Utah Mensa Profile Page

"Hi, everyone! My name is Tish Oberley and I'm new to MENSA and happy to get to know all of you. I am originally from San Francisco, but have spent the great majority of my life in Ogden and Salt Lake City. I currently work as an R.N in an I.C.U. in Salt Lake. In my spare time, I read, garden, and cook. I do work a lot, so my primary socializing is often via electronic media. I have enjoyed reading your newsletter online and hope to be able to attend some of your activities in the near future."

I am Brent L. Dix also more commonly known as the lone recluse. In complying with Leslie Cortsen's request that I briefly describe myself in two to four paragraphs this goes against every fiber in my being! As my old email address implies; i.e., thelonerecluse@hotmail.com I am by unilateral choice a VERY HAPPY retired recluse of 70 years, a member of Mensa since I first joined in 1972 in Dallas, and since our divorce in 1993 a singular gentleman whose BP has since the divorce returned to normal. To be reclusive means "To consistently maintain a very low profile."

I have accomplished this goal by moving from Magna where I had been living since 2000 to my present residence in the quiet hinterlands of Utah; i.e. Ephraim where our total population only exceeds 5,000 persons by a very few more. Put another way, in a town roughly 10 blocks square where you CAN walk anywhere you decide to go within the city limits, I no longer care what the current price of gasoline happens to be. My car often remains parked directly outside my apartment for as long as 3 weeks at a time. On average I am now filling my gas tank only once EVERY OTHER MONTH and then only about a quarter tank on average. Oh, and here my apartment rent runs only a few dollars over $400. per month ... which includes FREE of charge both DSL and cable TV! Try to get that deal in the big city. Yep, with a Super Walmart only two blocks away who needs anything else?

During my lifetime I have been a member of the International Hodcarrier's Assoc., an Aviation Electronic Technician, Navigation or ATN2 in the USN, an IBM service technician, both a door to door salesman with Moore Business Forms Inc. in downtown Dallas TX as well as an Operations Supervisor with the same company for a total of 16 years in Denton, TX, I have owned my own company and had it stolen by an Australian con artist, my General Sales Mgr. killed, and my life savings stolen. I have driven an 18 wheeler for C.R.England & Sons, Inc. out of SLC and I have to date visited every state in the union EXCEPT Alaska. I personally suffer from a genetic affliction which has infested my family tree for several generations; i.e. diarrhea of the mouth. Ergo enough said! Oh, my current email address is dbrent58@yahoo.com if any of y'all care to write. I must warn you however that retirement as a whole is largely quite boring, so don't expect many more mots du SHAZZAM if you are expecting moi to wax eloquent. And thank you for your support!

My name is Amy Miller and I've recently become a Mensa member! I was born in Chicago but have lived in Utah for 37 years. I am married with 3 children, ages 21, 19 & 15. I enjoy many things; so many that my friends believe I have a hard time saying "no". (Not true!) I work full time for the State of Utah, and I also manage a high school hockey team. I enjoy reading history and science magazines. I'm working on a website for writers, and also trying my hand at patenting a tool I've developed for creative writing. I am in the middle of developing Sunday School curriculum for families and teenagers. I love to travel, and have developed a real affinity to the east coast. I'm 3 years away from retiring and then I can really get something done!! Until then, I look forward to participating in Mensa activities and getting to know others in the group!

I am a Colorado native, but I split my childhood between the mountain states and air bases in Japan. I moved back to the States in 2000, at which time I began school at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. I majored in journalistic communication with a chemistry minor, and I became a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority.

After graduating from Purdue, I got a job at a chemical demilitarization plant, where I assisted in the destruction of our nation's chemical warfare stockpile. I quickly escaped the Midwest and migrated to Steamboat Springs, Colo., for a year so I could play in the snow and generally shirk my adult responsibilities. There, I worked at the Steamboat Pilot & Today newspaper. I also met my fiance, a pro snowboarder, during my time in that ski town. We moved to Salt Lake City because he decided to join the Park City Snowboard Team.

