Faculty & Staff

Meet Our Teachers

Ben Della-Piana

James Durrant

Rod Barker

John Busch

Brad Howell

Mike Jacobs

Mark Nelson

Cord Pack

Jim Peterson

Todd Merrill

Scott Read

Richard Stuart

John Valletta

Alan Saunders

Meet Our Teachers

Rod Barker

Brother Barker is a graduate of Weber High School and Weber State University. He served a mission to Japan. Upon graduating from WSU, he accepted his first assignment to teach seminary in Mesa, Arizona. While in Mesa, Brother Barker completed a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology and a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction. After teaching at several seminaries and institutes in the Mesa area, Brother Barker accepted a position at the Church Office Building. For the next eight years, he helped write curriculum for institutes of religion around the world. Now, he loves being back in the classroom teaching institute. He and his wife, Melanie (his eternal girlfriend), have been married for over 30 years and have eight children and 13 grandchildren. He loves yard work and gardening and considers himself really just a farm boy at heart.

Meet Our Teachers

John Busch

Brother Busch considers himself an east-coaster living in a west coast world. He grew up in Maryland and misses the four distinct seasons and delicious seafood. He served a mission in Seattle, where he met a sister missionary and an elder both from northern Utah. The sister and elder were soon married and invited Brother Busch to be the best man at the wedding, where me met one of the bride’s sisters. Five months later, wedding bells were ringing again! The Busches are the parents of six children aged 12 to 3 years old. When Brother Busch isn’t wearing a suit, he loves golf, tennis, basketball, ping pong, cooking, reading, and anything else high thrill (like chess). Loving life and all that comes your way is so much better than wishing things were different!

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Ben Della-Piana

Brother Della-Piana is Kristie’s husband and has been for 27 years. They met in college because of a mutual friend from Institute! They, with their four children, spent 14 years living as Mainiacs (in Maine) eating lobsta, clam chowda, and other wicked-awesome foods. And—oh my heck—they have loved being back in Utah for 6 years now. They picked up another daughter – by marriage – last year! The Della-Piana family loves camping, hiking, skiing, and playing sports together. Brother Della-Piana served a mission in the Arizona Phoenix Mission, has a Master’s degree in Education, and loved coaching his children in basketball and baseball. He currently has three young adult children. He has taught seminary for seven years and institute for 20 years. You can call him Brother DP if you can’t say his name – really you pronounce it just like it looks.

Meet Our Teachers

James Durrant

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Meet Our Teachers

Brad Howell

Brother Howell is the Region Director of the LDS Institute of Religion at Weber State University. He is an alumnus of Weber State University and the Ogden LDS Institute. He is married to the former Lori Elmore. They have four children and four grandchildren. After serving a full time mission to Nagoya Japan, he started school at WSU. He is the former student body president 1983-84 and served one year on the Utah State Board of Regents. He has taught seminary, institute, and served in training and administrative positions in Seminaries and Institutes for over 35 years. He has a BA and M.Ed from Weber State in Political Science/Asian Studies and Teaching. He received his Ed.D Doctorate from University of Arizona. Brother Howell lives in North Ogden where he loves mountain biking and enjoys performing in a local band.

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Mike Jacobs

Brother Jacobs was born in Ogden, moved 6x’s before 6th grade, played AYSO soccer the very first season it was in the Ogden area, has never been out of the country, enjoys playing and watching sports, and loves almost anything outdoors. His wife and children named 4 out of 5 of their dogs Joe. He took first place in a 5k (he was the only runner in his age group), likes to imagine himself being a part of an international covert operations, writing box office hits, and starting a few high impact charity organizations. He’s deeply grateful for and LOVES Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, the gospel, his amazing wife and family, and his devoted parents. The Kentucky Louisville Mission is “the best ever.” Oh, and food is also “the best ever” and vacations. He’s not a fan of writing bios about himself. He will love you – for sure.

Meet Our Teachers

Todd Merrill

Brother Merrill was born in Long Beach, California and moved up to Ogden after a few short years. He attended Polk Elementary K-Fourth grade before his family returned to California. He graduated high school from Westlake High and quickly headed North for Utah snow and skiing. After squeaking by his Freshman year (too busy skiing) at what is now UVU, he served a mission in Santiago, Chile. He met and married Laurie Bradbury a few years after his mission and they accepted a job teaching Seminary in Gilbert, Arizona. After three years there, they were transferred to Davis County and have raised three sons. He has been with S & I for 29 years and directed EFY for nearly ten years during that time. The Merrill’s can always be found where dirt is being stirred up. They love camping, road and dirt biking, boating and just being together. Lake Powell forever!! His love for the youth and young adults and the way they chose to serve their Heavenly King is what motivates him and his love for teaching.

