforts, he wants freedom of religion to be globally accepted so that all can make decisions freely and in-line with their conscience. Prior to law school, David worked for seven years in financial services. Now married with three children, David is excited to work on a variety of legal issues related to the Church while in Frankfurt, and then work along with BYU faculty on research that further the mission of the International Center for Law & Religion.
Lauren M. Flores
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Lauren M. Flores was born and raised in Compton, California. She graduated from BYU in 2012, with a bachelor’s degree in Communications (Print Journalism: Design & News Media) with minors in Editing, Spanish, and International Development. While at BYU, Lauren participated in the performing group Living Legends, which celebrates Native American, Latin American, and Polynesian cultures. Before beginning law school, she served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Texas Houston East Mission. She is enrolled in the joint JD/MPA program at Brigham Young University. In her spare time, Lauren enjoys crossing items off of bucket…
John L. Gibbons
Salt Lake City, Utah
John Gibbons grew up in Yorktown, Virginia and graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. As an undergraduate, John interned for U.S. Representative Jason Chaffetz, and his paper “Populism and the 2005 Iranian presidential election” was published in BYU’s Sigma: Journal of International and Political Studies. He served a Spanish-speaking LDS mission in Carlsbad, California from 2010-2012. John met his wife, who served an LDS mission in Chile, shortly after returning from his mission. They have one daughter and are expecting their second child in late spring 2015. John is an avid reader of biographies and…
Adam P. Forsyth
Salt Lake City, Utah
The oldest of 10 children, Adam P. Forsyth has set an example in education throughout his academic career. With multiple awards and achievements in high school, Adam brought his dedication and hard work to Southern Utah University where he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and an Associate’s in Paralegal. Those degrees have led him to law school where he continues to dedicate his time in pursuit of scholarly interests toward freedom of religion, constitutional rights of habeas corpus, and criminal law. He is married to Carly Forsyth and has one beautiful daughter.
Michael K. Goodrich
Auckland, New Zealand
Michael Goodrich grew up in Lindon, Utah and decided to go to law school while attending Pleasant Grove High School. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Baltimore, Maryland, and returned home to study history of religion and philosophy at BYU. He is fascinated by the many religions of the world and loves to learn about other cultures. He was very excited to be accepted to the J. Reuben Clark Law School because of the Center for Law and Religion Studies, and plans to study Constitutional law with an emphasis in civil rights and first amendment issues. He also enjoys ballroom and Latin dancing, jazz music, and…
Ryan W. Jolley
Mexico City, Mexico
Ryan Jolley was born and raised in Southeast Idaho. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. He married Amanda in August of 2012. He graduated from BYU-Idaho with a degree in Sociology and a Criminology certificate. During his undergraduate program he spent a summer managing a rubber tree plantation in Guatemala, which further increased his love for the Spanish culture. He also spent two summers working for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game supervising inmates working on projects to improve outdoor recreational…
Leilani D. Maldonado
Lima, Peru
Leilani Maldonado was raised in Southern California. She completed a Spanish-speaking mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chicago, and later graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Linguistics. After relocating to the Bay Area with her husband for work and becoming acquainted with a female immigration lawyer, she discovered she could combine her interest in international affairs, human rights, and peace-building with a family-friendly career by practicing immigration law. Leilani is now in her first year at BYU Law School and is eager to work for the ICLRS in Lima, Peru next summer.
Scott A. Ludlow
Hong Kong
Scott Ludlow was raised in Modesto, California and Atlanta, Georgia. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bangalore, India. Afterwards, he graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.S. in Economics and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. Scott performed in The Decameron, and Baby With the Bathwater, and stage-managed Prometheus Unbound as an undergrad. His hobbies are weight training, following the Atlanta Braves, and spending time with his beautiful wife, Carly.
Abby McKeon
Frankfurt, Germany
Abby McKeon is from Alpine, Utah and earned her bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in editing from Brigham Young University. While at BYU, she enjoyed completing a study abroad in Siena, Italy. After getting involved with the 2014 Law and Religion Symposium, Abby is excited to have the opportunity to work with the International Center for Law and Religion Studies as a Research Fellow. She loves reading, baking, bike riding, and skiing.
McKenna Mills
Moscow, Russia
McKenna Mills grew up in Queen Creek, Arizona where she learned to love the heat. McKenna attended Arizona State University and graduated summa cum laude with degrees in History and Culture, Communications, and Global Studies. She loves to travel and learn about other cultures and recently spent a summer in South Korea teaching English to grade school children. McKenna is currently a first year law student at the J. Reuben Clark Law School and is interested in religious and human right issues around the world and hopes to pursue a career in International Law. McKenna is excited to work in Moscow this summer where she will learn to love the cold.
Emily Page
Auckland, New Zealand
Emily Page grew up in Spring, Texas but spent her high school years living in Moscow, Russia and traveling throughout Europe. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS in Geography. Emily spent the summer of 2014 in Hong Kong, working as an intern for in the Asia Area Office of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and she is excited to be working with the New Zealand Area Legal Counsel this summer. Emily enjoys traveling, taking pictures, floral design, and playing volleyball.