OUR STAFF
Our Team
UPHP’s team is full of dedicated professionals, who work tirelessly to support the health and wellbeing of Utah’s healthcare professionals through dynamic programs and services.
UPHP’s team is full of dedicated professionals, who work tirelessly to support the health and wellbeing of Utah’s healthcare professionals through dynamic programs and services.
Hours:
8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.
Monday – Friday (excluding State and Federal Holidays)
Phone:
Office Location:
Heber M. Wells Building
4th Floor
160 East 300 South
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
Mailing Address:
Utah Professionals Health Program
Division of Professional Licensing
State of Utah Department of Commerce
P.O. Box 146741
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741
© 2024 UPHP. All rights reserved.
Robert Simpson, MD, FASAM
Medical Director
Dr. Simpson joined UPHP in 2020 to serve as the Medical Director. Working in collaboration with the Program Manager, Dr. Simpson is responsible for UPHP’s clinical operations. In addition, he leads UPHP’s education and outreach efforts, and represents UPHP to the health care community. He continues to practice addiction medicine in Salt Lake City. Dr. Simpson is Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Utah. He received his MD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and completed his internship and residency at Baylor University Medical Center before moving to Utah in 2000 for fellowship training at the University of Utah. Dr. Simpson is a person in long-term recovery from substance use disorders and is an active member of Salt Lake’s recovery community.
Kelli Jacobsen, MSW, LCSW
Program Manager
Kelli joined UPHP as the program manager in 2020. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Master’s Degree in Social Work in 2003, and has primarily worked with adults with substance use disorders in a variety of clinical settings. Kelli has previously worked as a therapist and program director of an outpatient mental health and substance abuse clinic in Oklahoma, as a therapist at the University of Utah, Assessment and Referral Services, and in private practice. Kelli oversees the daily operations of UPHP, is responsible for program development, and provides clinical direction along with the medical director. She combines her clinical background and passion for ending the stigma of substance use disorders in her work with healthcare professionals. In her personal life, Kelli enjoys spending time with her family and in the mountains and desert skiing, mountain biking, and adventuring.
Jennifer Avila Johnson
Program Support Specialist
Jennifer has worked with the Division of Professional Licensing since 2012, serving in various supportive roles to licensees before becoming a compliance specialist in 2021.
As a compliance specialist, she has worked with participants whose licenses have been sanctioned or placed on probation, providing support to help them fulfill their probation requirements. She is excited to bring her knowledge and experience from DOPL to UPHP, which she joined in July 2025.
Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family.
Karen Checketts
Program Support Specialist
Karen joined UPHP in June of 2022. She is responsible for supporting the administrative team and helping to support the participant’s compliance with their contract. Karen has worked as a billing specialist and with Utah’s Controlled Substance Database for 21 years before joining UPHP. She finds joy in staying active through activities like traveling, camping, taking long walks, and biking. Her newest adventure as a first-time dog owner with her Bernadoodle, Waylon, adds an exciting twist to her life.
Jessie Willden, MSW, LCSW
Clinical Coordinator
Jessie Willden received her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Utah State University in 2015 before going on to get her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Utah in 2020. Prior to going to graduate school, she worked as a case manager for Volunteers of America, Utah. In this role, she worked with vulnerable populations experiencing homelessness, severe persistent mental illness, and substance use disorders. After obtaining her MSW, she worked as a trauma therapist with Utah Health and Human Rights, a non-profit that serves refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers. Seeking a change and an opportunity to work within a larger community system, she joined the Utah Professionals Health Program in June 2022. She is an enthusiastic animal lover, and enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking, swimming, and exploring all that Utah has to offer.
Ammon Sorensen, CMHC
Clinical Coordinator
Ammon joined the UPHP in 2025. He has been working in the substance use recovery and mental health profession as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor for the past 15+ years.
Prior to joining UPHP he worked at a residential treatment facility providing group and individual treatment for those in early recovery. Prior to that, he spent more than a decade working with a local mental health authority providing treatment and support in rural areas of Utah, where he helped develop and implement both Family and Felony Drug Court Programs.
In his spare time, he’s often with his family rock climbing, cycling, or weightlifting.
Candice Gonzalez, LCSW
Clinical Coordinator
Joining UPHP in 2025, Candice is a licensed clinical social worker with a career spanning over two decades providing mental health treatment in private practice, a hospital, and in the educational sector.
A dedicated professional, Candice harnesses her experience and therapeutic knowledge in support of individuals and families in recovery.
At every opportunity, Candice can be found enjoying time exploring the beautiful state of Utah with her family.
