Site Leaders & Staff Partners for Fall 2025!
Well before the tires hit the road, our incredible team of student Site Leaders and Staff Partners are carefully crafting the transformative experiences that U of U students enjoy each year. These daring darlings of social change coordinate the community engagement, issue education, and reflection pieces on their Alternative Breaks experiences, and they'd love to share their enthusiasm for their work with you.
Knowledgeable, hard-working, and passionate about student engagement, these folx are great resources for Alt Breaks participants to connect with the campus community in different areas and ways. While Site Leaders are the go-to for questions about their specific AB experiences, feel free to connect with our Staff/Faculty Partners with any questions about Alternative Breaks, their department and work on campus!
Reach out to them if you have any questions about the experiences they're planning!
AB Fall Experience Leadership Teams
Aubrey Campbell
SITE LEADER
She, Her, Hers
Aubrey Campbell
Hi! My name is Aubrey Campbell (She/Her/Hers) and I am a second year student majoring in Marketing, minoring in French. Besides my involvement with Alternative Breaks, I also work at the Center for Disability & Access as a student worker. In my free time, I love spending time with friends & family, listening to Taylor Swift, and watching movies!
Ana Sanchez Benet
STAFF PARTNER
She, Her, Hers
Ana Sanchez Benet
Hola! My name is Ana Sanchez Benet, and I’m a second-year master’s student in Educational Leadership and Policy, with a concentration in Student Affairs. I currently work as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Undergraduate Studies Department for First Experiences.
Over the past two years, my focus has been on building the skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience necessary to advocate for students. I’m especially passionate about promoting student development, supporting student success, and helping shape policies that directly impact student life and learning.
I was born in Cuba and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. I love meeting new people and connecting with their stories—and I’m truly excited to be a part of this team. I can’t wait to meet everyone and start this journey together!
Savannah Squire
SITE LEADER
She, Her, Hers
Savannah Squire
Hi everyone! My name is Savannah and I’ll be the site leader for the Disability Advocacy Alt Break! I’m a senior majoring in Communication and minoring in Music, and I’m also pursuing certificates in Social Justice Advocacy and Community Engagement. I love to read, go to the symphony, and hang out with my friends in my spare time. I’m super excited for this Alt Break experience to share knowledge and learn from community partners about systemic inequities and how we can advocate for others to create change.
Gilbert Baracka
STAFF PARTNER
He, Him
Gilbert Baracka
Gilbert Baracka is a Software Developer for the University Faculty Information and Support team. Gilbert enjoys organizing the community to get outside to run or hike. He enjoys reading books and collecting plants.
Gaby Karakcheyeva
SITE LEADER
She, Her, Hers
Gaby Karakcheyeva
Hello! My name is Gaby, and I am a senior studying biology, human rights, and resources. I aspire to be a professional wildlife biologist and hope to teach at the university level eventually. I am particularly interested in studying birds and love learning about their migration and nesting habits. Aside from my love for studying birds, I do a bunch of other things (that may or may not include birds).
I have been a member of the Union Programming Council for three years and counting, serving on the Feed U Pantry board and currently as its Executive Director. I also work as a university ambassador and a research assistant, interned at the edible campus gardens, and I have started the Wildlife Society Chapter here at the U. Off campus, I volunteer at the Tracy Aviary in their bird care department and interned in their conservation department for this past summer (and I still volunteer there as well!). I was also a volunteer for Hawk Watch and volunteered with Great Salt Lake Audubon.
In my free time, I like taking photos of wildlife, going on bird walks, hiking, skiing, lifting weights, going to spin classes, and trying new food places around Salt Lake!! Join me on the Community Land Stewardship alt break for the best time (bird watching certainly included).
Sam Brimhall
STAFF PARTNER
She, Her, Hers
Sam Brimhall
Hi there! I'm Sam! I am very excited to be part of the AB team once again! I've participated in the program both as a student and a staff partner over the last 8 years. I currently work at the Natural History Museum of Utah and graduated from the U with a degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies.
Some of my personal interests are backpacking, music (could talk about music for hours!), Star Trek, and the weather. I can't wait to get to know others through the program and hope that everyone enjoys the journey as much as I have in the past!
Ta'Mariah Jenkins
SITE LEADER
She, Her, Hers
Ta'Mariah Jenkins
Ta’Mariah is a dedicated scholar who graduated from Utah State University, originally from Anchorage, Alaska. She embraces every opportunity to learn and grow, driven by a strong commitment to inclusivity and social engagement. Pursuing a degree in Political Science, she is also earning dual minors in Leadership Management and Anticipatory Intelligence, along with certificates in Nonprofit Organizations/Social Entrepreneurship and Leadership Diplomacy-International. Her academic journey is fueled by a passion for addressing educational inequalities and promoting service-oriented initiatives. For Ta’Mariah, service is more than just giving back—it’s about recognizing the humanity in others, meeting people where they are, and taking meaningful action to create lasting change. She believes that through service, communities can bridge gaps, foster inclusion, and build a culture of empathy. After completing her graduate studies in International Affairs and Global Enterprise at the University of Utah, Ta’Mariah plans to join the Peace Corps, serving in Africa or Latin America to further develop her cross-cultural service and development skills. Ultimately, she aims to become a public diplomacy officer or diplomat, working to promote equity, strengthen U.S. alliances, and create sustainable global opportunities.
HJ Morrell
STAFF PARTNER
She, Her, Hers
HJ Morrell
I have worked at the University of Utah for the Full-Time MBA program since September 2024 and absolutely adore working at the David Eccles School of Business. Previously, I worked for the Prison Education Program for Salt Lake Community College. In this role, I assisted incarcerated students to obtain degrees and certificates in order to be contributing society members upon release. My undergraduate education was in Political Science and Criminal Justice and my graduate education was in Criminal Justice. I am passionate about students succeeding while also maintaining their personal journeys. In my spare time, I am a season ticket holder for the Utah Grizzlies hockey team, scrapbook, and hike with my dog, Peach. I am elated to join the Alternative Break team this year!