Board of Directors, Committee Chairs, and Advisers
Thomas Whitaker - President
Responsibilities: Assists with overall mission of the IRC by overseeing the Spouse Connect Group and overall broadcasting, function, and effectiveness of IRC.
Thomas Whitaker has been in the relocation industry for seven years and has a successful track record working with Fortune 500 companies and their relocation efforts. Thomas is a Certified Relocation Professional (CRP) and a Global Mobility Specialist (GMS) as recognized by the Worldwide Employee Relocation Council (ERC). In addition to his years in the industry and the thousands of relocations he has managed, Thomas has also lived outside the U.S. for three years and has a truly global mindset. A graduate of Brigham Young University's David M. Kennedy School of International Studies, and M.B.A. at Thunderbird Graduate School of International Business, Thomas speaks Filipino and mandarin Chinese.
Sean Carpenter - Vice President
Responsibilities: Assists with overall mission of the IRC by overseeing the Test Connect group (helping people get relocation designations who want them) and Marketing.
Sean is an associate attorney with Wilner & O'Reilly, APLC and is the Managing Associate of the Salt Lake City, Utah office. He is admitted to the State Bar of Utah and the United States District Court for the District of Utah. Proficient in all areas of immigration law, Sean's current focus is on removal defense, I-9 and employer compliance, employment-based non-immigrant visas, family-based immigrant visas including I-601 Waiver petitions, and investment-based immigration.
Travis Call - Treasurer
Responsibilities: Maintains legal status of non-profit; manages finances; oversees Membership Director and membership fee and event fee collection.
Travis is a manager at Global Mobility Tax. Prior to Global Mobility Tax, Travis has served clients in the global mobility arena at Global Tax Network and Deloitte Tax since 2003. Travis received both his Bachelors of Science and Masters degrees in Accounting at Brigham Young University and is a Certified Public Accountant of California.
Travis also has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Japanese from Brigham Young University. Travis is an active member of the AICPA and the Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants.
Lori Gee - Events Director
Responsibilities: Works with Executive Committee to organize events and helps with the details of putting on events (programs, food, venue, etc.).
A native of Ogden, Utah, Lori has extensive experience in the Utah real estate and relocation market. She attended Weber State University before settling in the Salt Lake City area in 1987 and began working in the industry in 1989. Prior to joining Influence Real Estate in 2011, Lori sold franchises for an international real estate company and enjoyed a successful career as a sales agent in the Salt Lake Valley market. She later served as the Vice President of Corporate Relocation for the largest real estate firm in Utah and the Director of Relocation for Prudential Utah Real Estate. Lori is a member of the Employee Relocation Council and holds several designations including CRP, CSP and GRI. She is a former member of the Relocation Director's Council and is currently the Events Director for the Inter-mountain Relocation Council.
Deborah Battista - Communications Director
Responsibilities: Communicates out details of events, purposes, and mission of the IRC to the world via print, electronic, and website media.
Deborah Battista is Senior Vice President of Corporate Human Resources and Corporate Recruiting for Zions Bancorporation where she provides strategic direction in leadership, vision, performance, and operational excellence. Deborah’s extensive experience in the field of HR and Relocation add incredible insight as a member of the Board of Directors for the Inter-mountain Relocation Council. Deborah holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Education from West Chester University in Pennsylvania. She is a Certified Six Sigma Green belt, and is a Certified Manager from the Institute of Certified Professional Managers. She is a DDI Master Trainer and is certified by the Center for Creative Leadership in Executive Coaching.
Ken Gallacher - Adviser to the Board
Responsibilities: Advises and helps find speakers, organize events, or any other duties in assistance as appropriate.
Ken Gallacher is a nationally published author, keynote speaker, freelance writer and owner of Specialized Repair Company near Salt Lake City, Utah. For 30 years Ken has been in the homes of celebrities, military personnel, FBI agents, professional entertainers, athletes, civic and religious leaders and everyone else imaginable. He and his team have repaired personal belongings from all seven continents of the world in all sorts of conditions for moving companies and their insurers. Ken has appeared on television, radio, and has written on a variety of topics, including those for national outdoors magazines, a book on family camping, customer relations, claim prevention topics for moving companies, and his most recent book, "Moving Without a Scratch."
