Honors Alumni Networking Event

We are excited to welcome BYU Honors alumni back to meet and mentor you - our current students! Join other Honors students and alumni for an engaging evening. This is a great opportunity to meet BYU Honors alumni and build your network connections with professionals in their fields.

Alumni Profiles

Julia Ann Anderson (History, 1993) is an Accredited Genealogist Professional and Accredited Genealogist Lecturer, a Research Specialist at FamilySearch Library, and an Instructor at Salt Lake Community College.  She is the owner and Managing Member of Anderson Genealogical Research, LLC.  She earned her BA in History and an MA in History and Education from Grand Canyon University.  In addition to her role at FamilySearch, she serves as the conference chair for the Utah Genealogical Association and is a commissioner on the board of ICAPGen. A dedicated educator and leader in the genealogy field, she shares her expertise widely while balancing life as a wife, mother of nine, and grandmother of ten.

About her Honors experience she said it “gave a breadth and depth to my education that I would not have gotten if I had not participated. I spent 25 years homeschooling my children before embarking on my career and I used something from what I learned in the BYU Honors program every single day. I have always loved learning and BYU's program gave me focused direction for my education. I was able to pass that onto my children.”

Honors Thesis: A Mighty Woman in Zion: The Roles of Mary Jane Dilworth Hammond as an LDS Missionary Wife in Nineteenth-Century Hawaii

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-a-anderson-99935a5/

Joseph O. Evans (Accounting, 2023) is a Technology & IP Transactions Attorney in the Salt Lake City office of Kirkland & Ellis. He graduated from BYU in 2023 with University Honors, completing a BS in Accounting, MAcc, and JD simultaneously. He enjoys challenging situations and using creativity to solve problems. He and his wife Ashley love their two dogs, and enjoy good food. Joe also enjoys movies, singing, comedy, and all things football.

He noted, "Honors taught me not only how to find connections between seemingly disparate academic disciplines but also how to connect with, learn from, and love people with life experiences and ideologies disparate from my own."

Honors Thesis: Elevating the Silicon Slopes

Sean Kerman (Electrical Engineering, 2011) is the Architect of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at FamilySearch, where he leads key initiatives in automated indexing, automated tree building, hinting, and agentic systems. His journey as an innovator began as a student at BYU. While pursuing his degrees in Electrical Engineering, Sean joined a group of fellow students to launch Owlet, the company behind the smart sock baby monitor that tracks an infant's heart rate and oxygen levels. Sean holds both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from BYU. He is a professional in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Innovation.

Reflecting on his time in the Honors program, he credits it for teaching him that a fulfilling life requires balancing a productive career with things of the heart, such as art, literature, and music. He also notes that his undergraduate honors thesis gave him a significant advantage succeeding in graduate school. Outside of his work, Sean is the father of seven children and enjoys skiing, mountain biking, music, and literature.

Honors Thesis: The Superstructure Determination of Displacive Distortions via Symmetry-Mode Analysis

Joshua Mark Matson(Ancient Near Eastern Studies, 2013) is an Assistant Professor of Ancient Scripture and the Jerusalem Center at BYU. Dr. Matson earned his Doctorate in Religion at Florida State University, a Master’s in Biblical Studies at Trinity Western University, and his BA in Ancient Near Eastern Studies here at BYU. Dr. Matson is an avid student of the Ancient Near East, with a love of the literature of the Second Temple Period. He has had extensive exposure to the Hebrew Bible, with training in textual criticism and scribal practices relating to the formation of biblical texts. His current academic interests and research focus on scriptural formation in the Second Temple Period and its intersection with textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible. He is particularly interested in the use of scripture in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in researching ways in which the biblical scrolls found in the Judean Desert can contribute to our modern study, understanding, and application of the Hebrew Bible and is applying this study as a contributing editor to The Hebrew Bible: A Critical Edition project, creating an eclectic text for the book of Haggai.

About the Honors experience he said, “I loved every part of my honors experience! One of the most impactful experiences for me in the Honors Program was the opportunity that I had to defend my Honors Thesis. The work that I put into the project, the opportunity to not only write but articulate my arguments, and then to receive wonderful feedback and direction really helped me feel prepared to succeed in graduate school. The impact of those experiences aided me in striving to be prepared and eventually able to help others as I now advise students in their own work.” He and his wife Erin have 4 children. He enjoys running, reading, writing, and sport.

