Meet the AARP Utah Executive Council

Utah: About Your State Office

Source: AARP.org | October 28, 2003

Pat Gamble-Hovey of Salt Lake City is the recently appointed new Volunteer State President of AARP Utah. She is an experienced Licensed Clinical Social Worker and community activist dealing with health care issues and life concerns counseling. She has applied her considerable skills in Utah as a private practitioner and at the Primary Children's Medical Center. Gamble-Hovey also worked in clinical settings in Massachusetts and Alaska. Her extensive volunteer and board involvement includes the Ronald McDonald House Children's Charities. She has a Master of Social Work from the University of Utah.

Kent Abel of Highland was an educator for forty years as a high school teacher in Orem, administrator in Alpine and later in Highland Park, Illinois. He also served two years in the United States Air Force. Abel has been a strong advocate for retired school employees' benefits and pensions and has held leadership positions in various retired educator groups for over a decade including six years as Executive Director of AARP Utah's educator community affiliate, the Utah Retired School Employees Association. Abel has a Master of Education from Brigham Young University.

Betty Lynne Davis of Holladay is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with an emphasis on employee assistance programs and substance abuse. She recently retired as a Senior Vice President with Magellan Behavioral Health Services. Davis' work and expertise provided opportunity for work throughout the United States and Europe. Her other community involvement includes a term as President of the Junior League of Salt Lake and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. She also taught as an adjunct Professor at the University of Utah Graduate School of Social Work.

Lou Jean Flint of Salt Lake City is a native of Davis County. After managing a family business for ten years, she turned to education, teaching kindergarten and later became an educational specialist for the Department of Defense, an assignment that took her to several countries in western Europe. Flint also worked for the Utah Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education. She has been very involved with women's legislative groups, the YWCA, and as an advocate for AARP Utah. She has a Master of Education from the University of Utah.

Ruby Hammel, an Executive Council member for more than two years, also served recently as Acting Volunteer State President. An award winning teacher, she retired after 25 years of classroom teaching. As an AARP volunteer, Hammel has been HAS State Coordinator, SLC Chair and State Coordinator for Advocacy. For 25 years Hammel assisted her husband Lee Hammel who served as the director of the Salt Lake Tribune 'No Champs Tennis Tournament.' For the past six years the Hammels have directed a revived iteration known as the Salt Lake County "No Champs Tennis Tournament" and in 2006, were inducted into the Huntsman World Senior Games Hall of Fame for their many years as tennis directors. Hammel has held positions in the Utah Retired School Employees Association, Utah Education Association, Utah State Women's State Legislative Council, her church and many other organizations. In 2004, she was awarded the prestigious AARP Andrus Award for all her community service.

JoAnn B. Seghini is currently in the third term as mayor of Midvale City. She was the first woman in Midvale elected to public office and previously served three terms on the Midvale City Council. Seghini earned a masters' degree in curriculum development and a Ph.D. in education psychology form the University of Utah. She worked 36 years for the Jordan School District - 12 years as an elementary education teacher and 24 years in administration. She serves on many boards and with many agencies. Currently, she is chair of the Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund and serves as a board member on the following boards: The Division of Air Quality, The Humane Society of Utah, Intermountain Health Care Trustee, Utah League of Cities and Towns, Salt Lake Valley Health Department, Utah Local Government Trust, Boys and Gils Clubs of South Valley, Salt Lake County Council of Governments, Wasatch Front Regional Council and Community Development Corporation.