Thanksgiving Point is a community-owned nonprofit garden, museum, and discovery complex founded as a gathering place and gift to the community. As a team member, you enjoy a growing and thriving environment dedicated to providing one-of-a-kind experiences for guests from around the world. Welcome to the Team Member Hub!
HR Reminders
– W2s are now available online on Paychex
joyful gathering place
Exemplifying our mission: Creating a joyful gathering place
- Welcome All: A smile, eye contact, and a genuine greeting help guests and co-workers feel like they belong the moment they arrive.
- Be Positive: Joy can grow when we create supportive environments where learning and a positive mindset abound. Positivity is contagious!
- Be Playful: Encouraging imagination and creativity through play cultivates joy.
- Show Kindness and Respect: Joy and compassion grow when we treat people, animals, and places with care and appreciation.
“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” -Henri Nouwen
GROWING CHARACTER Resources
Wondering what Growing Character is all about?
You’ve come to the right place! We believe that our success isn’t just measured by the experiences we create for guests—but by the growth and well-being of our team members- you! On this tab you will find resources that align with our Growing Character initiative, focused on how you can grow and develop our key characteristics: Curiosity, Confidence, and Compassion.
Here, you’ll find articles, links, and insights to help you understand why Growing Character is so important. Thank you for all you do to continue making Thanksgiving Point an amazing place to work and visit!
Monthly Department Highlight: Food and Beverage LEaders
Shyloe Searle – Tower Deli Manager
Shyloe is the master of the lunch rush at the Tower Deli. She’s built a great relationship with our regular guests and the Thanksgiving Point team members who visit every day. I’m incredibly grateful for the time she puts in and how she keeps the Deli such a positive spot for the her team. When she’s not at work, she’s usually with her fiancé, Jack, celebrating “Pizza Friday” or playing with her cats: Toast, Charlie, Tommy, and Stormy. She just got back from Disneyland and is already planning her next trip back!
Kylah Sadler – Ice Age Creamery Manager
Kylah is the Ice Age Creamery GOAT! She does a great job leading her team and serving guests during busy holiday weekends like President’s Day and MLK Day. We appreciate her hard work and the energy she gives the team, especially as we gear up for the summer ice cream rush once school lets out. Her favorite flavor at the creamery is Honeycomb Crunch. Outside of work, Kylah is a massive Star Wars nerd and loves to travel. She has a Disneyland trip coming up in June and is planning a trip to Europe for later this year.
Peyton Searle – Curiosity Cafe Manager
Peyton manages the Curiosity Cafe and keeps things moving for the families and kids who visit. She just helped us get through a very busy Spring Break, and I’m very thankful for her dedication and the hard work she puts into keeping the food and service to a high standard. Whether it is a busy weekend or a weekday rush. She recently got a place of her own and is excited for the new chapter in her life.
Jen Rowe – Trellis Cafe Manager
Jen loves working at the Trellis Café; it is her passion to take care of our guests and works hard to keep the service and atmosphere high-quality. She and her team serve 200+ lunches a day during the Tulip Festival, and I’m grateful for the effort she’s putting in to prepare the team for the summer. She is excellent at leading her staff through the high-volume days while keeping a focus on the “Joyful Gathering Place” mission. In her free time she enjoys karaoke and card games. Later this year Jen is planning to go and visit her father in Colorado.
Irene Ortega – Harvest Restaurant Manager
Irene has done a great job elevating the level of service in the dining room at Harvest. She keeps the restaurant looking sharp and her team prepared for every shift. Every day when Irene gets to work, you just know it’s going to be a good day. She runs daily shift meetings to make sure her team is “locked in” and ready to provide a great experience for our guests. I really value the professional standard she sets and the hard work she puts in. Irene is planning a summer vacation somewhere fun. Her kids are planning to spend a few weeks with their grandparents in Texas over the summer.
