Symposium 2017: The Student Executive Committee
Every year a talented group of BYU Law Students devotes countless volunteer hours to the success of the International Law and Religion Symposium. Under the direction of Center Associate Director Elizabeth Clark, Committee Members do everything from coordinating the complicated master schedule of all events, including the schedules of numerous delegates, to coordinating transportation of the delegates to and from the airport and various venues, and many important tasks in between. Preparation starts weeks in advance and, beginning with the arrival of the first delegate a few days before the Symposium and continuing until the last delegate departs, these students are available, working hard, and smiling. Past Symposium delegates have commented on the dedication and commitment of our Executive Committee, and we at the Center are grateful for their exemplary work.
The Committee for the 24th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium are:
- Master Schedule. Jessica Farnsworth, Chair, and Shelise Rupp. The team coordinates and oversees the Master Schedule of all Symposium events, including delegate schedules. This involves knowing the comings and goings of all sub-committees and adjusting on the fly.
- Recruitment. Jacob Crump and Brenden Stuart, Co-Chairs, with Sara Plater and Rhonda Peck. The team recruits, organizes, and supervises all student volunteers from the law school and BYU student body, as well as coordinating campus-wide events for Symposium delegates.
- Transportation. Joshua Prince, Chair, with Mark Petersen, Scott Mosley, Stephanie Lofgreen, and George Simons. Their responsibilities include ensuring the safe travel of each delegate to and from the airport and each venue. They coordinate the volunteer drivers but often spend hours driving themselves.
- Concierge / Hosting. Elizabeth MacLachlan and David Headley, Co-Chairs, with Justin Miller and Malea Moody. This team oversees the concierge desk during Symposium as well as other hosting details for delegates and attendees.
- Documents. Nate Kinghorn and Kaleb Brimhall, Co-Chairs, with Karen Sullivan, Athelia Graham, and Emily Parkinson. Responsibilities include gathering delegate presentations and coordinating with translators, compiling moderator packets, preparing documents for publication, and various other important details.
Jessica Farnsworth
Chair, Master Schedule
Jessica Farnsworth is third-year BYU Law student from Provo, Utah. She graduated from BYU with a degree in Middle East Studies/Arabic. Before graduating she served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Thailand and studied abroad in Amman, Jordan. She loves learning about people through studying languages, politics, and religions, and traveling around the world. She is interested in human rights and comparative law. Working as a Student Fellow for the International Center for Law and Religion Studies, and completing an internship in Hong Kong during summer 2016 was a dream come true for her as she was able to return to Asia and research religious freedom issues. She was a member of the 2016-2017 Center Student Management Board. She served on the Master Schedule Team of the Symposium 2016 Student Executive Committee and is the Chair of the 2018 Master Schedule Team.
Shelise Rupp
Master Schedule
Shelise Rupp is from Thousand Oaks, California, and graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English. Before coming to Provo, she had the opportunity to work as a docent at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, and she also served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines. She loves the law and language and learning for its own sake, and is especially passionate about religious freedom around the world. She is grateful for the opportunities that the Center has given her to bring these loves together. And though still exploring various career options, she values the chance to work with the Center to develop skills that she hopes to use throughout her life. Shelise was a 2016 Student Fellow for the Center and this year volunteers on the Master Schedule team for the 2017 International Law and Religion Symposium.
Jacob Crump
Co-Chair, Recruitment
Jacob Crump was born and raised in Lehi, Utah, as the second oldest child of Stan and Holly Crump. Following his graduation from Lehi High School in 2008, he served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Republic of Fiji, where he developed a love of Polynesian languages, culture, and food. After his mission, Jacob graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Linguistics and a minor in Rhetoric and Writing. He was a 2016 ICLRS Student Fellow. Most of his interests in law lie in first amendment questions and issues dealing with civil rights. In his free time, Jacob loves hiking, camping, canyoneering, disc golfing, running, reading, and being a favorite uncle to his niece and nephews. Jacob was volunteered on the recruiting team for last year’s International Law and Religion Symposium and co-chairs this year’s recruiting team.