Honors Thesis: The Language of Symbols in the Wilford Woodruff Journals
Website: joshuammatson.com

Heather McCammon (Microbiology, 2004) Following Heather’s graduation she worked for the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation in Salt Lake City, Utah where she continued research similar to the work she did for her Honors Thesis. We welcomed our first child while Jason was still attending BYU. Our next stop was Cambridge, Massachusetts where Jason attended Harvard Law School (JD 2009) and Heather continued her research work. After graduation, and two more children joining our family, we moved to Pocatello, Idaho for a year. Jason worked as a law clerk for the Honorable N. Randy Smith of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and Heather was able to devote her full time efforts to raising our children. We now live near Salt Lake City, Utah and have welcomed two more children into our family. Jason is a partner at Dorsey and Whitney, LLP and Heather continues her work at home and actively participates in many community and school volunteer efforts, she is currently serving in our elementary PTA presidency.

While in the Honors Program at BYU we were lucky enough to complete many of the requirements together. We have fond memories of fulfilling our Great Works requirements at the old HFAC building. We both appreciate the depth and breadth of education provided by the Honors Program. More than any particular topic, the Honors Program helped us cultivate a desire to continually learn and grow, which impacts our lives every day. We do our best to instill that same love of learning and service in our 5 children. Our oldest daughter is now a freshman at BYU and part of the honors program.

Honors Thesis: Description of Paternal Lineages in Modern Peru Based on Y-Chromosome Haplotypes

Jason McCammon (Mechanical Engineering, 2006) is a Partner at Dorsey & Whitney Law in Salt Lake City. His practice focuses on all aspects of patent strategy and client counseling in a wide variety of technological areas, including medical devices, solar and green power technologies, and mechanical devices. Jason has extensive experience in both U.S. and foreign patent preparation and prosecution. He earned a B.S. Mechanical Engineering at BYU and JD at Harvard.

Honors Thesis: Investigating Trends in Specific Energy and Rate of Penetration While Drilling at Ultra-High Rotary Speeds

Jacob Cheung-Ka Ong (Neuroscience, 2001) is the managing attorney of Ongs Law Firm, PLLC. Jacob is the managing attorney of Ongs Law Firm, PLLC. and specializes in patents, trademarks, and working as an outside general counsel for tech companies and start-ups. He earned his BS in Neuroscience, an MS in Neurosciences at UCSD, and JD at BYU. He was the General Counsel for Parlant Technology, Inc. and was responsible for the rapid growth of the patent portfolio of software patents. Jacob has experience in managing all of the legal affairs of a growing tech company with an international reach, including trademark issues, and patent litigation. Prior to joining Parlant Technology, Inc., Jacob was responsible for sales and legal issues in China and the U.S. for SirsiDynix. Jacob has experience drafting and prosecuting patents in various technologies, including software, chemical, biomedical, and mechanical was previously an associate at Brinks Gilson & Lione. Jacob also worked for the Honorable Dale Kimball and Honorable Clark Waddoups of the Utah District Court of the District of Utah and taught at the University of Phoenix. Jacob has been licensed to practice before the USPTO since 2008. He is passionate about education and has published two papers in leading biomedical journals. He has also taught science all levels, from post-graduate biology to science for elementary students. Jacob enjoys co-coaching with his wife his children in FIRST Lego League, singing bass in choirs, speaking Mandarin Chinese, and acting in his spare time. In 2014 Jacob was the President of the Corporate Counsel Section of the Utah Bar Association and is a founding board member of the Silicon Slopes General Counsel Roundtable.

Jacob has fond memories of his Honors experience and has kept in touch with faculty mentors over the years. He notes, “I will always remember Paul Cox teaching us in the ethnobotany crash course. And so I have always tried to see connections between God, plants, and humans. I still stay in touch with Dr. Cox; I took a video of my father-in-law's orchard so I can show him all of the plants.”

He and his wife Yaling Brenda Ong have four children, all at BYU and two are currently in the Honors Program. His son Ephraim and daughter Nauvoo are in attendance today. His entire family were background actors as Jaredites in the Book of Mormon Video about the Brother of Jared seeing the Lord, and Jacob got to pretend like he ran and saw the stones that gave off light after the Lord had touched them. This is significant because when he was an Honors Student, he remembers reading a book from the Honors Program about being a disciple scholar and showed on the cover the Lord touching the stones. He recently used his Honors training when he and his wife helped interpret into Mandarin part of the recent Tribute to President Nelson. From 2016 to 2021, he and his family lived in Taiwan.

Jacob and his wife find great joy in serving as temple workers in Saratoga Springs. Recently, Jacob and his wife Brenda have been called to be service missonaries in the Church’s Addiction Recovery Program. Currently, there do not appear to be any listed addiction recovery meetings from the Church in Chinese. They also have received permission to help start a Chinese-language addiction recovery group!