Jocelyn Glassey – Concessions Manager
Jocelyn does amazing work managing a massive team of 60 to 80 staff during our peak business. She handles all the logistics for our concessions, from setting up equipment to menu planning for events like the Tulip Festival, Imaginaria, Cornbelly’s, and Luminaria. She coordinates with multiple departments to make sure everything runs smoothly. I am grateful for the time and creativity she gives to this team. She’s planning a trip to Canada later this year and hopefully another Lake Powell trip!
Avrey Jensen – Director of Restaurants
I oversee our food service leadership and work to make sure we’re a great place for people to gather. I’m proud of this team and grateful for how hard they work to make our goals a reality. My favorite part of my job is working right alongside each manager. I enjoy collaborating on menu development, helping with staff training, and jumping in to help during the rushes. In my downtime, I’m usually at a yoga class, working on home projects, or getting outdoors to go skiing and hiking.
growth opportunities
Staying mentally healthy at work can be difficult, but it should be a priority for everyone. Ignoring it can lead to serious health concerns, however, being proactive and mindful can make a wonderful difference not just mentally, but physically and otherwise too. Here are some easy tips that you can do right now:
Thanksgiving Point also offers a free resources for those who need more than just tips. Our EAP (Employee Assistance Program) provides quick and confidential assistance with wellness, counseling, resources for work/life balances such as child care, ID theft, legal issues, budgeting, and even exclusive entertainment discounts!
- May 1-30: Baby Animal Festival, Curiosity Farms
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May 16: Last day of Tulip Festival, Ashton Gardens
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May 16: Super STEM Saturday, Pollinator Power, Butterfly Biosphere
- My 29- June 12: Beetle Mania, Butterfly Biosphere
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June 1- August 22: Imaginaria, Ashton Gardens
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June 1-30: National Rose Month, Ashton Gardens
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June- Aug: Family Friday Nights, Ashton Gardens
For more information on each venue’s Daily STEM Discovery Programs, visit: https://thanksgivingpoint.org/education/families/
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Your Team Member badge acts as your Thanksgiving Point membership – and includes discounts to our world-class events as well! Purchase tickets at Guest Services or show your badge at these upcoming events for special pricing:
Tulip Festival: April 6 – May 16
Team members must be present and show their badge to receive discounted admission for themselves and their family/guests. Immediate family (spouse and children under 21 in the same household, or parents and siblings under 21 in the same household) receive free admission, along with up to four additional free guests; extra guests receive 50% off.
Imaginaria: June 1 – August 22
Team members must be present and show their badge to receive discounted admission for themselves and their family/guests. Immediate family (spouse and children under 21 in the same household, or parents and siblings under 21 in the same household) receive free admission, along with up to four additional free guests; extra guests receive 50% off.
Timpanogos Storytelling Festival: September 4-6
Team Members can enter promo code Imagine10 on the website, https://timpfest.org/tickets/ to receive 10% off admission.
Garden of Quilts: Classes September 16-19, Quilt Exhibit September 18-19
Team members receive a 10% discount. Get tickets with your Team Member badge at the Guest Information desk in the main lobby of the Butterfly Biosphere.
Jurassic Jungle:
Visit the Guest Information desk in the Butterfly Biosphere lobby to reserve advanced reservations to Mountain America Jurassic Jungle. All you’ll need to do is present your team member badge to recieve your discount! Please note – all visitors are required to wear grip socks within Jurassic Jungle (you may purchase them for $3 per pair). All guests are also required to fill out a waiver prior to their visit. Wearable Data Wristbands are also available for purchase: $1.75 for single-use or $6 for multi-use.
*Team Member or spouse of the Team Member must be present with their Thanksgiving Point identification card to receive admission or other team member benefits.
Need something designed, created, or promoted by the marketing team? You’ve come to the right place! Submit your request by filling out the marketing request form.
As of May 2026
April 2026
Please take a moment (it’s only a minute!) to recognize your amazing colleagues by submitting a nomination for Team Member or Manager of the Month. Submit your nominations HERE.