I now am an employee at the Tooele Chemical Demilitarization Facility, where I operate gas chromatographs. Also, I am pursuing the completion of my chemistry degree with a business minor at the University of Utah. I enjoy skiing, hiking with my dogs, snowmobiling, playing the drums, cooking, doing crossword puzzles and knitting. I dream of one day opening my own spa or coffee shop in a small Alaskan town, but for now I'll settle for shredding the slopes in Utah.

Aside from living in Boston for 5 years as a very young child, in Brazil for 7 months as a missionary, and in Sacramento, California for a year as a law student, James is from Utah. He attended Brighton High School in Cottonwood Heights, graduating in 1997. He then attended the University of Utah, graduating in May 2004 with two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in Math and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with an International Relations Specialty. He currently commutes every week from Utah to Sacramento, CA where he attends University of the Pacific/McGeorge School of Law and anticipates graduation in May 2008 with a specialty in International Legal Studies and Government Affairs. He hopes to visit a Utah law school for the remainder of his studies.

Before law school, James worked for Wells Fargo Bank for five years holding various positions in both the Retail Banking Division as well as Institutional Trust. Last summer, he was honored to work as an extern for Associate Chief Justice Michael J. Wilkins of the Utah Supreme Court. During the 2006-2007 school year, he has been a research assistant to Professor Miriam Cherry (of McGeorge). And this summer, he will be working for the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (or the ICTR) as an assistant to Santa Rosa-based defense attorney Peter Robinson.

In his sparse free time, James enjoys practicing yoga, as well as playing basketball, indoor soccer, and racquetball. James travels extensively, thanks to his wife’s employment with SkyWest Airlines.

On a side note, Bjorkman is an unusual last name and James is often asked if he is related to certain other Bjorkmans. In an effort to clarify his lineage, he shares the following. If the Bjorkman is a polygamist (such as David Bjorkman of or near Davis County), then James is not related (at least not that he is aware of). If the Bjorkman is from Salt Lake County and NOT a polygamist (such as David Bjorkman the physician and dean of the University of Utah Medical School), then chances are that he is related.

My wife Fran and I recently moved here from Eagan, Minnesota (Vancouver, BC prior to that) and are living the dream! No more mortgage and maintenance, since we downsized to a nice apartment in Midvale. Lots of free time to explore the wonderful outdoors here now that I am no longer traveling every week and our last child is off to college. We waited a whole week before buying a jeep and have "broken" it in very well through many back country adventures throughout N, S and SE Utah. Able to put up with the almost endless sunshine, although it and the elevation has made jogging more challenging. Getting into hiking now and see endless opportunities - Mt. Olympus was awesome. And the people! Haven't met an unfriendly one yet.

Heather Threlkeld is a recent graduate of Utah State University in Integrated Studies focusing on American Sign Language Interpreting. She is currently seeking a national certification. In the meantime, she's working for a non-profit mediation service in Salt Lake City where she teaches conflict resolution and communication skills to alternative high school students. She loves rocks and minerals, reading, cats, frogs, butterflies, and is a Su Doku puzzle addict.

We arrived from LA in July. My wife is from louisiana andI am from Utah. After a 3 year hiatus we're back and happy to be here. Regrettably, this email is the most MENSA activity I've had since I took the test. In general I would like to become involved w/Utah Mensa and meet new people, but I currently have a more than full plate. Don't give up on me! :) Thanks again for the welcome and I too hope to meet you soon.

