DR. MATTHEW S. HOLLAND’S road to a distinguished career in higher education began as a student at Brigham Young University, where he graduated with honors and was valedictorian for the political science department in 1991. That same year he won a prestigious Raoul Wallenberg Scholarship to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to study leadership in democracies.

Before earning his master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science at Duke University, Dr. Holland served with distinction as chief of staff for the top executive of the international consulting firm Monitor Group and, later, as special assistant to then-Governor Michael O. Leavitt. As a faculty member at BYU, his research in American political thought garnered national attention. In 2005-06, he was awarded Princeton University’s James Madison Fellowship. A popular teacher, his

commitment to applied learning concepts led to his selection as BYU’s “Civically Engaged Scholar of the Year” by Utah Campus Compact. Most recently, Dr. Holland was selected from an exceptional pool of candidates as Utah Valley University’s sixth president.

A true son of Utah Valley, Dr. Holland is married to fellow Utah County native Paige Bateman, and they have four children: Jake, Mitzi, Grace and Danny.

LEX DE AZEVEDO has had one of the most diverse careers in the music industry as a composer, pianist, producer, arranger and conductor. Beginning as a producer for Capitol Records, Lex produced several #1 hit singles among numerous other successful recordings. Following Capitol Records, he served as the musical director on a number of television shows, including The Sonny and Cher Show, Michael Jackson & The Jackson Five, and The Osmonds. Turning to feature-length motion pictures, Lex’s career spans from the classic Where The Red Fern Grows to the animated musical feature Swan Princess. He has
written five stage musicals, including Saturday’s Warrior and My Turn on Earth, and produced his own record albums across a wide musical spectrum, from the jazz of Mountains and Moab to the new contemporary classical works of Variations on a Sacred Theme and The Life of Christ oratorio series.

Lex was nominated for two Golden Globe awards for his music in the feature-length animated movie Swan Princess. Both soundtracks from Saturday’s Warrior and My Turn on Earth have achieved Gold Record status. He has scored over 36 episodes of the animated Bible Stories and American Hero Classics series for Warner-Nest Entertainment. During his career, Lex has composed over 40 choral works and produced over 160 jingle packages for radio stations all over the United States. He has served as guest conductor of some of the world’s most prominent symphony orchestras, including conducting the London National Philharmonic in 14 recordings.

Lex has been president of Embryo Records, Director of Artists & Repertoire for the Bonneville Broadcasting System and Currently works with his daughters, Emilie and Rachel as the President of Two Little Hands Productions and producer/composer of the hit Public Television series, Signing Time, which began airing on PBS stations in January ’06.

As a composer, Lex has completed two new extended choral works, Hymn To America, which premiered in October ‘09 and Alleluia, Part II in the Life of Christ series, which he hopes to premier in 2010.

KAYE STARR HENINGER – Director and founder of “The Kaye Starr Singers,” Kaye Starr Heninger holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from BYU and a Resource Endorsement from WSU, and is retired from teaching in Utah’s public schools. She has also taught private piano for 35 years.

Kaye Starr has a strong passion to use her original music to promote good causes, writing full text and script and directing over 800 programs while traveling non-stop with her choir since 1991. Her music has been heard in Israel and in most of the Western States, including Alaska and Hawaii, and is also enjoyed by thousands in Brisbane, Australia.

Kaye Starr holds the Pioneer Ambassador Award from the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for her work amongst the communities during Utah’s Sesquicentennial year of 1997. Additionally, six of her programs have won the coveted Deseret Dramatic Recognition Award from the LDS Church’s Annual Cultural Arts contests.

Kaye Starr and her husband, Brent E. Heninger, reside in Layton, Utah, and are the proud parents of 12 children and 36 grandchildren.

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