UEN Media Services

Katie Garrett oversees the digital media services at the Utah Education Network. She holds a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism from Utah State University and a Master of Education in Instructional Design and Education Technology from the University of Utah.

Within UEN, Katie leads numerous statewide digital media initiatives, encompassing digital content repositories, accessible online video and media production support.

Nicole Reynolds is a filmmaker from Ogden, Utah. While attending the Entertainment Arts and Engineering program at the University of Utah, she realized the coding aspect of CGI wasn’t sticking and took a hard left into editing. She was soon splicing together family travel videos and other school assignments. In 2013, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Film & Media Arts with a minor in Arts and Technology.

After graduation, Nicole became an intern at UEN and has been with UEN ever since. She is currently a Senior Producer and the lead producer of PDTV and SciTech Now. She is also the lead animator of the team and enjoys creating motion graphics in Adobe After Effects. Her locally produced content for Art Connection and SciTech Now has been selected for national broadcast for 20 public broadcast stations nationwide on multiple occasions.

Fernando Lara is a documentary filmmaker based in Salt Lake City. Originally from Ecuador, he relocated to Utah in 2003. Fernando embarked on his filmmaking journey by creating videos for YouTube, eventually establishing his production company. Concurrently, he pursued his education in film at Salt Lake Community College and the University of Utah. In 2014, he earned bachelor's degrees in Film and Media Arts as well as Mass Communications.

As a freelance filmmaker, Fernando has collaborated with various local companies, artists and clients, producing a diverse range of content including music videos, commercials, short films and documentaries. Joining UEN in 2017, he currently serves as a Senior Producer, leading projects such as the weekly show Art Connection.

Cassandra Taylor Empey has dedicated over a decade to filmmaking, serving as a camera operator, editor and director of photography on award-winning documentaries that intricately capture the human experience. Cassandra received formal training through Spy Hop Productions, Salt Lake Community College and the University of Utah.

Her journey with UEN commenced during her final year at the University of Utah in 2018. Over the past six years, she has been instrumental in the production of all of UEN’s local programs, showcasing her expertise in filming, editing and sound operation. Cassandra spearheads the creation of UEN’s original program Students In Focus. One of her favorite aspects of working with UEN is the opportunity to travel the state, connecting with teachers, delving into new knowledge and sharing their impactful stories.

Katie Neal is in her first year studying film at Salt Lake Community College, and she has been at UEN for two years, having started as an intern while she was in high school. She is the host of the UEN production Students In Focus. She also works as a peer mentor at Spy Hop Productions where she teaches students the fundamentals of filmmaking. She has a passion for producing and making documentaries, and she loves teaching others about the filmmaking process.