On April 16, 2025, the Utah Valley University Board of Trustees and Presidential Awards of Excellence program honored full-time faculty and staff who dedicate their time and talents to students, scholarship, and the advancement of higher education.
On April 16, 2025, the Utah Valley University Board of Trustees and Presidential Awards of Excellence program honored full-time faculty and staff who dedicate their time and talents to students, scholarship, and the advancement of higher education. These individuals embrace UVU’s core values of exceptional care, exceptional accountability, and exceptional results.
Awardees and their guests enjoyed an evening of celebration and recognition with fine dining, musical performances from Artiva Strings and a harp and vocal duet by Cyndi and Alyssa Moody, and remarks from UVU leaders.
“Combining the years of service of all the awardees tonight would equal 161 years,” UVU Board of Trustees member Andrea Clarke said. “These years represent the investment, dedication, and commitment that they have all given to UVU.”
“Each of our awardees has demonstrated commitment to UVU’s mission of student success, innovation, and academic excellence,” UVU Acting President Jim Mortensen said. They have not only excelled in their respective roles but have also inspired those around them with their dedication, passion, and most importantly, service.”
Mario Daniel Markides hails from the beautiful Swedish capital city of Stockholm. He holds an Associate of Science in aviation science, a Bachelor of Science in technology management, and a Master of Public Service, all from UVU. During his almost three decades of experience at UVU, Markides has made a significant impact on the fabric of UVU. Amongst his accomplishments, he has highlighted serving as a UVSELF Senior Executive Leadership Forum member in the 2023-24 session, receiving a UVU Spot Service Award, and receiving a UVU Distinguished Employee Dean’s Award. A meaningful institution for both he and his family, UVU has been what Markides called a “definitive cornerstone of my journey, shaping my life in transformative ways.” He appreciates how UVU has cultivated an atmosphere of mentorship, teamwork, and collaboration. Markides is a proud parent of two children (Elliana and Alec) and views them and his partner Nicole as his greatest sources of unwavering support. When he and his family aren’t pursuing education, they have many enriching hobbies, including skiing, camping, hiking, and reconnecting with family in Stockholm, Athens, and the Greek island of Evia.
Barney Nye, Ph.D., hails from nearby Provo, Utah, and first made his mark at UVU as a student employee and summer staff member for the TRIO programs in 1996. He holds a Bachelor of Science in integrated studies from UVU and a Master of Public Administration and Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah. Nye is passionate about education and student success and has received the UVU Student Affairs Award of Excellence, a Champion of UVU Award, a TRIO Heart Award, and many other recognitions. His favorite part of working at UVU is the way people cheer for each other’s successes and roll up their sleeves to help. Nye has had many mentors at UVU and calls himself lucky to work with his amazing leadership team in Access and Outreach. Nye attributes any success he’s had to the support of his mom and his husband, Adam. He and Adam love to be “the favorite uncles” and are doting cat dads to Misty and Stormy.
K. Wade Oliver, Ed.D., hails from Utah’s capital city and has been a UVU Wolverine since 2010. Oliver holds a Bachelor of Science in sociology from the University of Utah, a Master of Science in instructional technology and learning sciences from Utah State University, and an Ed.D. in higher education administration from Northeastern University. Oliver has represented UVU as a Senior Fellow for Advance HE, received a 2015 Vice-Presidential Award of Excellence from UVU, served as a Utah Valley Senior Executive Leadership Forum fellow, and more. As a first-generation college graduate, Oliver’s favorite part of working at UVU is the many students he encounters and UVU’s open-admission model that makes the university a place for all. Oliver is married to Jenny Oliver and has four children (Abby, Sam, Kate, and Maddie), all of whom are Wolverine alumni. In addition to creating stained glass works of art, Oliver has been raising exotic birds for 30 years and is the author of a book called “Ringneck Doves: A Handbook of Care and Breeding.”
Evelyn Porter calls Sierra Vista, Arizona, home and has been at UVU since 2007, when she began as an academic counselor for the Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning Department, which was previously called the Developmental Mathematics Department. She holds a Bachelor of Science in mathematics with honors from the United States Naval Academy and a Master of Engineering Management from Old Dominion University. Porter has worked to better U.S. education through co-authoring a July 2024 publication with two other UVU professors titled “Success in Asynchronous Courses Through Increasing Student’s Social Presence,” and co-presenting with another UVU colleague at the National Organization for Student Success’s 2021 conference about using technology to increase social presence in online classes. UVU’s commitment to accepting and supporting all students, including those whose life circumstances might make it challenging to attend college, is Porter’s favorite aspect of working at the university. When she isn’t serving students of UVU and beyond, she serves her country and community as a Navy reservist, which she has done for almost 18 years.