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Mark Nelson

Brother Mark Nelson is married to Annette and together they have 5 children and 3 grandchildren. He has lived in Montana, Utah, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and now Utah again. He served his mission in the Zurich Switzerland Mission. Brother Nelson received his Bachelor’s in German from BYU, his Master’s in Educational Guidance from University of Phoenix, and his Doctorate in History Education from Penn State University. He loves being with his wife, children and grandchildren. He enjoys football, the NFL draft, hiking, paddle boarding, reading and writing fiction and taking naps.

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Cord Pack

Brother Pack and his wife, Lisa, just celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary. They are the parents of five children that include four boys and a little princess. The family enjoys just being with and hanging out together and with their friends. The Packs love the outdoors, the beauty of Mother Nature, and playing in the water. They currently reside in Eden. Brother Pack has worked for the Seminaries and Institutes program for more than 25 years. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Studies and a Master’s degree in Curriculum Design and Education. The best decision he ever made was to say yes to my wife when she asked me to marry her—okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration. In reality, he had to beg and plead for his wife to agree to marry him. (Note: Young men, never give up!) The second-best decision Brother Pack ever made was to teach seminary and institute. He loves our Heavenly Father, his family, the Gospel, and teaching. The Pack family motto is “Obey, and we’ll be happy all day.”

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Jim Peterson

I grew up in southern California (San Marcos) and southern Utah, I graduated from Hurricane High in 1988 and then served a mission in England Coventry. In the early 90s I attended Dixie college where I found my bride, Chanon Romberger, and started a family. I graduated from SUU with a BS in Biology and was hired to teach seminary in Ephrata and Quincy Washington for 8 years. I returned to Utah in 2004 to Brigham City where I have taught seminary for the last 16 years. Chanon and I have 5 Children that we are well pleased with. :-) Interests/hobbies : I worked as an auto mechanic for years in southern Utah. I also worked for the national park service as a park ranger and wild-land fire fighter in northern Arizona and southern Nevada for 4 years. My favorite two things to do are spend time with my family, and teaching and learning the gospel. I love fishing, hunting, hiking and backpacking. My favorite kinds of hiking are slot canyoneering and alpine lake hopping (flyfishing). I also love anything guns knives and ammunition. I teach pistol safety courses for the NRA and concealed carry classes for the state of Utah. I love being a part of other people's lives and learning and sharing all the different perspectives and experiences that we have.

Meet Our Teachers

Scott Read

Brother Read has been an instructor for the Seminaries and Institutes program for the past 33 years. He received a Bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Educational Counseling from the University of Phoenix. He has directed Book of Mormon and Church History tours as well as taught adult education for sixteen years for Brigham Young University. His unique approach to the scriptures and his depth in scholarship, along with his warm personality lend themselves to great gospel instruction. Brother Read is currently serving as the 1st counselor in the Bishopric in his ward. He and his wife, Desari, reside in Syracuse and are the parents of seven children, six boys and one girl. They are also grandparents to five wonderful little grandchildren. He is a man of many hobbies and is an avid road cyclist.

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Alan Saunders

Hello! I’m Bro Saunders and I’m from right here! I was raised in Harrisville and graduated from Weber High. My wife, Lisa and I have four kids and eight grandkids! I love conducting Institute Choir and Singers and teaching Institute. I met Lisa right here in Institute Choir. This program works! I love boating, riding my Sky Ski, going to the cabin, playing the piano and model railroading. Bachelors from Weber State – go Wildcats!, masters from BYU, and Ph.D. from UofU. D&C 19:23 is one of my favorites, “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.” I hope I can get to know you!

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Richard Stuart

Brother Stuart was born in Arizona and after traveling in Europe with his military family settled in Ogden UT. He graduated from Bonneville High School and served a Spanish speaking mission to Fresno California. While in college at Weber State, he married his sweetheart Pamela and they are the proud parents of five wonderful children and 6 grandchildren. He has been teaching in Seminaries and Institutes for 30 years. He taught Seminary in southeastern Idaho for 10 years, Institute in Virginia for 12 years and just finished working at church headquarters in Salt Lake City for 5 years prior to coming to the Ogden Institute. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Weber State in finance, and a Master’s and Doctorate degrees from Idaho State University, in education. He loves all kinds of sports, with soccer being his favorite. He has been a public announcer for athletic events for over 10 years. He has also been a teacher and director with the EFY program for over 20 years. In addition to spending time with his family, he loves his time with the youth and young adults of the Church.

Meet Our Teachers

John Valletta

Brother Valletta was born in Salt Lake City, but has spent most of his 42 years outside of the Beehive state. He grew up near Chicago Illinois, served a mission in New York City and spent the last 10 years raising a family and Coordinating Church Education in Oklahoma. He is grateful to be teaching at Weber State University where he got a Bachelor’s degree and married the former Melodee Prows. Along with his wife and three sons, Brother Valletta enjoys sports (trying not to injure himself), board games (very competitive) and eating together (always an adventure). Brother Valletta has a Master degree in Educational Psychology and loves the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Church.