Get to Know the Cabinet
Joel Coleman
USDB Superintendent
USDB Superintendent
Superintendent Joel Coleman was appointed to lead the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind in June 2013 and a year later was asked to serve as the interim Superintendent of Public Instruction (State School Chief) for the State of Utah. He is a former two-term city councilman in West Valley City, Utah’s second largest city, and he is the founder and trustee of Monticello Academy, a Utah public charter school. In 2009 he was elected to the Utah State Board of Education. He served as a commissioner on the Lieutenant Governor’s commission for civics and character education and was also elected to the governing board of the National Association of State Boards of Education.
Superintendent Coleman is a graduate of the University of Utah, holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Brigham Young University, and is a doctoral candidate in the department of Education and Learning Foundations at BYU. His career spans over 30 years in teaching and administration as well as various roles in public service and civic involvement. He is a member of the prestigious Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools and was a 2025 Superintendent of the Year finalist with the District Administration Leadership Institute . (Full Bio)
Michelle Tanner, Ed.D.
Associate Superintendent, Utah School for the Deaf
Dr. Michelle Tanner has been a professional in the field of Deaf Education for almost 30 years. Most of those years she spent in the classroom as an educator of the deaf. She has since occupied the role of principal and is currently the Superintendent of the Deaf at the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind (USDB). During that time she has been a tireless advocate for teachers and students in a variety of leadership roles; including the President of the USDB Educator Association and was a teacher representative on the USDB Advisory Council for many years. Recent accomplishments have included establishing a Deaf Education license in the State of Utah, leading the LEAD-K Utah team, strengthening transition services for deaf students in Utah, starting the first online deaf education program in the nation, creating the USD Portrait of a Graduate, and promoting unification between all programs of the deaf regardless of modality. She is currently collaborating with the State to create a Deaf Education program that leads to licensure in Deaf Education for the State of Utah. Her doctorate degree focused on the regression and recruitment in leadership positions at schools for the deaf which included a study of the critical shortages of educators. (Video Bio)
Susan Patten
Associate Superintendent, Utah School for the Blind
Associate Superintendent, Utah School for the Blind
Susan Patten is an accomplished educator with over 30 years of dedicated experience in the field of education. Throughout her career, she has made significant contributions in various roles, including paraeducator, Deafblind intervener, teacher of the Deafblind, and Educational Director for Deafblind services. Since July 2020, she has served as the Associate Superintendent for the Utah School for the Blind. Through her leadership and dedication, Susan continues to make a profound impact on the lives of students, families, and the broader educational community. Her ongoing focus remains on student growth, community engagement, and fostering environments where all students can thrive. (Full Bio)
Carl Empey
Director of Finance
Director of Finance
Carl Empey has a strong background in accounting and Finance. He serves as the Managing Director of Finance for USDB and has filled similar roles in other state and private sector organizations. He received his MBA in Finance from Westminster College.
Susan Thomas
USDB Director of Communications and Development
Susan Thomas is the current Communications Director at USDB. She has served as the Public Information Officer and Strategic Planner for multiple nonprofit organizations and state government agencies in Utah including the American Red Cross and the Department of Public Safety. Prior to her career in PR, she served as a television news reporter and anchor for 10 years. Susan enjoys painting abstract artworks on the weekends. She and her husband Joe have two sons and one daughter.
Dwight Overgaard
Director of Operations
Bio coming soon
Michael Barnes
Human Resources
Bio coming soon