The Fine Arts Ambassadors at the University of Utah is a group College of Fine Arts alumni, now professionals active in the arts community and eager to advance the mission of the College of Fine Arts. Formed in summer of 2020, the FAA seeks to increase representation and advocacy for the University of Utah College of Fine Arts in local and national arts communities, provide mentorship to current students, and connect alumni back to the ongoing work of the College.
Jazmin Gallegos (she/her/hers) is the Community Outreach & Studio Coordinator for the Book Arts Program at the J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah where she organizes and facilitates book arts workshops for University of Utah campus students, faculty and staff as well as the broader community. Born and raised in Salt Lake City, her interest in visual arts began at a very young age which led her to obtain a degree in Art Teaching from the University of Utah. She is thrilled to be advocating for art education in schools around Utah and hopes to continue making art including her hand-bound books in her free time. She also enjoys hot yoga, pet-sitting, hiking, kayaking, camping and relaxing with friends and family.
Nick Pedersen received his BFA in Photography from the University of Utah, and his MFA in Digital Arts from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Nick's work combines his own photography, digital collage, and printmaking techniques to create elaborate, photorealistic images focusing on environmental issues. His artwork has been shown in galleries across the country and internationally, including the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, Paradigm Gallery, Antler Gallery, and UMOCA. He has published two artist books featuring his long-term personal projects Sumeru and Ultima, and his work has been featured in publications such as Vogue, Create Magazine, Juxtapoz, and Hi-Fructose. Many of his images have been recognized with awards from the International Photography Awards, the Future Art Awards, the Adobe Design Achievement Awards, and the Photoshop Guru Award. As an educator he teaches workshops on photomontage and digital collage with Domestika, and has lectured at Pratt Institute, NYU Polytechnic Institute, and the University of Utah. Nick has also completed artist residencies at the Banff Center in Canada, the Gullkistan Creative Residency in Iceland, the Taft-Nicholson Center in Montana, and the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art to work on his environmental projects.
Lydia Martin, originally from West Palm Beach, FL, graduated from the University of Utah in 2018 with her BFA in Modern Dance and BS in Psychology. After graduating, she worked as a freelance artist and performed in Nu.topia: Tour the Mystery!, as well as Brine’s production “NaCl 18.” She currently works as a Benefits Specialist for Clearlink Technologies, LLC., and is an artist and performer with Fem Dance Company and Oquirrh West Project. With Oquirrh West Project, Lydia also serves as the Community Outreach Director, collaborating with high schools to increase accessibility to the arts. She currently lives in Salt Lake City and is attending the University of South Florida as an MBA candidate with an emphasis in Healthcare Analytics.
Severin Sargent-Catterton (she/they), of Ellicott City, Maryland, grew up immersed in various western dance techniques before setting sights on modern dance. Studying under Marilyn Byers, Severin practiced Nikolais technique before moving to Salt Lake City to continue her dance studies at the University of Utah. During her completion of her Honors Bachelor of Fine Arts at the School of Dance, Severin performed works by Anouk Van Dijk, Eric Handman, and others. She also performed Outdoors, Noa Zuk and Ohad Fishof, with Repertory Dance Theater during their Fall 2019 season. Post graduation, Severin taught for Johns Hopkins University. She has performed with sonderIMMERSIVE, Interdisciplinary Arts Collective, Myriad Dance, and Deseret Experimental Opera. Severin continues to create and move for various artists around the Salt Lake Valley. Severin is currently Artist and Administrative Coordinator for UtahPresents.
During his undergraduate career, Alston Crosby was a part of several campus multimedia production teams including View From The U Productions under Student Media. He earned his BFA in Film & Media Arts in 2021, and since then has been working as a Photojournalist / News Photographer for KSL 5 TV. He also filmed various classes and events around the U for Digital Learning Technologies located in the Faculty Center in the Marriott Library. Aside from these roles, Alston has interned multiple times for the Utah Film Center and has worked on a variety of video shoots including commercials, documentaries, and music videos. His most recent film "Miriam - A Holocaust Survival Story", documenting the life and journey of an elderly Holocaust survivor, was completed in late 2023 and is expected to make its festival debut later this year. His most favorite experience while in school was participating in Study Abroad trips to Italy in 2018 and 2019 with the film department.
Olivia Custodio has built her career in development in the arts sector, holding positions of leadership at Salt Lake Acting Company, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and currently serves as the Director of Major Gifts at the Sphinx Organization. She is deeply committed to social justice work within the arts and the advancement of equity, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility. Olivia holds a BFA in Vocal Performance from Carnegie Mellon University and a MM in Vocal Performance from the University of Utah. On top of her life as a development professional, Olivia is an opera singer, actor, and playwright. She has appeared in numerous productions in the Salt Lake Valley, and most recently was the playwright for Salt Lake Acting Company's 2024 Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive. www.oliviacustodio.com
Merinda Starnes received her BMU in Instrumental Performance (Harp) in 2022, and graduated with the first Music Entrepreneurship Certificate. While at the U she was awarded Outstanding Senior, was an extremely engaged ArtsForce intern with the College of Fine Arts, Event Chair for the Women’s Artistic Leadership Initiative, Marketing and Communications intern for UtahPresents as Kingsbury Hall and sat as the Development Head for the American Harp Society, Utah Chapter. Currently, Merinda is the Program Manager for The Blocks Arts District in SLC, where she supports artists and arts organizations in the downtown area and ensures the arts are alive and thriving. She also teaches private harp lessons and performs as a freelance musician. The College of Fine Arts at the University of Utah provided so many invaluable resources during her time that set her up for success upon graduating. She is thrilled to connect with students and support them as they start their own career in the arts.
Jessica Graham is a theatre artist currently based in Salt Lake City. She is a founding member of Footpath Theatre Co. who aims to create theatre that connects with audiences in ways unique to the medium of live performance, and is particularly interested in exploring relationship to environment. With Footpath, Jessica has traveled to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and put up several award-winning productions at the Great Salt Lake Fringe. Since graduating from the Actor Training Program in 2021, Jessica has lived and worked in San Francisco, Colorado, and Ireland, as a production manager, outdoor adventure guide, and educator (among other roles). She is thrilled to be back in SLC making theatre with pals and spending time in the mountains and desert.