About Us

Jared has been teaching in the Department of Ancient Scripture at BYU since 2006. Previous to that, he spent six years teaching religion and history at BYU–Hawaii and served the last two years as chair of the History Department. Jared received his bachelor's degree from BYU in Near Eastern studies, his master's degree from the University of California at Berkeley in Biblical Hebrew, and his PhD in Near Eastern religions from UC–Berkeley and the Graduate Theological Union. His primary research interests are in ancient Judaism and early Christianity. His dissertation was published as a book, Abraham Meets Death: Narrative Humor in the Testament of Abraham, by Sheffield Academic Press. He has also produced a world history textbook, Revealing World History to 1500, and a book related to the Apocrypha, Exploring the Apocrypha from a Latter-day Saint Perspective. Jared has regularly presented papers at the Society of Biblical Literature meetings and has participated in Sperry and similar symposia at BYU. He enjoys teaching Bible courses, Book of Mormon, world religions, and world history. Jared served a Latter-day Saint mission to Campinas, Brazil, and has also lived in Germany and Israel, teaching twice at the BYU Jerusalem Center, 2011–12, 2016–17. He likes sports, hiking, snorkeling, and traveling. He is married to Margaret (Nelson), and they have five children: Jared Jr., Joshua, Joseph, Marissa, and Melia.

Michael A. Goodman is the RSC’s associate publications director. He has worked for the Church Educational System since 1989 and was the manager of CES College Curriculum before joining the Department of Church History and Doctrine in 2007. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a public relations, a master’s degree in information technology, and a PhD in marriage, family, and human development. He is a coinvestigator on the Family Foundations of Youth Development longitudinal research project. His research focus is on adolescent and family faith development and mental health outcomes with a special emphasis on suicidality. He has been married to Tiina Anita Goodman from Lahti, Finland, since 1985.

Courses Taught: The Eternal Family, Missionary Preparation, The Living Prophets and Doctrine and Covenants; Book of Mormon, New Testament, Old Testament and Pearl of Great Price

Areas of Research: Marriage and Family / LDS Doctrine / Missionary Work and the International Church / Adolescent Development / Suicidality with a special emphasis on LGBTQ adolescents.
 

Leigh Ann Copas joined the RSC in December 2022 as the publications coordinator. She works closely with authors, the publications director, editors, production supervisor, and student office support and editorial team in coordinating all publications. In addition to liaising with authors and processing submissions, returns for edits, and reviews, she assists with travel, budgeting, media relations, special projects, conference support, and other tasks. She completed a BA in English and an MA in literature/rhetoric and composition at Western Kentucky University and recently acquired a certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of Utah. Before working at BYU, she spent fourteen and a half years as Writing Center director at Utah Valley University and rotated teaching ESL, developmental writing, and first-year composition courses. She has served on multiple professional affiliate boards, including president of the Utah College Learning Center Association and Utah representative for the Rocky Mountain Writing Centers Association. Her research interests center on analyzing peer tutoring as a high impact practice, holistic student support, mentoring student employees, and evaluating evidence-based teaching practices. In her free time, Leigh Ann enjoys fishing at Strawberry Reservoir, camping and hiking at Whiting Campground, learning Korean, reading a good thriller, and trying new restaurants. 

Devan Jensen is the executive editor and social media manager for the BYU Religious Studies Center and BYU Religious Education. He coordinates the office’s editing activities and has edited 250 books or book-length projects that have garnered many awards, including five from the Mormon History Association. He and Rosalind Meno Ram were lead authors and editors of Battlefields to Temple Grounds: Latter-day Saints in Guam and Micronesia. He has served as president or chair of several professional boards, including Latter-day Saints in Publishing, Media, and the Arts and BYU's Office Professionals Annual Conference. In 2016 Devan received the BYU President’s Appreciation Award. As a National Merit Scholar, he received his MA and BA degrees in English from BYU. He and his wife, Patty, live in Orem, Utah, and have four children and an adorable granddaughter. He enjoys cycling, pickleball, singing, and magic. 

