Rhett Larsen
School Safety Center Coordinator
Phone: (801) 538-7997 | Email

As the School Safety Center Coordinator for the Utah State Board of Education (USBE), Mr. Larsen’s responsibilities include coordinating and aligning school safety efforts at the state and local levels. He is the project lead for the Utah School Safety Center (SSC), which develops model policies, resources, and best practices for school safety. Mr. Larsen believes in a comprehensive approach to keeping schools and students safe. With a Master of Science in Counseling/School Counseling, he has worked as a school counselor, teacher, and prevention specialist. Education is important to both Mr. Larsen and his wife, who is a teacher. Together they strive to make a positive difference in the lives of students.

Ashley Pistello
School Safety Center Specialist
Phone: (801) 538-7728 | Email

Ashley Pistello has joined the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) as the School Safety Center Specialist. She previously collaborated with the Utah School Safety Center as a liaison from SafeUT and the Huntsman Mental Health Institute (HMHI). In addition to her experience as a Project Administrator, Ashley spent four years in the classroom teaching high school algebra and two years working as a Customer Success Manager for the Educational Technology platform, Remind. Helping students succeed by empowering educators is Ashley’s passion and helps drive her work forward.

Levi Grisenti
School Safety and Security Specialist
Phone: (385) 295-7899 | Email

Levi Grisenti has joined the Utah State Board of Education as the School Safety and Security Specialist. He is a dedicated and passionate educator with a strong background in both elementary and special education. He has worked in both charter and district schools across Utah, gaining valuable experience in diverse educational settings. His focus has always been on creating inclusive and supportive learning environments that foster growth and success for all students. Levi has a strong background in behavior analysis and school safety, allowing him to implement proactive strategies that promote positive behavior and a secure learning environment. His passion for education drives him to continually seek new ways to inspire and empower the next generation of learners.

Willie Chen
School Safety Data Analyst
Phone: (385) 295-7919 | Email

As the School Safety Data Analyst for Utah State Board of Education (USBE), Willie is part of the Utah School Safety Center (SSC), collaborates with stakeholders, and helps develop surveys to review data required for a variety of projects related to school safety. Her multi-discipline background in policy and research, statistics, and science education helps bring perspective during the analysis and presentation of data to multiple audiences.

Michelle Knight
Suicide Prevention Specialist
Phone: (801) 538-7962 | Email

Michelle Knight, MHA, MBA, is a Prevention Specialist with the Utah State Board of Education (USBE), specializing in suicide prevention, digital threat assessment, crisis response, school safety, and mental health resources for K–12 schools. She co-leads USBE’s Crisis Response Support Team and has presented nationally on youth suicide prevention and collaborative approaches to supporting student safety and well-being. Prior to joining USBE, Michelle worked with the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at University of Utah Health, where she helped oversee the development and implementation of the SafeUT app. She also coordinated a $3.4 million initiative to integrate statewide mental health crisis resources. Michelle holds master’s degrees in Health Administration and Business Administration from Weber State University.

Amy Pace
Strategic Growth and Innovation Specialist
State Charter School Board
Phone: (801) 421-0108 | Email

Amy transitioned from the classroom into state-level educational governance as the Strategic Growth and Innovation Specialist for the Utah State Charter School Board and serves as the liaison to the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) on the School Safety Team. Drawing from over 25 years of classroom and leadership experience in both traditional and charter schools, she leverages her background to support teachers, school leaders, and charter school communities statewide. Amy holds a BS in Biology with a Secondary Teaching Certificate from Southern Utah University and earned her M.Ed. from the University of Utah's Instructional Design and Educational Technology program. She brings a data-driven, innovative approach to fostering safe, supportive, and effective learning environments for Utah's students and school leaders.

Lieutenant Jeremy Barnes
School Safety Liaison
Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Phone: (801) 503-5815 | Email

Jeremy is a fifteen-year veteran of law enforcement and is currently the School Safety Liaison for the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Utah School Safety Center (SSC). He was previously assigned as an investigator with the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) with DPS from May 2016-February 2020. Jeremy also worked with the Draper City Police Department from May 2009-May 2016 as a Patrol Officer, Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Officer, Juvenile Crimes Investigator, and School Resource Officer (Corner Canyon High School). He holds a Bachelor's of Science in Emergency Services Management and is also a member of the United States Navy Reserve.

Scott Eyre
School Based Mental Health Specialist
Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
Phone: (801) 450-2667 | Email

Scott Eyre works for the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) within the Office of Substance Use and Mental Health (OSUMH) and acts as the liaison to the Utah State Board of Education (USBE). His primary duties include serving on the Utah School Safety Center (SSC) as the School Based Mental Health Specialist. Scott’s career spans over two decades of work with youth and family services in both the public and private sectors. In 2016 he began his employment with the state of Utah where he spent three years with Juvenile Justice Services (JJS) before transferring to his current position. Scott holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Utah Valley University and Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Utah. In his free time Scott enjoys exploring Utah’s backcountry, coaching his sons’ sports teams, and running/surviving the occasional marathon in the desert.

Melissa Muhlestein
Executive Secretary
Phone: (385) 295-7931 | Email

Melissa has joined the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) as the Executive Secretary for the Utah School Safety Center. She graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Special and Elementary Education. She taught Special Education for four years before taking a break to raise her family. Melissa is ardent about seeing schools become safer for both the students and the teachers.