Honors Thesis: Correlating increased numbers of CAG repeats with increased severity of symptoms during the early stages of Huntington's disease

Sarah Sandberg Pletsch (Elementary Education, 2002) is a sixth grade teacher in the Jordan School District. She earned a BS in Elementary Education with a minor in English from Brigham Young University in 2002. She completed her Masters in Education: Learning and Technology from Western Governors University in 2022 and recently walked in a convocation ceremony in Chicago. She is the mother of six children, ages 22 to 10 years old. Her elementary education degree and Honors education were a valuable asset while raising her children as a full-time mother, and as she has taught over 1,000 students as a music specialty teacher and a core teacher. Her Honors education has helped her inspire many children to dig deeper and to create memorable connections in their world and in their relationships, as they embark on a lifelong journey of learning, serving and leading. Sarah loves to read, hike, bake bread and camp at Arches National Park with her children.

Honors Thesis: The Life and Legacy of Karl G. Maeser: His Educational Philosophies

Melissa Scott (European Studies & Spanish, 2019) is a CS Data Analyst and is currently pursuing Master’s degree in Computer Science at BYU, with particular focus on human-computer interactions. She completed a BA in European Studies and Spanish, and an MPA degree at BYU. She notes that Honors taught her to listen to others and see problems from different points of view. “Honors helped me realize that I can learn anything with the right perspective,” she added. Melissa and her husband Brandon have one child and she is expecting a second soon. She enjoys hiking and has hiked 5 of 7 peaks in Utah County. As an undergraduate, she participated in three Study Abroad programs.

Honors Thesis: Midwifery and Society: A Comparative Analysis of the UK and USSR from 1920-1950
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-scotte-mt/

Kayci Treu (Communications/Journalism, 2017) is is co-founder and business owner of TreuDancing, LLC with her husband, Casey Treu. A World Professional Ballroom Champion, she and her husband also have 7 National titles. Kayci is also an award-winning choreographer, elite coach, and championship level adjudicator. When not dancing, she loves getting out in nature or curling up with a great book.

She notes, “I've always been interested in deep learning and the Honors program allowed me to stretch myself in interdisciplinary ways, while also connecting me with a fabulous network of mentors. Some of my very favorite classes at BYU were the Great Questions and the Honors interdisciplinary GE courses.”

Honors Thesis: The Ballroom Bonus: A Journalistic Study and Presentation of the Benefits of Ballroom Dance in Public Schools in Utah Valley
Website: www.TreuDancing.com
Connect on social: @TreuDancing

Patrick Walton, 2017 (Mechanical Engineering, 2017) is founder and CEO of Care Weather Technologies, Inc, a weather satellite company working to replace crumbling U.S. weather warning infrastructure by mass-producing low-cost weather satellites capable of observing global hurricane winds in near real time. He earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Electrical & Computer Engineering at BYU. In addition to Care Weather, Patrick has won and led seven NASA, NSF, and USAF programs and held business and engineering roles at Evolution Space, L3-Harris, and BYU engineering labs.

About Honors he said, “The Honors focus on interdisciplinary great questions helped me find a global problem that is sorely neglected: why have nations been unable to maintain and improve on many critical weather monitoring capabilities in recent decades when technology has rapidly advanced. The solutions are found at the intersection of so many domains of study: electrical, mechanical, and aerospace engineering, atmospheric and Earth science, political science, business, accounting, and more.” Patrick loves to build and explore, and has recently gotten into web and app development, gardening, and lighting interior design. His family of four loves to travel and explore national parks, ghost towns, and islands.

Honors Thesis: Mission and System Architecture Design for Passive Inspection Cubesats
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpatrickwalton
Website: https://www.careweather.com

Jon Chichoni Warenne (Global Supply Chain & Operational Management, 2018) is the founder and CEO of Estate Guru, an attorney-led estate planning software made for advisors, lawyers, and institutions. He earned his B.S. at BYU in Global Supply Chain & Operational Management. He has a strong background in financial services and investment analysis. Prior to Estate Guru, Jonathan gained experience in various roles within the investment banking and private equity sectors. He served as a Private Equity Analyst at Hggc, contributing to platform investments and add-on acquisitions. At AltaLink Capital, as a Senior Execution Private Equity Associate, he focused on software and technology-enabled business services companies. He has also worked at Citigroup as an Investment Banking Analyst, and at RBC Capital Markets as a Leveraged Finance Analyst, where he was involved in financial modeling and valuation analysis.

Asked about the Honors Program Jon said, “The honors program taught me how to create, analyze and approach questions both small and great. The impact of that education has created incredible insights that have shaped my career choices, family choices, personal views and long term outlook on my life.” Jon has lived in New York City, San Diego, Miami and Utah. He is married, enjoys skiing and has interests in Tech entrepreneurship, Legal Tech, Legal AI, Estate AI.

Honors Thesis: The Digital Global Supply Chain: The Growing Case for Blockchain Technology Expansion with Global Supply Chain

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-chichoni-warenne-94449982/
www.estateguru.com