Brenden Stuart
Co-Chair, Recruitment
Brenden Stuart was raised in San Bernardino, California. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sydney, Australia. After his mission, Brenden moved to Utah and attended the LDS Business College in Salt Lake City. He then transferred to Brigham Young University-Idaho where he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in business management emphasizing in finance. During the summer of 2016, Brenden was a student fellow for the International Center for Law and Religion Studies. This externship took him to Hong Kong. He co-chairs the Recruitment Team on the 2017 Symposium Executive Committee. Brenden has a strong desire to be a force for good in this world. Brenden enjoys the outdoors and loves riding quads, hiking, shooting, and camping.
Sara Plater
Recruitment
Sara Plater was born and raised in Reno, Nevada. She attended Brigham Young University majoring in Sociology with a minor in Philosophy. During her time at BYU she volunteered and interned with social workers discovering a love for helping people one on one. She also did research on international human rights, which led to her love for international religious freedom. She served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from January 2013 – August 2014. She loves hiking, traveling, and playing racquetball. Sara is now in her second year of Law School and spent the summer of 2017 as a student fellow for the International Center for Law and Religion Studies in Hong Kong.
Joshua Prince
Chair, Transportation
Joshua Prince was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Upon graduating high school, he enrolled in Brigham Young University. After a year of study, he served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Donetsk, Ukraine. In Ukraine, Joshua developed a deep love for both the Ukrainian people and the Russian language that he spoke. Upon returning to BYU, he continued his study of the Russian language, ultimately earning a BA in Russian. During his time at BYU, he received several awards in national contests for written Russian. He was married in February 2013, and he and his wife are the proud parents of a beautiful girl. He has a deep respect for the goals of the ICLRS, and hopes that he can continue the work of religious freedom during his time with the Center. Joshua spent the summer of 2016 as an ICLRS Student Fellow, working as an extern for part of the summer in Moscow, Russia. He also assisted with the Center’s 2016 Regional Conference in Talinn, Estonia. Joshua served on the 2016-2017 Student Management Board and on the 2016 International Law and Religion Symposium Executive Committee. This year, he chairs the transportation team for the 2017 Symposium Executive Committee.
Scott Mosley
Transportation
Scott Mosley was born and raised in Mission Viejo, California. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Philosophy. In-between his first and second year of university he served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Calgary, Canada. From a young age he has been interested in the concepts of fairness and justice and hopes to help the International Center for Law and Religion Studies in its mission to promote religious freedom around the world. He spent part of summer 2017 on an externship in Accra, Ghana as a student fellow for the Center and jointed the the Executive Committee…
George Simons
Transportation
George Simons was raised in Covington, Washington, the youngest of four children. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salvador, Brazil, and later graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from BYU-Idaho. He spent the next few years working, flip-flopping between outdoor recreation and political campaigning as the seasons saw fit. He currently studies the laws of man in light of the laws of God at J. Reuben Clark Law School. George spent part of the summer of 2017 in São Paulo, Brazil as a student fellow for the International Center of Law and Religion Studies.
Elizabeth MacLachlan
Co-Chair, Concierge / Hosting
Elizabeth MacLachlan was born in Saskatchewan, Canada and grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Rapid City, South Dakota. Elizabeth is a third-year law student at J. Reuben Clark Law School. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS in Family Life, where she co-authored a paper entitled “The Power of Prayer in Transforming Individuals and Marital Relationships: A Qualitative Examination of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Families,” published in Review of Religious Research. Elizabeth’s love of learning about world cultures and religions brought her to travel to Jordan and Israel during her undergraduate studies. In 2016 she interned at the law firm Matheson in Dublin, Ireland, where she worked in the firm’s International Corporate department. Last year she served on the 2016 Symposium Executive Committee and returns this year to co-chair the concierge / hosting team. Elizabeth enjoys playing violin, creating artwork, and reading fantasy and science fiction novels.
David Headley
Co-Chair, Concierge / Hosting
David Headley is a third-year law student from Phoenix, Arizona. He is the youngest child of George and Clara Jo Headley. David served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where he developed a deep love for the Brazilian people and Portuguese language. After his mission, David graduated from Southern Utah University with a degree in Economics and a minor in Finance. In 2016 he had the opportunity to return to his beloved Brazil, completing an externship for Veirano Advogados. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, golfing, coaching baseball, and spending time with loved ones. This is David’s second year on the Symposium Executive Committee. David is grateful for the opportunity to be a member of the Student Executive Committee, and hopes to work with religious freedom for the remainder of his life.
