Youth Futures Utah Culture Company

Kristen is an entrepreneur and a self-starter. She has independently owned and operated her own businesses for 20 years, including a small manufacturing company, an art gallery, and a non-profit crisis hotline. Kristen has been involved with human service-oriented agencies for over 25 years, working in group homes, respite services, and volunteer service projects, including those that benefited persons experiencing homelessness. Kristen has held service council positions at Salt Lake Community College and Weber State University. Kristen is the parent of two youth. Kristen has had a long-term goal of opening a respite/shelter/community facility for youth for over 6 years. This project has come to fruition with the opening of Youth Futures Shelter Home in Ogden, Utah.

Heidi Rugg, State Program Director at Youth Futures Utah, oversees statewide programs providing shelter, resources, and support for homeless and at-risk youth. Since joining in 2021 as Cedar City’s Program Manager, she has driven the establishment of a 12-bed shelter and a nine-unit Transitional Living Program, expanding services in southern Utah. With an M.B.A. in Health/Healthcare Administration Management (2014-2016) from Western Governors University and a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration, specializing in Long-Term Care Administration (2011-2014) from Weber State University, Heidi was also a licensed Health Facility Administrator in Utah. Her extensive experience in human resources, business, and healthcare administration informs her approach, fostering key community partnerships with local agencies and service providers to enhance shelter services and environments. Based in Cedar City, Heidi is dedicated to ending youth homelessness and advocating for systemic change.

Melissa joined Youth Futures in August 2023 and brings over 30 years of experience in adolescent development, poverty mitigation, and public systems strategy. Raised in intergenerational poverty, she has a personal understanding of the barriers facing homeless and at-risk youth. Her career has focused on securing critical resources for shelter and transitional living programs, as well as building strategic partnerships with funders, policymakers, and agencies. Melissa holds a Master of Organizational Leadership and a Master of Business Creation, with certifications in Transformational Operations in Government and Nonprofits from the University of Utah's MBA program. She is a subject matter expert in intervention design, development strategy, and systems change. Her work is rooted in trauma-informed, evidence-based practices that promote sustainable solutions and empower youth to thrive.

Barrett Bonella, PhD, LCSW, is a Professor of Social Work at Weber State University and the Director of the Bachelor of Social Work Program. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology and Spanish from Westminster College and completed his MSW and PhD in Social Work at the University of Utah. Barrett has worked in the social work field since 2001, when he worked as a crisis counselor for a hospital in Salt Lake City. Since then, he has worked as a psychiatric technician, clinical therapist, instructor, research assistant, community organizer, policy consultant, clinical supervisor, and clinical director. He’s been a full-time faculty member at Weber State University since 2013, where he teaches Introduction to Social Work; Social Welfare Policy History, Development, and Advocacy; Social Work Research, and Social Work Practice III: Macro Practice. When he's not teaching, he works as a Clinical Director for the Youth Futures shelter for youth. He pursues research in the areas of mental health and criminal justice, program evaluation, community engagement practices, and the use of power in shaping social movements. He’s passionate about social movements, systems theory, social justice, harm reduction, the LGBTQ+ community, and anti-oppressive practices. He credits much of his happiness and sanity to his spouse, Giovanna, and sons Vinny, Trent, and Gabriel