Board of Directors

Jefferson Moss | Chairman

Jeff Moss is the Executive Director of the Nucleus Institute and the current Executive Director of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and an MBA from Brigham Young University, Jeff has built strong ties with both BYU and Utah Valley University. He is a founder and adjunct professor for UVU’s Wolverine Fund and the Excellence and Innovation Initiative (E2I), contributing to Utah’s next generation of innovators. As a former House Majority Leader, Jeff aligned education, industry, and policy to drive economic growth. His extensive experience and commitment to innovation are integral to Nucleus’s mission to position Utah as a global innovation leader.

Aaron Skonnard

Aaron Skonnard is the CEO and co-founder of Pluralsight, a leading platform that has transformed technology skills development for professionals worldwide. After graduating from Brigham Young University, Aaron built a career as an entrepreneur, developer, and technology investor. Over the past two decades, he has guided Pluralsight’s rise as a global leader in tech education. In addition to his role at Pluralsight, Aaron is a co-founder and board member of Silicon Slopes and a former member of the Utah Technology Council’s Board of Trustees. His deep ties to Utah’s tech ecosystem and his commitment to nurturing innovation are a cornerstone of his role on the Nucleus board.

Dan Hemmert

Dan Hemmert is a seasoned business leader, policy advisor, and former Utah State Senator. With degrees in economics, business, and law from Brigham Young University, Dan has navigated both the private and public sectors with a focus on economic growth and good governance. He served as the Majority Whip in the Utah State Senate and later as the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, where he championed initiatives to drive Utah’s economic development. Currently a partner at Hemmco, Dan brings his extensive experience in finance, policy, and government relations to the Nucleus board, enriching our strategic vision with his deep-rooted Utah expertise.

Kirk Cullimore

Senator Kirk A. Cullimore Jr. represents Utah’s 19th Senate District and currently serves as the Senate Majority Leader. He holds a rich educational background with degrees in music from Utah Valley University and Brigham Young University, as well as a Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Before his political career, Kirk practiced law in Oklahoma, focusing on Federal Indian Law and business matters, and later joined his father’s Utah-based firm specializing in property management and real estate. His legal expertise and legislative leadership add valuable depth to the Nucleus board, contributing to our mission of fostering innovation across Utah.

Vic Hockett

Vic Hockett serves as Associate Commissioner of Talent Ready Utah, under the Utah System of Higher Education. In this role, he leads strategic public–private partnerships that align workforce development with industry needs—helping shape both short- and long-term education pipelines. With over a decade of experience in advanced manufacturing, operations, and executive leadership, Vic brings deep expertise in bridging industry and higher education. As Talent Ready Utah director, he drives initiatives that prepare Utah’s workforce for tomorrow’s opportunities. His leadership makes him a critical member of the Nucleus board, helping us connect talent development directly to innovation impact across Utah.

Cydni Tetro

Cydni Tetro is a pioneering technology executive and 3X CEO known for driving enterprise transformation at the intersection of AI, data, and innovation. She is President & COO of MTNP. As CIO of Swire Coca-Cola, she led AI and digital initiatives across a multi-billion-dollar operation. Previously, as CEO of Brandless, she broke fundraising records for women in Silicon Slopes and drove hundreds of millions in strategic revenue and profit. She founded and sold 2 technology companies in digital transformation and 3Dprinting and as a former Disney Imagineer, she commercialized emerging technologies from AI to robotics. She serves on a number of boards including Select Health, Intermountain Healthcare, Utah Board of Higher Education and Utah Investment Fund. She is founder of Women Tech Council, and has inspired 40,000+ girls toward STEM. She’s an EY Entrepreneur of the Year, a national voice on AI strategy and holds a BS in Computer Science and an MBA.

Troy D’Ambrosio

Troy D’Ambrosio is the Chief of Staff and Vice President for Innovation at the University of Utah. He previously served as the Executive Director of the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the David Eccles School of Business, where he helped build one of the nation’s leading university-based entrepreneurship programs. With a background in launching and scaling startups, developing innovation hubs, and mentoring the next generation of founders, Troy brings a deep understanding of how education, business, and innovation intersect. His leadership strengthens Nucleus’s mission to turn ideas into impact by connecting Utah’s research institutions with real-world opportunity.