University of Utah College of Health

The Annual J. George and Velma Rife Jones Lectureship

About the Lectureship

Established by the estate of J. George and Velma Rife Jones, this annual lectureship creates space for the College of Health community to learn, connect, and explore topics that shape the health and well-being of our communities. We are grateful to the Jones family for their vision in establishing this endowed lectureship.

Event Details

October 22, 2026 | 6:30PM MDT
Gould Auditorium, Marriott Library
295 S 1500 E, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112

Tonight’s Conversation

Moderated by Alexis Lee, Director of Sustainability for University of Utah Health, tonight’s panel will explore how climate change and other environmental pressures affect our health—and how health professionals can help create a more sustainable future.

College of Health faculty members Shannon Jones, Dart Schmalz, and Jeffrey Rose will share perspectives on food and farming, the connection between nature and well-being, and the unequal local health impacts of climate change, including extreme heat and homelessness.

Together, they will consider practical actions that can support healthier people, communities, and environments.

Program

1. Dinner and Conversation

2. Welcome and Opening Remarks

Niklas Aardema

3. Introduction to Planetary Health

Alexis Lee

Learn More About Alexis Lee

4. Panel Conversation

Dart Schmalz: The Impact of Nature on Health.
Jeffrey Rose: The Local Health Impacts of Extreme Heat, Particularly for People Experiencing Homelessness.
Shannon Jones: The Connection Between Food, Farming, Plant-based Diets, and Personal and Planetary Health.

Learn More About Our Panelists

5. Audience Q&A

6. Closing Remarks

Niklas Aardema

Panelists

Person with long hair wearing clear glasses

Alexis Lee

Director of Environmental & Social Sustainability, U of U Health

Alexis Lee is the Director of Environmental & Social Sustainability for U of U Health. She is passionate about protecting the planet and the health of people and all the creatures who live on it. She holds an HBS in Exercise and Sports Science, a BA in Health, Society & Policy, and an MBA with a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability- all from the U. You can find her riding her bike to work, picking berries in her garden, and chasing her toddler in the mountains.

Dart Schmalz

Professor and Chair, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism

Dart Schmalz is Professor and Chair of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah and co-leader of Nature & Human Health–Utah. She believes that slowing down and making time for the life side of the work–life balance equation not only makes us healthier, but also makes us better people. She holds a Ph.D. from Penn State University and has spent more than two decades studying how leisure, physical activity, and nature exposure affect health and well-being. Experimenting with new recipes in her newly renovated kitchen, playing tennis, and getting outside with her dog are among her favorite activities.

Jeffrey Rose

Associate Professor, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism

Jeffrey Rose is an associate professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah, where he is also affiliated with the Environmental Humanities program. His research uses a social and environmental justice lens to explore relationships between people and nature, with a particular focus on homelessness in parks, outdoor education, and connections to place. Outside of academia, Jeff’s background as an outdoor guide and educator carries over to time spent climbing, backpacking, skiing, and trail running.

Shannon Jones

Associate Professor (Clinical), Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology

Shannon Jones is an associate professor (clinical), in the Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology, Director of the Center for Community Nutrition, and part of the Mountain West Prevention Research Center. Her community-engaged research focuses on the co-development of strategies that support the adoption, implementation, and sustainment of healthy lifestyle programs, policies, and practices across low-resourced community settings, including people experiencing nutrition insecurity and homelessness. She spends time outside work gardening, hiking, canyoneering, whittling, and wood carving.

Stay Connected

Thank you for joining us. We hope tonight’s conversation leaves you with new ideas, meaningful connections, and practical ways to support a healthier future for people and the planet.

To help sustain the J. George and Velma Rife Jones Lectureship and future conversations like this one, please consider making a gift. Visit the link below and select “Make a Gift” at the top of the page.

Support the Lectureship

In Community With

The University of Utah and our panelists are grateful to collaborate with organizations advancing health, sustainability, and stronger communities.

Circular Wasatch Food Co-op with a mountain

Goose with a river running through it with Tracy Aviary

White sego lily in a blue circle with Salt Lake City

Two people above grass with Nature & Human Health Utah