About Us
The Land Trusts Protection & Advocacy Office (Protection & Advocacy Office) protects beneficiaries against any goal that is inconsistent with the inherent purposes of the School and Institutional Trust. We are full-time advocates with undivided loyalty to trust beneficiaries.
Students taking an exam
What We Do

The Protection & Advocacy Office is dedicated daily to protecting current and future beneficiary rights and interests by advocating for:

  1. Productive use and optimization of revenue to all trust beneficiaries from school and institutional trust lands.
  2. Prudent and profitable investment of trust funds.

The Protection & Advocacy Office has a focused approach toward promoting trust beneficiary interests by facilitating open communication among key individuals and organizations, advocating for legislative change that best serves the interests of the trust beneficiaries, and educating the public regarding the School and Institutional Trust System (Trust System).

Our Mission
To ensure the integrity and impact of Utah's School and Institutional Trust System.

Guiding Principles

To guide the Protection & Advocacy Office in fulfilling its duty to protect and advocate for the rights and interests of current and future trust beneficiaries, we stand by the following principles:
business agreement

1. Seek first to understand the business rationale and strategies used by trust fiduciaries at the Trust Lands Administration and the School and Institutional Trust Fund Office (SITFO);

2. Be an active, collaborative, and equal partner in the Trust System;

3. Encourage trust fiduciaries to be as open and transparent as possible within the law, maintaining business confidentiality;

4. Engage on matters of most importance to the trust;

5. Build and maintain relationships of respect through diplomatic actions;

6. Champion the legacy and heritage of the trust;

7. Prioritize long term value creation over short term gains;

8. Represent the trust as an ambassador to all stakeholders;

9. Ensure that the trust lands and funds are managed with integrity and fidelity to the beneficiaries; and

10. Collaborate and share information with beneficiary groups and stakeholders.

Protection & Advocacy Committee & Office
The Lands Trust Protection & Advocacy Office, under direction of the Protection & Advocacy Committee, acts in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of all trust beneficiaries.
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Richard Ellis

Chair
Richard Ellis is the executive director for my529, Utah’s education savings plan. His previous experience includes nearly 20 years with the state of Utah having served two terms as state treasurer and various other roles in the governor’s office and state treasurer’s office. His involvement with state trust lands began in 1996
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Paula Plant
Vice Chair

Paula Plant became an advocate for the trusts and beneficiaries as a school PTA member when a legislative task force was considering the creation of the Trust Lands Administration. Since that time, she has worked with the trust system to improve policy at the school, district, state, and congressional levels that protect the trusts and beneficiary rights, including the creation of the School LAND Trust Program. Paula is the Director of the School Children’s Trust at the Utah State Board of Education.

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Louie Cononelos

Committee Member

Louie Cononelos, holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in History and was honored as an Honorary Engineer of Mines by the University of Utah’s Department of Mining Engineering where he also later taught as an Associate Professor. With over 40 years of industry expertise, Cononelos has held diverse management roles in Kennecott companies, culminating in his position as Rio Tinto’s Chief Advisor for Government and Corporate Relations-Americas before retiring. He continues to provide consultation to multiple mining companies. During his career, he has held leadership and board positions in several industry, civic and charitable organizations including the SITLA Board of Trustees.
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Roger E. Barrus

Committee Member

Roger joins the Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Committee after careers in the oil and natural gas industry and in real estate development.  He served in the Utah House of Representatives for 14 years, chairing committees in energy, public utilities, natural resources, agriculture, and environment.  He also served a six-year term on SITLA’s Board of Trustees.  His favorite personal label is “Grandpa”.
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Bradford A. Benz

Committee Member

Brad is the founder of Benz Capital and a Senior Advisor to TPG RISE. Brad has been creating, operating, and investing in education companies for over two decades. Brad earned his MBA from the University of Michigan and an AB degree from Princeton University.
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Kim S. Christy

Director

Kim Christy was hired as the Director of the Protection and Advocacy Office in 2022. After 18 years of service with the Trust Lands Administration, Kim retired as its deputy director in 2020.  His professional career has also included serving as the Vice President of Public Policy for the Utah Farm Bureau as well as a policy analyst for the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel. 

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Jessie Stuart

Assistant Director

Jessie Stuart joined the Protection & Advocacy Office in 2019 to help with office operations and administration. Her dedication has helped shape the office’s direction and strengthen stakeholder relationships. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a Business Development Coordinator in local government.  Jessie holds a B.A. in Communications - Public Relations from Southern New Hampshire University where she graduated with summa cum laude honors.

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Ashton Hatch

Communications Specialist

Ashton Hatch graduated from Brigham Young University in 2021. In all of his roles, Ashton tries to emphasize the inspiring and personal stories of those around him. Ashton was hired as the Communications Specialist of the Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office in June 2023.

Meet the Team

The Lands Trust Protection & Advocacy Office, under direction of the Protection & Advocacy Committee, acts in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of all trust beneficiaries.
Land Trusts Protection & Advocacy Committee Meeting Schedule.

Richard Plant Committee Chair
Paula Plant Committee Vice Chair
Louie Cononleos Committee Member
Roger Barrus Committee Member
Bradford Benz Committee Member
Kim Christy Director
Jessie Stuart Assistant Director
Related Entities
The Protection & Advocacy Office works closely with the Trust Lands Administration, the School and Institutional Trust Fund Office (SITFO), and the School Children’s Trust section at the Utah State Board of Education. The four entities together form the Trust System.
Utah School & Institutional Trust Funds Office Logo
Trust lands Administration Logo
School Land Trust Logo
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the Utah Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office or any information found here on the website, please contact us by using the form, or the contact information below.

Kim Christy, Director

phone icon(801) 201-7480

email icon kschristy@utah.gov

Jessie Stuart, Assistant Director

phone icon(385) 315-1892

email iconjpstuart@utah.gov





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