Board
USDB Education Foundation Staff
Christianne Green
USDB Education Foundation, Executive Director
Phone: (801) 464-2045
Christianne Green brings a passion for education, advocacy, and creating opportunities for children with disabilities to her role as Executive Director of the USDB Education Foundation. A former educator and mother of ten, including children who are blind and have other disabilities, she brings both professional experience and a deeply personal connection to the foundation’s mission. She is passionate about building relationships, connecting communities, and ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Meet our Board
Brad Ward
Board Chair
Board of Directors
Brad Ward is the president of Ward’s MediaTech, a Springville UT company focused on educational technology. Brad has more than thirty years of volunteer leadership and governance experience with nonprofit organizations focused on improving communities and individual’s self-sufficiency. Brad and his wife Kim Ward have 6 children and nineteen grandchildren.
Al VanLeeuwen
Treasurer
Board of Directors
Al VanLeeuwen has been the CFO and also a Vice President of Operations for several companies and has been part of each management team has helped them grow and increase profitability. He also has extensive experience with corporate reorganizations, sales and purchases with both strategic and private equity investors. His experience includes improving the company operations and performance to improve sales and profitability growth together with operational and product innovation.
Leslie Castle
Board of Directors
Leslie Castle is a career Registered Nurse and has served as a member of the State Board of Regents and an elected member of the Utah State Board of Education. She has also served on the Advisory Council of USDB. Castle has served on the board for many years, including as board chair.
Darin Nielsen
USDB Superintendent
Non-voting
Darin Nielsen began his career in education as a school counselor at Teton High School after graduating from Utah State University. The following year, he started a 22-year professional relationship with Box Elder School District where he fulfilled assignments as a school counselor, elementary principal, CTE/secondary curriculum specialist, director of technology, assessment/professional development director, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent. In October 2017, he was hired as the Assistant Superintendent of Student Learning by the Utah State Board of Education where he provides leadership for the Teaching & Learning, Career & Technology Education, and Assessment & Accountability teams. Since joining the Utah State Board of Education, he has overseen the adoption of two new state assessment systems, the development of a strategic assessment plan, is leading efforts to redesign Utah’s school accountability system, and development of the Utah Consolidated Improvement Planning tool. In September 2025, Darin was given the opportunity to move the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind where he brings over 20 years of educational leadership expertise.