Justin Miller
Concierge / Hosting
Justin Miller was raised in Star Valley, Wyoming. Following his graduation from Star Valley High School in 2011, and two academic semesters at Brigham Young University, he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chihuahua, Mexico. After his mission, he returned to Brigham Young University where he majored in history and minored in Latin American Studies, graduating with University Honors in 2016. Justin married his best friend Megan in 2016. Justin was a 2017 Student Fellow for the International Center for law and Religion Studies and spent part of the summer in Mexico working for the Area Legal Counsel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In his free time, Justin enjoys reading literature, trail running, learning new languages, and spending time with his growing family.
Malea Moody
Concierge / Hosting
Malea Moody was raised in St. George, Utah. She studied Physics for 3 years at Utah State University and worked as a research assistant at the Space Dynamics Laboratory. She served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Lima, Peru, where she developed a desire to help people who cannot help themselves. When she returned, she transferred to Brigham Young University and graduated with Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a minor in Mathematics. During the summer of 2017, she was an extern with Spain’s Ministry of Justice where she learned more about religious freedom and international law. She also spent a week volunteering at the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project in Dilley, Texas helping prepare women for Credible Fear Interviews in order to receive asylum. She now works as a member of the center’s Student Management Board doing research. She is excited to continue to learn about International Law and Religious Freedom.
Nathan Kinghorn
Co-Chair, Documents
Nate Kinghorn is the oldest of ten children. He grew up in the small town of Sugar City, Idaho. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Peru, Lima South Mission and fell in love with the people, culture, and cuisine of Peru. Upon returning from his mission he resumed school at BYU-Idaho, where he enjoyed participating in and serving in leadership positions of many campus organizations. He received a bachelors degree in Communication, with an emphasis in Organizational and Interpersonal Communication, and a minor in Business. He graduated magna cum laude and received the Gordon B. Hinckley communicator award. While at school, he worked as a legal assistant for Breck Barton & Associates in Rexburg, Idaho, where he became interested in law. He met and married Tawny Tanner and they have two beautiful children. He was an ICLRS Student Fellow in 2016 working in Peru. This is Nate’s second year on the Symposium Executive Committee. Nate enjoys spending time with family, friends, playing any sport, reading, and being in the outdoors.
Kaleb Brimhall
Co-Chair, Documents
Kaleb Brimhall was raised in Taylor, Arizona by parents who taught him the paramount nature of constitutional freedoms, especially the freedom of religion. From 1999 to 2001 Kaleb served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines. Kaleb graduated from Arizona State University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. For 12 years Kaleb has worked in engineering, executive leadership, and compliance for water and electric utility companies in Arizona and Colorado. He married his best friend in 2004, and they have been blessed with four amazing children. Kaleb’s primary purpose for attending law school is to gain the skills and knowledge he needs to better defend the constitutional rights of all people, especially in regard to religious freedom. Kaleb was a 2016 Student Research Fellow for the International Center for Law and Religion Studies. This is his second year serving on the Symposium Executive Committee.
Athelia Graham
Documents
Athelia Graham grew up in Orem, UT, the daughter of a BYU Linguistics Professor (dad) and an English Teacher (mom). She attended BYU earning an undergraduate degree in Spanish teaching, and played soccer with the lady Cougars for 5 years. She continued with graduate school at BYU and studied TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages). After finishing her masters degree, Athelia moved to Washington, DC and taught English as a second language to elementary students in Alexandria, VA. She loved the East Coast but returned to BYU for law school. She was a 2017 Student Fellow for the International Center for Law and Religion Studies which included an externship in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She loves being active, hiking in the mountains, playing any kind of sport, playing the piano, reading historical fiction and non-fiction, and cooking delicious food.
Karen Sullivan
Documents
Karen Sullivan is a native of Sandy, Utah. She earned a degree in Broadcast Journalism from BYU, and worked for a brief stint at the NBC affiliate in Salt Lake City following graduation. Karen then served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Atlanta, Georgia. Following her mission, she fell in love with Washington, D.C. while working for the House Committee on Natural Resources. During law school Karen has enjoyed getting involved where ever she can from co-curricular activities to pro bono nights. Through travel, study, and work abroad Karen has developed a love of the many ways people worship the God of their understanding. She deeply believes in the importance of religious freedom.
