Directors of the
Sanderson Community Center
Compiled & Written by Jodi Becker Kinner
Published in 2018
Updated in 2023
Updated in 2024
Published in 2018
Updated in 2023
Updated in 2024
Initially, Dr. Robert G. Sanderson, Deaf, and Beth Ann Stewart Campbell, CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) were the Directors of the Community Center for the Deaf in Bountiful, Utah. Over the years, Dr. Sanderson has worked as a "rehab man," counselor, coordinator, and director. The Utah Deaf community widely regarded him as the "Father of Vocational Rehabilitation."
While Beth Ann Campbell was still the director, the services expanded and eventually became the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, known as DSDHH, in 1988. This division was housed at the Utah Community Center for the Deaf (UCCD) in Bountiful, Utah. In the same year, Jim Hilber, a hearing individual and a long-time vocational rehabilitation counselor, was appointed Division Director. However, his tenure was short-lived, as he soon stepped down due to political reasons. This event underscored the complex political landscape in which the DSDHH was operating. In 1989, the DSDHH named Gene Stewart, a CODA and a seasoned vocational rehabilitation counselor, as its Division Director, reporting to the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation. At that time, the DSDHH had two bosses: the Division Director, Gene Stewart, and the Director, Beth Ann Campbell. The division director and the director divided their responsibilities. Beth Ann Campbell's title as Director remained unchanged under Gene's administration, and she reported to him.
In March 1992, three months before the Utah Community Center for the Deaf relocated to Taylorsville, Utah, in June 1992, they created the program director position. This change in the organizational structure led to a significant shift in leadership. Beth Ann Campbell, the Director at the time, stepped down when Marilyn T. Call, a hard of hearing individual and former Executive Director of the Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities, applied for the position (Marilyn T. Call, personal communication, December 15, 2023). Due to the absence of Beth Ann's former boss, Dr. Judy Ann Buffmire, retired Executive Director of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and due to a lack of college degrees and support from males in positions of authority, she retired on March 13, 1992 (Campbell, UAD Bulletin, March 1992, Beth Ann Campbell, personal communication, December 7, 2023). After her retirement, the Utah Community Center of the Deaf changed the position of director to program director in order to define roles and responsibilities more clearly. Marilyn filled the program director position, bringing her new perspective and experience to the role (Marilyn T. Call, personal communication, December 16, 2023).
Gene Stewart and Rusty Wales, Deaf, directed the Utah Community Center for the Deaf under the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Marilyn T. Call was later promoted to the Division Director of the Robert G. Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Taylorsville, Utah. After the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing merged with the Department of Workforce Service (DWS) on October 1, 2016, Marilyn became Assistant Director. She began reporting to the DWS rather than the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation. The chain of command remained the same for Dan V. Mathis, Deaf, when he became the next Director. It also applies to the rest of the future Assistant Directors working under the DWS.
Arlene Garcia Gunderson, a then-Deaf assistant director, and her DSDHH team renamed the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing the Division of Services of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in 2020.
The Marilyn T. Call Conference Room features portraits of the directors on the wall. Despite multiple newspaper articles confirming her as the Director of the Utah Community Center for the Deaf in Bountiful, Utah, a misunderstanding of her job description has led to the removal of Beth Ann Campbell's portrait from the conference room twice. In recognition of her years of service as an interpreter for Deaf leaders Dr. Robert G. Sanderson and W. David Mortensen in their legislative lobbying efforts to fund the Utah Community Center for the Deaf and oversee the UCCD in Bountiful, Utah, as a Director, it is appropriate that her legacy be honored and continued. We request that her portrait be returned to its rightful place on the wall. Without her commitment, dedication, and contribution to the community center, the Utah Deaf community might not have been able to benefit from the services offered by the Sanderson Community Center to this day.
While Beth Ann Campbell was still the director, the services expanded and eventually became the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, known as DSDHH, in 1988. This division was housed at the Utah Community Center for the Deaf (UCCD) in Bountiful, Utah. In the same year, Jim Hilber, a hearing individual and a long-time vocational rehabilitation counselor, was appointed Division Director. However, his tenure was short-lived, as he soon stepped down due to political reasons. This event underscored the complex political landscape in which the DSDHH was operating. In 1989, the DSDHH named Gene Stewart, a CODA and a seasoned vocational rehabilitation counselor, as its Division Director, reporting to the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation. At that time, the DSDHH had two bosses: the Division Director, Gene Stewart, and the Director, Beth Ann Campbell. The division director and the director divided their responsibilities. Beth Ann Campbell's title as Director remained unchanged under Gene's administration, and she reported to him.