Todd’s first encounter with Mensa was reading an article about Geena Davis, which indicated that she was not only a talented actress, but was also a member of Mensa and was in training to be an Olympic Athlete in Archery. An actress who could do all that? Who would have thought? And certainly, that would put such aspirations out of reach of someone as ordinary as Todd believes himself to be. However, ordinary is not the best word to describe Todd. Eclectic might be better. A musician from an early age, Todd plays the piano, flute, fife (though none as well as he would like) and sings with a strong vocal range. Todd’s musical tastes range from classical to modern, including instrumental to vocal, with little ignored. Also an actor, Todd has played mostly in community productions up and down the Wasatch Front; he has been cast in roles both comedic and dramatic, but he enjoys the comedy more. Todd has been interested in science since he was young, attending the International Science and Engineering Fair during High School as a finalist from Utah. His interest was encouraged by his uncle, Jim Christensen, a chemical engineering professor at BYU and a talented instructor. Jim’s influence would direct Todd to a career in not only science (social sciences, not chemistry) but also teaching. Todd is a graduate of both Brigham Young University (BS - Psychology) and Weber State (M.Ed. - emphasis, adult education) and is currently teaching at Stevens Henager College’s Ogden Campus where he teaches a mixture of General Education classes and Business Courses. Todd’s involvement with the arts continues, as does his interest in science, history and relationships. Todd is heavily involved with the American Diabetes Association, his local Boy Scout troop and his family. He and Christie have been married for nearly 17 years and 5 children, (Krystian, 14; Michael and Jason, 12; Isaac, 6; Leanna, 3) who are the light of their lives. Todd is honored to be accepted to Mensa, and hopes to be able to contribute to the organization as well as benefit from it.

Anastasia has overcome many obstacles in her life while seeking educational insight and personal enlightenment. MENSA is a milestone on that path.

Anastasia Niedrich is the eldest of two children in her family. Anastasia was raised all over the U.S. and Europe in true Air Force "brat" tradition. She enjoyed living abroad for the first half of her life. Anastasia grew up in a poor family with one parent who dropped out of school in 9th grade and the other that barely graduated high school. She is the first person in her family to attend college and the first woman in her family to graduate from high school without becoming a teenage mother. Anastasia feels blessed to have a family that has always done the best they could to encourage her education and intellectual growth, although they didn't all enjoy such opportunities or have such natural gifts, themselves. Anastasia also feels blessed to have the opportunity to join MENSA and meet others like herself - those that share common goals, interests and the desire to help others as she does.

About to enter law school, Anastasia is currently pursuing a career in the law. She desires to use the law to help others in the public interest, such as members of underrepresented minority groups, the poor and others that she believes could most benefit from another person on their side in legal disputes.

Anastasia is an active volunteer and leader in many community and service causes. She enjoys doing all she can to help others while learning more, herself. At the urging of her parents and grandparents who said they "knew she belonged in MENSA at age 2," Anastasia recently took the MENSA test and was accepted into this illustrious group. Anastasia did so because she is interested in getting to know other intelligent individuals that enjoy open intellectual discourse, have common interests and goals, or that also desire to use their intelligence for others' benefit as she does. Please feel free to contact Anastasia via e-mail through the MENSA directory if you'd like to get to know her better.

My name is Gary Dotson. I am a new resident of St. George. My wife (Juanita) and I moved from San Clemente, CA as a result of a job offering for my wife as a school psychologist. I am a semi-retired real estate attorney. I handle a few estate portfolios and the sales or leasing of select properties. I retired in 1999 from the General Motors Corporation as Director of Asset Mangement. Since then, I have been a sole proprietor of Pacific Palms Properties. I am licensed in Utah and California.

We are enjoying the 55+ life in the Sunriver area of St. George. We are active in tennis, "pickle-ball", fishing, and hunting. We are awesome card players (and we don't cheat) even when we are partners.

I was born and raised in Cincinnati and am an Ohio State University alum. My greatest achievement has been my founding and leading the Ohio State Alumni Assoc. of Utah! GO BUCKS! After graduation, I moved to Utah in 1976. For most of the time, I was a Manufacturer's Representative typically representing 9-10 high tech manufacturing firms. For the last four years I've been a Realtor in the Salt Lake market. I enjoy skiing, hiking, fishing, working out, home brewing, scuba diving, and soaring (flying sailplanes.)