Tami Pugmire is a proud first-generation college graduate who began her journey at Utah Valley University as an aviation student. Today, she helps steward the university’s future through donor and scholarship engagement, ensuring students have the resources and opportunities to succeed. She holds a Bachelor of Science in aviation administration from UVU and a Master of Science in commercial aviation from Delta State University. Before stepping into her current role, Pugmire supported students as a financial aid and scholarship advisor — work that resonated deeply with her own experience navigating college as a first-gen student. She was also an adjunct instructor in the aviation department from 2015-2023. Earlier in her career, Pugmire spent a decade working at Bear Lake State Park, where she developed a lasting love for public service and the outdoors. She finds deep meaning in working at a university often viewed as an “underdog” and is inspired by UVU’s mission of access and the remarkable people who bring that mission to life every day. Pugmire and her husband, Darrell, are raising eight children together — her greatest pride and joy. In her free time, she enjoys kayaking and traveling to NASCAR races across the country.
Qianwen (Rachel) Bi, Ph.D., has been at UVU for a decade and is an associate professor in the personal financial planning program. She serves as the Chair of the Finance and Economics Department as well as the Director of the UVU FinTech Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in management of information systems from Dalian Maritime University and a Master of Science in financial planning, an MBA in finance, and a Ph.D. in personal financial planning from Texas Tech University. A teacher of financial planning software for over fourteen years, Bi’s decorated UVU tenure is highlighted by leading UVU FinTech Center students to build the UVU NFT platform in 2022, serving as a content reviewer for the “Guide to CFP Board’s Technology Standard” in 2023, and being a keynote speaker at the Silicon Slope AI Summit. In November 2024, she delivered a speech at the Schwab Impact Annual Conference titled “Empowering RIA Firms Through Advanced FinTech Solutions and AI Education for Tomorrow’s Challenges.” As a pioneer in FinTech, Bi serves on the Governor’s FinTech Council and successfully secured a significant multi-year grant from the Charles Schwab Foundation to advance the growth and innovation of the UVU FinTech Center. Through her leadership, she champions FinTech certification curriculum development and fosters strategic partnerships both domestically and internationally.
Jody Birch is from Pleasant Grove, Utah, and has lent her talents to UVU for almost seven years. A Wolverine to her core, she holds a Bachelor of Science in marketing with a minor in digital media. Birch’s UVU tenure is highlighted with several recognitions, including a 2024 Marketing and Communications Divisional Award of Excellence, a 2024 Golden Spike Award, and two 2024 CASE Circle of Excellence Gold Awards for UVU’s “A Place for You” campaign. Her favorite parts of working at UVU have been discovering the university’s countless opportunities while marketing for a brand she truly believes in. Another aspect of working at UVU that Birch loves is tuition reimbursement for her and her husband Cody’s three kids (Sequoia, Indie, and Averi). When she isn’t fueling her inner “advertising nerd” with new creative strategies and watching “Mad Men,” Birch keeps busy with two dogs, five chickens, twenty houseplants, and a myriad of hobbies, including, but not limited to, painting, poetry, hiking, mountain biking, traveling, and trying local cuisines.
Riley Johnson is from Orem, Utah, and has called UVU home for over 10 years. A Wolverine to his core, he holds an Associate of Science in university studies from UVU and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in technology management with a special emphasis in information technology and photography. Johnson brings great expertise to his position with several IT certifications, including Apple ACMT, CompTIA A+, Jamf 100, and a Lenovo Certified Technician certification. He has also been featured in the UVU Student Art Exhibition for his landscape photography and has competed on UVU’s Skills USA team for IT and computer troubleshooting. Johnson’s favorite part of working at UVU has been the care and schedule flexibility offered while he gains vital skills that will follow him for life. Curious by nature, his hobbies include photography, reading, building custom computers, and using problem solving to work on cars.
Hailing from Pocatello in “the Gem State” of Idaho, Mitch Murdock, Ph.D., has been a Wolverine for almost nine years. He holds a Bachelor of Science in business management (entrepreneurship) from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. in business administration (marketing) from the University of South Carolina. Murdock has received several awards, including the UVU Faculty Senate Excellence Award, the Woodbury School of Business Dean’s Award of Excellence for Scholarship With Impact, the Thomas C. Kinnear Award from the American Marketing Association, and others. His favorite part of working at UVU is being able to collaborate with dedicated colleagues to help transform the lives of students. When Murdock isn’t putting exceptional care into his work at UVU, his favorite pastime is skiing at Sundance with his wife, Kristen, and their three children (Ellie, Mathison, and Vivian).
Christine Peterson originally hails from Tustin and La Cañada, California, and later moved to Orem, Utah. She officially became a Wolverine in 2014 as an administrative assistant for the Engineering Technology department. Peterson holds an Associate of Science in office systems management from Ricks College and a Certificate of Proficiency in information systems and technology from UVU. Among her many accomplishments, highlights include being a 2019/2020 PACE Full-Time Distinguished Employee Award recipient, serving on the Summer University Planning Committee for six years, and making new connections as a UVSELF Executive Planning Committee member for six years. Peterson’s favorite parts of working at UVU have been the rewarding community experiences she’s had through UVSELF and being mentored by People & Culture VP Marilyn Meyer. When not at UVU, her happy places are the beach and being in the kitchen planning and baking fancy cakes. Peterson and her husband of 29 years, Mark, have three children (Jessica, Ashley, and John).
