Meet our Teachers
Trust the Expertise of Utah's Best Teachers
Our teachers are among the best in the state for distance learning. They consider themselves your partners in your children's education and are available every school day to help you and your children through any challenges you may face.
Partner with Teachers Who Share Your Passion for Education
Although parents play the leading role in day-to-day lesson delivery, assessments, and time management for the K-8 program (and less for high school), parents are never alone in the education process. In fact, they interact with teachers on a regular basis, learning to navigate teaching techniques, pacing issues, comprehension challenges, positive reinforcement techniques, and other facets of the instruction experience.
Expect Your Teacher to Offer Consistent Support
You can be sure that support from your teacher is there, whenever you need it. In fact, you can expect to interact with your teacher on a regular basis during:
- Monthly progress meetings
- Parent/teacher workshops
- Teacher-guided outings
Meet our Teachers
Felicia Gomez Booth
is passionate about students achieving academic success. Her years of classroom and administrative experience give her an exceptionally well-rounded perspective, whether she is working with classroom teachers or administrators. Her commitment to bringing sound educational practices to school-age children guides and reinforces her natural teaching and leadership abilities. Felicia earned her early childhood/elementary degree from the University of Utah. Following an internship with the Salt Lake School District, she taught in inner-city bilingual schools. During this time, she was an adjunct professor for the University of Utah’s student teaching program. Felicia was a director of a federal child nutrition grant, and recently she has worked as an academic director implementing and supervising elementary programs in Utah charter schools. Whether implementing curriculum, authoring Core Knowledge Sequence units, mentoring teachers, or instructing in a classroom, Felicia is always committed to her educational ideals. She is a certified direct instruction consultant and is an experienced direct instruction teacher, coach, and administrator. With three boys who have attended public schools, charter schools, and home school and personal experience with special needs children, Felicia is a strong advocate for student and parental choice and responsibility in education.
Nichole Carter received her Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural systems technology from Utah State University. Then, she returned to USU and obtained a master’s degree in secondary education and a biology endorsement from the Utah State Office of Education. Mrs. Carter is going into her fifth year of teaching. She has taught teen health, integrated science, agricultural biology, and floriculture classes.
Cara Tolman Dansie graduated from Utah State University in 1993 with a major in German and minors in Spanish and Russian. After a year of study, she added a secondary education certification to her educational goals. She completed the five-year program in three. She has taught German, Russian, and Spanish at Carbon High School in Price, Utah. During those years, she participated in a German exchange program where she took some of her students to Germany for several weeks. When Cara and her husband were expecting their first child, she “retired” from her classroom but has continued to stay involved in education by homeschooling her children, tutoring other children, and also teaching or assisting in college courses.
Mary Dangerfield is in her fourth year of teaching. She is passionate about reaching the needs of gifted and talented students and is in the process of obtaining her endorsement in that area. A graduate of Brigham Young University, she has most of her experience in second grade but has worked with students from all grades K-8. Mary is full of energy and takes pride in making even the most trivial assignment seem fun, useful and engaging for her students.
Kristin S. Hilman has a master’s degree in secondary education from Utah State University and a bachelor’s degree in history and sociology from the University of Utah. She has taught social studies for 10 years at various Salt Lake-area schools, from junior high to high school to college. In addition to her education and experience, Kristin has traveled to 17 countries, which allows her to bring firsthand accounts to her geography and history classes.
Stacey Hutchings is a third-generation teacher. She says that teaching is in her blood! She earned her B.A. in teaching at Brigham Young University and her M.Ed from the University of Utah. Before coming to K12, her teaching experience included four years in a private school and three years in public schools. She believes that the K12 curriculum is the best there is, and she loves that Utah Virtual Academy allows her to work with parents and children to ensure that students receive the best education possible.
Nicole Keller comes to UTVA with three years of experience teaching Spanish in brick-and-mortar schools in Nevada and Utah. She became fluent in Spanish while she was living in southern Chile for 18 months, and received an associate degree in computer information and technologies from LDS Business College and a bachelor’s degree with a major in Spanish and a minor in choral music from Brigham Young University – Idaho. She is very excited to start working in a virtual environment.
