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:
Program Manager: (801) 530-6291
Office Support Specialist: (801) 530-6428
Email:
uphp@utah.gov
Fax:
(385) 465-6074
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.
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.
Chelle Sticka, MSW, LCSW
Clinical Coordinator
Chelle graduated with an MSW in Social Work from the University of Utah in 2014 and first started working in the field of medical social work with a specialty in geriatric social work. She has worked in all levels of treatment from a short-lived stint in crisis work, to working on an inpatient unit specific to high acuity geriatric mental health patients, as well as working with geriatric patients in an outpatient clinic where she conducted mental health assessments and facilitated IOP groups while carrying an individual caseload. Chelle switched tracks in 2017 and came into the field of SUD where she began administering SUD evaluations and managing the DORA (Drug Offender Reformation Act) program in coordination with Adult Probation & Parole (AP&P). Chelle first came to work with UPHP in 2021 and has assisted in developing the position of clinical coordinator. Chelle is honored to work with the participants in this program and witness the healing that takes place as the participant gains stability in their recovery and builds a healthier life for themselves.
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.