In March 1992, three months before the Utah Community Center for the Deaf relocated to Taylorsville, Utah, in June 1992, they created the program director position. This change in the organizational structure led to a significant shift in leadership. Beth Ann Campbell, the Director at the time, stepped down when Marilyn T. Call, a hard of hearing individual and former Executive Director of the Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities, applied for the position (Marilyn T. Call, personal communication, December 15, 2023). Due to the absence of Beth Ann's former boss, Dr. Judy Ann Buffmire, retired Executive Director of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and due to a lack of college degrees and support from males in positions of authority, she retired on March 13, 1992 (Campbell, UAD Bulletin, March 1992, Beth Ann Campbell, personal communication, December 7, 2023). After her retirement, the Utah Community Center of the Deaf changed the position of director to program director in order to define roles and responsibilities more clearly. Marilyn filled the program director position, bringing her new perspective and experience to the role (Marilyn T. Call, personal communication, December 16, 2023).
Gene Stewart and Rusty Wales, Deaf, directed the Utah Community Center for the Deaf under the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Marilyn T. Call was later promoted to the Division Director of the Robert G. Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Taylorsville, Utah. After the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing merged with the Department of Workforce Service (DWS) on October 1, 2016, Marilyn became Assistant Director. She began reporting to the DWS rather than the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation. The chain of command remained the same for Dan V. Mathis, Deaf, when he became the next Director. It also applies to the rest of the future Assistant Directors working under the DWS.
Arlene Garcia Gunderson, a then-Deaf assistant director, and her DSDHH team renamed the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing the Division of Services of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in 2020.
The Marilyn T. Call Conference Room features portraits of the directors on the wall. Despite multiple newspaper articles confirming her as the Director of the Utah Community Center for the Deaf in Bountiful, Utah, a misunderstanding of her job description has led to the removal of Beth Ann Campbell's portrait from the conference room twice. In recognition of her years of service as an interpreter for Deaf leaders Dr. Robert G. Sanderson and W. David Mortensen in their legislative lobbying efforts to fund the Utah Community Center for the Deaf and oversee the UCCD in Bountiful, Utah, as a Director, it is appropriate that her legacy be honored and continued. We request that her portrait be returned to its rightful place on the wall. Without her commitment, dedication, and contribution to the community center, the Utah Deaf community might not have been able to benefit from the services offered by the Sanderson Community Center to this day.
Dr. Robert G. Sanderson (Deaf)
Coordinator (1965-1983)
Services to the Adult Deaf
Dr. Sanderson was appointed as the first state coordinator of services to deaf people in the United States
Director (1983-1985)
Utah Community Center for the Deaf
Bountiful, Utah
1965 - 1985
Beth Ann Campbell (CODA)
Director
Utah Community Center for the Deaf
Bountiful & Taylorsville, Utah
1985-1992
Gene Stewart (CODA)
Division Director (1989-1996)
Utah Community Center for the Deaf under the Division Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Bountiful & Taylorsville, Utah
1989 - 1996
Rusty Wales (Deaf)
Division Director
Utah Community Center for the Deaf under the Division Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Taylorsville, Utah
1996 - 2001
Marilyn T. Call (Hard of Hearing)
Division Director (2001-2016)
Utah Community Center for the Deaf and later renamed the Robert G. Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing under the Division Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Taylorsville, Utah
Marilyn became an Assistant Director after the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing was moved under the Department of Workforce Service on October 1, 2016. She retired on December 15, 2017.
2001 - 2017
Division Director (2001-2016)
Utah Community Center for the Deaf and later renamed the Robert G. Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing under the Division Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Taylorsville, Utah
Marilyn became an Assistant Director after the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing was moved under the Department of Workforce Service on October 1, 2016. She retired on December 15, 2017.
2001 - 2017
Dan V. Mathis (Deaf)
Assistant Director
Robert G. Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing under the Division Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Taylorsville, Utah
March 5, 2018 - April 16, 2019
Annette Stewart (Hearing)
Interim Assistant Director
Robert G. Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing under the Division Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Taylorsville, Utah
April 16, 2019 - January 10, 2020
Arlene Garcia Gunderson (Deaf)
Assistant Director
Robert G. Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing under the Division Services of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Taylorsville, Utah
January 13, 2020 - July 16, 2021
Eric Roux (Hearing)
Interim Assistant Director
Robert G. Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing under the Division Services of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
August 4, 2021 - June 8, 2022
Sarah Brenna (Hearing)
Director of the Utah Services of Rehabilitation, oversees the DSDHH and provides support to the Robert G. Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing with the assistance of four managers until the assistant director is hired.
The managers were Pamela Mower, Melanie Sperry, Annette Stewart, and Jes Nelson-Julander.
June 9, 2022-Present
Notes
Beth Ann Campbell, personal communication, December 7, 2023.
Marilyn T. Call, personal communication, December 15, 2023.
Marilyn T. Call, personal communication, December 16, 2023.
Marilyn T. Call, personal communication, December 15, 2023.
Marilyn T. Call, personal communication, December 16, 2023.