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Meet the Board of Directors
George Gehling
President
George has worked for over 20 years with people of all ages who have special needs. He has experience in independent living, job development and employment supports, and recreational programs for both children and adults. A past Board member, George is excited to serve again. He hopes to contribute to RRCI's efforts to provide high quality services that meet the needs of the people we serve and their families.
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To contact the RRCI board reach out to us at: Board@rrci.org
Tyler Presnell
Vice President
Tyler Presnell is originally from Bakerfield, CA but grew up in the Pacific NW. At the age of 14, Tyler and
his siblings were riding in the car with a newly licensed 16yr old who lost control of the vehicle while
trying to show off. Tyler sustained broken bones throughout his body, countless ruptured organs, and
the most life altering injury of them all, a TBI in four areas of his brain.
This accident changed Tyler’s life, and the lives of those around him, forever. Today, Tyler walks with a
slight limp due to an artificial hip on the right side, along with a paralyzed right foot and ankle. Like he
says though, his Traumatic Brain Injury is what causes the most frustration.
Tyler has been an advocate for TBI survivors since his youth and loves to share his experiences with
others in hopes of helping. He is now married and has two sons, along with an amazing dog named
Ozzy. He is also a Risk Manager at beehive Insurance. His constant involvement in the community,
knowledge of insurance coverage forms, and real life experiences being disabled, make him a great fit
for the Board of Directors at RRCI.
Sandra Nielson
Secretary
Sandra Nielson, a San Diego native, developed a deep appreciation for diversity early in life, which prepared her for her journey as a mother and advocate. After raising her family in rural West Central Utah, where several of her children were born with or acquired disabilities, Sandra dedicated her life to advocating for individuals with disabilities. Her personal experiences inspired her to secure grants for summer education camps, establish a family support network, and serve on councils like the DSPD Advisory Council and the Utah Disability Law Center.
A passionate advocate for rural communities, Sandra has lobbied at the Utah State Capitol and built strong relationships with legislators to improve disability services. For 14 years, she has volunteered with the Red Rock Center for Independence (RRCI) and is proud to serve on its board of directors. Sandra’s dedication to increasing awareness and enhancing opportunities for individuals with disabilities continues to drive her efforts today.
Thomas Sorenson
Treasurer
Thomas Sorenson, originally from Southern California, relocated to Southern Utah to pursue higher education. He holds degrees in economics, finance, and business data analytics, and brings over 15 years of experience in higher education. In addition to his professional expertise, Thomas enjoys developing software solutions to address common challenges. Outside of work, he cherishes time with his wife and their beloved pets, including two dogs and five cats. His perspective on serving individuals and groups with disabilities has grown as Thomas has personally experienced disabilities in vision, mobility, and has spent his professional career serving and advocating for the potential for people with disabilities to be successful.
Kester Tapaha
Member
Affiliated with the native American tribe, the Dine, Kester brings cultural awareness to the board. His employment plays to his strengths as he specializes in working with Blind and Visually Impaired by conducting Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling for Utah State Office of Rehabilitation. Kester has a special interest in intergenerational trauma, effects of colonization, labeling, disability issues, and same sex relations research and practices. Kester represents the voice of the blind community on RRCI’s board of directors.
Susannah O'Brien
Member
Susannah grew up in South Carolina, where she graduated with a degree in Sociology from Columbia College. She started a business with her husband in 2012 and eventually left the United States to travel full-time while running their family business. They followed extended family members to St. George in 2021, where Susannah dove into supporting her new community. She is currently the Director of Development for Hearsee Mobility as well as a proud board member for RRCI as well as St. George Women in Tech and Business. Her primary loves are her son and husband, followed by cooking, travel, and reading. Susannah is proud to tirelessly support and advocate for the needs of those supported by RRCI.
Jonathan Dormire
Member
Jonathan is originally from Idaho. He moved to La Verkin, Utah in 2014 and has been with RRCI for 5 years. He states, "RRCI has helped me to learn about life skills." Jonathan works at Dixie Nutrition and loves to go places and meet new people. Helping others is important to him. Jonathan loves to travel, ride his three wheels E-bike around his community and go on UTV rides with his dad and family. He also loves to be outdoors camping and hiking. Jonathan loves to advocate for people with disabilities, specifically to help them get around in our community. One way he has advocated for easier travel access, was contacting the City of La Verkin to fix a broken sidewalk so people who use wheelchairs and walkers could safely use the sidewalk.
Sylvia Clements
Member
Sylvia was born in Oklahoma and moved to Texas with her family in her youth. She arrived in Utah to attend BYU, where she earned a degree in Psychology of Special Education Counselling. Blind since she was ten years old, Sylvia has been active in community service for many years. A resident of Iron County, Sylvia has used her ham operator skills with the Civil Cir Patrol. She has served with the Red Cross Disaster Relief program, the Iron County Committee for Disaster Preparedness, and many other causes. Sylvia has mentored people with disabilities, teaching independent living skills to people who are vision impaired or who have other disabilities. She enjoys meeting people and helping others, just as she has been helped by others. Serving as an RRCI Board member enables her to support others in a different way.
Board Member Application
Interested in joining our Board of Directors? Apply by completing the application below and emailing the completed application along with a copy of your resume to board@rrci.org