Josh Mordecai’s passion for education began while he was teaching English as a service to elementary and high school students in the former Soviet Union in 1997. After returning to the United States, he received an academic scholarship to BYU and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. Following that, he obtained a secondary educator license in political science and history from Utah Valley State College. Since then, Mr. Mordecai has taught a variety of subjects to students at various levels—from special education and at-risk to honors. He has taught world, U.S. and Utah history, government, geography, psychology and current events to junior high and high school students at public, charter and private schools. Most recently, he was a teacher and student advisor at a school for troubled youth. He is passionate about motivating students to reach their potential and develop a life-long love for learning.
Angie Walker, UTVA High School English teacher, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Weber State University. She taught for three years at Farmington Jr. High school, volunteered as a reading tutor, and worked as a mentor for the Upward Bound program through Weber State University. Angie is excited to be on the staff at Utah Virtual Academy.
Nichole Carter received her Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural systems technology from Utah State University. Then, she returned to USU and obtained a master’s degree in secondary education and a biology endorsement from the Utah State Office of Education. Mrs. Carter is going into her fifth year of teaching. She has taught teen health, integrated science, agricultural biology, and floriculture classes.
Cara Tolman Dansie graduated from Utah State University in 1993 with a major in German and minors in Spanish and Russian. After a year of study, she added a secondary education certification to her educational goals. She completed the five-year program in three. She has taught German, Russian, and Spanish at Carbon High School in Price, Utah. During those years, she participated in a German exchange program where she took some of her students to Germany for several weeks. When Cara and her husband were expecting their first child, she “retired” from her classroom but has continued to stay involved in education by homeschooling her children, tutoring other children, and also teaching or assisting in college courses.
Mary Dangerfield is in her fourth year of teaching. She is passionate about reaching the needs of gifted and talented students and is in the process of obtaining her endorsement in that area. A graduate of Brigham Young University, she has most of her experience in second grade but has worked with students from all grades K-8. Mary is full of energy and takes pride in making even the most trivial assignment seem fun, useful and engaging for her students.
Kristin S. Hilman has a master’s degree in secondary education from Utah State University and a bachelor’s degree in history and sociology from the University of Utah. She has taught social studies for 10 years at various Salt Lake-area schools, from junior high to high school to college. In addition to her education and experience, Kristin has traveled to 17 countries, which allows her to bring firsthand accounts to her geography and history classes.
Stacey Hutchings is a third-generation teacher. She says that teaching is in her blood! She earned her B.A. in teaching at Brigham Young University and her M.Ed from the University of Utah. Before coming to K12, her teaching experience included four years in a private school and three years in public schools. She believes that the K12 curriculum is the best there is, and she loves that Utah Virtual Academy allows her to work with parents and children to ensure that students receive the best education possible.
Nicole Keller comes to UTVA with three years of experience teaching Spanish in brick-and-mortar schools in Nevada and Utah. She became fluent in Spanish while she was living in southern Chile for 18 months, and received an associate degree in computer information and technologies from LDS Business College and a bachelor’s degree with a major in Spanish and a minor in choral music from Brigham Young University – Idaho. She is very excited to start working in a virtual environment.
Josh Mordecai’s passion for education began while he was teaching English as a service to elementary and high school students in the former Soviet Union in 1997. After returning to the United States, he received an academic scholarship to BYU and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. Following that, he obtained a secondary educator license in political science and history from Utah Valley State College. Since then, Mr. Mordecai has taught a variety of subjects to students at various levels—from special education and at-risk to honors. He has taught world, U.S. and Utah history, government, geography, psychology and current events to junior high and high school students at public, charter and private schools. Most recently, he was a teacher and student advisor at a school for troubled youth. He is passionate about motivating students to reach their potential and develop a life-long love for learning.
Angie Walker, UTVA High School English teacher, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Weber State University. She taught for three years at Farmington Jr. High school, volunteered as a reading tutor, and worked as a mentor for the Upward Bound program through Weber State University. Angie is excited to be on the staff at Utah Virtual Academy.
