The Annual J. George and Velma Rife Jones Lectureship

J. George and Velma Rife Jones Lectureship

Join the University of Utah College of Health for the 2026 Jones Lectureship, an engaging panel discussion exploring planetary health—the connection between human health and the natural systems on which we depend.

Event Details

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

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.

Jeff Rose

Associate Professor, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism

Jeff 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.