Brent Nordgren is the business and production supervisor for BYU’s Religious Studies Center (RSC). As such, he oversees the operation and production of the publications, marketing, photo editing, and the legal and business matters concerning the RSC. With the help of a talented team he produces, markets, prints, and distributes the RSC books, journals, and magazines. He is also the managing editor of the BYU Religious Education Review magazine. He has authored many articles for the magazine, has facilitated and gathered most of the Review's content since its inception in 2008, and has also been the RSC website administrator since its launch in 2008. Brent has been the website administrator for four other websites before working for BYU. He received an AS degree with honors from Utah Valley University, a bachelor's degree in business management from Brigham Young University, and an MBA from Utah State University. He is the recipient of the staff and administrative employee recognition award (SAERA) from Brigham Young University for his innovative work and by going above and beyond his responsibilities. He originated and helped implement the idea to partner with Deseret Book in copublishing books with the RSC and has served as the RSC point person with Deseret Book ever since. For more than forty-five years, Brent has owned and/or operated several businesses, including two McDonald's restaurants. While at Provo High School he was the head yearbook photographer for three years, a layout designer, and served as the school's public relations manager. He received the Eagle Scout Award and is a former candidate for the Provo City council. He and his wife, Annette, have four children and 12 grandchildren.

Don L. Brugger began his editing career as a proofreader at the Los Angeles Times and refined his skills by teaching high school English and completing a master’s degree at BYU. Along the way he joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, served a full-time mission in Argentina, and consecrated his wordsmithing craft to advancing the venerable aims of Latter-day Saint publishing: “to copy, and to correct, and select, that all things may be right before [the Lord]” (D&C 57:13). His zeal to assist inspired minds in producing top-notch publications aligned with the faith led him to editing stints at the Church’s Curriculum Department, Deseret Book, the Ensign, and FARMS/Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. A former bishop, Don taught editing classes at BYU for nine years. He and his wife, Tonya, have five children and three grandchildren. After a day’s work, Don enjoys watching the stars come out while he plays bluegrass guitar or, more recently, blues harmonica.

Alaina Dunn joined the Religious Studies Center as an editor in July 2022. She was born in Nebraska but grew up in Washington State. Her love of words eventually led her to receive a degree from BYU in editing and publishing, which she completed in April 2021. During that time, she honed her craft by taking on a variety of internships, working variously as an editor and social media assistant for a local science fiction and fantasy publishing house; a copyeditor and typesetter for a nationally published biology journal; and an editor and writer for the internationally published Liahona magazine. Her writing has been published in the Liahona several times. Since graduating, Alaina has worked as a freelance editor and designer, working with a team to prepare a fantasy novella for publication through Covenant Communications. She also recently served as head editor and designer for a collection of self-published gothic short stories written by one of her favorite authors—her husband. In her time at the RSC, she has been grateful to work on a variety of religious publications, combining her love of religious topics and skillful editing. In her (limited) free time, Alaina loves dissecting bad movies with her husband, writing novels, and cooking.

Alex Socarras is a graphic designer at the BYU Religious Studies Center. He graduated from BYU–Idaho with a BA in art. There, he discovered his interest in printmaking. Alex enjoys creating woodblock prints and oil painting. He is originally from Colombia, where he studied graphic design. After some time away from design he moved to Miami and joined the Church. He served a mission in Orlando, Florida. Besides art, Alex enjoys reading, watching movies, figuring out what kind of music he likes, replaying the one song he knows on the ukulele, and spending time with his wife, Rachel, and their son. At the Religious Studies Center, he contributes to the design, typesetting, and layout of various publications.

Carmen Cole first published at age ten and again, nationally, at age fourteen and has continued her interest in publishing ever since. She earned her BA in print journalism from Brigham Young University and has twenty years’ experience in editing, typesetting, and graphic design. Carmen serves as a typesetter, graphic designer, photographer, and social media marketer for the RSC and anything else they need. Carmen has also worked for FARMS/Neal A. Maxwell Institute, BYU Marriott School, Orem Daily Journal, BYU Magazine, Daily Universe, Provo and Alpine school districts, and VASA Fitness. In addition to graphic design, Carmen has studied ballroom dance, music, foreign languages, nutrition and fitness, home construction and landscaping, and early childhood education. When she isn’t mothering her children, you can find her designing or dancing.