Please use this survey to also share any comments, suggestions, big ideas, questions, etc. that you would like to share with senior management.
Happy Birthday to our Team Members this month:
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Allison, Alexander J
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Atkinson, Kayla C
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Bahr, Sydney J
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Baker, Chloe E
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Ballif, Allison M
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Barber, Sandy L
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Barlow, Jared
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Benson, Demzi M
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Bettinson, Julie A
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Boyer, Elizabeth A
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Brinkerhoff, Jane E
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Camargo, Gabrielle R
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Carlson, Logan D
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Cassell, Samantha A
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Cluff, Aiden B
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Dahl, Zoe E
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Dawson, Amelia J
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Dayhuff, Beck C
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Dean, Madison J
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Droubay, Joshua H
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Durrant, Kelsie A
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Egbert, Makala L
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Field, Brooke
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Fillmore, Jane
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Fleming, Livvy A
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Fullmer, Nathan D
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Gruenewald, Lauralyn
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Halls, Tyler A
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Hammer, Rebekah A
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Hansen, Noah H
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Harrington, Callie K
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Harris, Amy D
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Hauley, Audrey
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Hedges, Adeline
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Herrera, Ashar J
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Hunsaker, Lydia J
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Jensen, Logan J
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Johnson, Julie
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Judkins, Margaux J
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Kiefer, Alexis N
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Lasson, Travis J
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Lillie, John J
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Lloyd, Jonah N
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Lowry, Cynthia E
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Manual, Jersey M
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Martin, Megan A
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McKay, Eleanor
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Merryweather, Nicholas A
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Morehead, Katelyn E
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Morgan, Whitney G
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Nelson, Kari R
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Nielsen, Ethan D
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Nuccitelli, Bailey M
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Olsen, Easton O
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Phillips, Linnea A
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Pinion, Benjamin M
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Powell, Mikenna
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Raley, Lilly A
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Rasmussen, Evelynn C
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Richardson, Aiden
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Ridenour, Elsha L
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Sahoo, Ria
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Salisbury, Aiden
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Sanchez Cervantes, Ludwig I
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Sayers, Emma J
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Sayers, Jadon J
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Sayers, Jennidee A
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Searle, Kimberly
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Shawcroft, Tyler A
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Streadbeck, Elijah B
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Thomas, Bryce
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Tillman, Avery A
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Torgerson, Jasmine O
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Turner, Presley
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Turpin, Jane
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Vance, Luke D
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Velasco, Elise N
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Villasenor, Diego A
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Western, Kiya L
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Williams, David R
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Williams, Joshua R
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Wootton, Sara E
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Zufelt, Staci M
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As of March 2026
Amanda Clawson, Manager of Safety and Security
Caden Butler: Security Supervisor
Zoe Dahl, Private Events Manager
Ashley Knight, Invertebrate Lab Manager
Marcus Donivan, Full-Time Paleo Educator
Naomi Strange, Senior Director of HR
Looking for growth opportunities at Thanksgiving Point? See our positions that are only open internally.
Group Volunteer Project Request
All current job openings are open to internal and external applicants.
- Your spouse or partner
- Any children under 18 who live with you
pin Guidelines
Showcasing your personality through pins on your lanyard is a big part of the Thanksgiving Point employee culture! For those of you who want to or are wearing pins, below are general guidelines to ensure you’re conforming to the uniform policy.
– Pins are limited to those provided by and approved by Thanksgiving Point
– Thanksgiving Point will provide Pronoun, Language, and Years of Service Pins for those who wish to wear them
– Thanksgiving Point Event pins are allowed
– No more than 10 total pins should be worn at one time
– Pins should not be wider than one inch
– Pins should not extend past the collarbone area
– Any exceptions to these rules must be preapproved by the Pin Committee (email nstrange@thanksgivingpoint.org to start the approval process)
Can’t remember all the benefits that come with being a Thanksgiving Point Team Member? We’ve got you covered.
