Chad Hawkins
Chad S. Hawkins began his series of temple artwork in 1989, at the age of seventeen to support his two-year mission in Frankfurt, Germany, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Upon his return in 1993, he continued with his artwork while pursuing his education of becoming a dentist. Just prior to his application to dental school, Chad realized that he would be sacrificing his art career to the discipline required in dental school. It was at that time that he made the adjustment from being a zoology and chemistry major to an art major, graduating from Weber State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Abby Bonell
Abby Bonell is an experienced media professional based in Salt Lake City, Utah, known for her engaging on-air presence and connection to the community. With years of experience in broadcasting and public affairs programming, Abby has built a reputation for thoughtful storytelling, clear communication, and bringing warmth and authenticity to every conversation. Her approachable style and genuine interest in people have made her a trusted and familiar voice to many.
Scot & Maurine Proctor
Scot and Maurine Proctor are the founders of Meridian Magazine and they have written several books together, including Witness of the Light, Source of the Light, Light from the Dust and The Gathering. They were formerly the editors of This People magazine.
After receiving her education from University of Utah and Harvard, Maurine Jensen Proctor, began her writing career with McGraw Hill Magazines and the Chicago Sun-Times. She has created award-winning television documentaries, has written a radio show for more than six years that played on 300 radio stations, and was a long-time writer of The Spoken Word for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
In his youth, Scot Facer Proctor was given the extraordinary opportunity to live in Ankara, Turkey for two different years. During that time he traveled extensively, studying and following closely the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. These experiences led to a lifetime of immersion in the ancient world and the scriptures. He continues to spend a great deal of time in the Middle East and the Holy Land.
Roger & Julie Manning
While visiting the lands of the Scriptures, it is a very special experience to open the scriptures and envision and relive the sights and events from the Scriptures. Each time we visit an archaeological site or view an ancient artifact that might have existed during the time of the Book of Mormon or Bible, our understanding, appreciation, and desire to study the Word of God increases.
Roger C. Manning currently works as a Representative for the Mexico and South America South Areas of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Missionary Department. He received a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University, a master’s degree from Idaho State University, and a PhD from Utah State University.
Roger worked many in the Church Educational System as a seminary and institute instructor in Idaho, Utah, and Florida and has supervised seminaries and institutes in Utah, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. He served as the Pre-Service Teacher Training Director for the Salt Lake City area and as the Area Director for Northern Utah, Southeast Idaho, and Western Wyoming.
Rich Robins
Rich Robins loves Church History – and especially loves teaching about the miraculous events of the glorious Restoration in the holy places and at the sacred sites in which they occurred! His love for the Prophet Joseph Smith and Church History was first kindled while serving as a young missionary at the Hill Cumorah Pageant over 50 years ago! His forty-year teaching career, thirty of which was in the Seminary and Institute programs of the Church, have only sweetened and deepened that love for the Savior’s Orchestration of the glorious and grand latter-day Restoration.
Immediately following his retirement Rich, and his wife Robyn, served as full-time missionaries in the New York/Pennsylvania Historical Sites Mission. Rich has also directed Church History tours for LDS youth groups, for LDS Seminary/Institute Faculty Summer Workshops, and during the past five years for Morris Murdock Escorted Travel.
Mick & Diane Smith
A veteran traveler and tour guide, Michael has designed and led tours the world-over and is always excited to have his groups learn and experience something new and exciting. The world is a beautiful place and each time we travel we are exposed to the wonders that await around every corner.
Michael is Senior Principal Consultant with the RBL Group. He works globally and has taught, trained, and lectured throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Known for his dynamic teaching, lecturing, and group facilitation, Michael has designed and taught courses for every level of learner, from grade-schoolers through graduate students, working professionals and retirees.
Michael Phillips
A veteran traveler and tour guide, Michael has designed and led tours the world-over and is always excited to have his groups learn and experience something new and exciting. The world is a beautiful place and each time we travel we are exposed to the wonders that await around every corner.
Michael is Senior Principal Consultant with the RBL Group. He works globally and has taught, trained, and lectured throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Known for his dynamic teaching, lecturing, and group facilitation, Michael has designed and taught courses for every level of learner, from grade-schoolers through graduate students, working professionals and retirees.
Mark Ogletree
Mark D. Ogletree was raised in Texas and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the age 18. He served an LDS mission from 1982-1984 in Seattle, Washington. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1987 from Brigham Young University; Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from Northern Arizona University, 1990; Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling in 1994 from Northern Arizona University; and a Ph.D. in Family and Human Development from Utah State University in May 2000.
Mark worked for 20 years in the seminary and institute program. He taught both seminary and institute in Mesa, Arizona, Logan, Utah, and later became the institute director in Dallas, Texas.
In 2010, Mark accepted a position at Brigham Young University as an Associate Professor in the Department of Church History and Doctrine. At BYU, he teaches courses on the Eternal Family and Living Prophets. Mark is now a full professor in the Department of Church History and Doctrine.
Joel Judd
Joel Judd was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and grew up in West Point, Utah before graduating from Davis High School. He served an LDS mission to New England under President Truman G. Madsen.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History, Sociology and Psychology at Weber State College in 1970, and received a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from BYU in 1975. Since that time he has been a student of Biblical Hebrew, ancient Near East History, and Geography of the Holy Land.
Joel, now retired, taught in the L. D. S. Church Education System for 37 years, in Seminary in Ogden, Utah and in Institute in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and at the Orem Institute of Religion at Utah Valley State College. He has taught at the BYU Jerusalem Center in Israel on three different occasions as a religion instructor and field trip director and has directed many tours to Egypt and Israel.
Jim Gee
Jim grew up in Utah where he learned to love nature and the outdoors. After realizing his true passion is travel, Jim left a successful career to become and International tour guide and photographer; he hasn’t looked back. Though his tours span the world, he finds the wildlife and sense of adventure offers to be unparalleled, featuring much of it in his photography. When he isn’t abroad Jim lives in Salt Lake City with his wife Carol. He also enjoys spending time with his seven grandchildren.
Howard & Shari Lyon
Howard and Shari Lyon are a dynamic and artistic duo! They met while attending high school in Mesa, Arizona. They married and began their creative lives together while raising 3 kids in Arizona. They currently live and create art together in their shared Utah studio. They are passionate about creating community and traveling together. They have planned and hosted various workshops, and artist retreats and have led tours for universities, artists, and other private groups. They have a passion for Europe and are excited to share their love of art and travel with you!
Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat
Gerrit J. Dirkmaat is an assistant professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University. He received his PhD in American History from the University of Colorado in 2010 where he studied nineteenth-century American expansionism and foreign relations. His dissertation was titled “Enemies Foreign and Domestic: US Relations with Mormons in the US Empire in North America, 1844–1854.”
He worked as a historian and writer for the Church History Department from 2010 to 2014 with the Joseph Smith Papers Project and served as a volume editor/historian for Documents Volume 1, the lead historian/volume editor on Documents Volume 3, and as a historian/editor on Administrative Volume 1, Council of Fifty, Minutes. He continues to work on the Joseph Smith Papers on the forthcoming Documents Volume 8.
Prior to his work at the Church History Department, he served as the senior assistant editor of Diplomatic History from 2003 to 2009. He currently serves as Editor of the academic journal Mormon Historical Studies, published by the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation, as the Co-Research Director for the Religious Studies Center, on the Executive Council for the Brigham Young Center, and on the Church History editorial board for BYU Studies.