Utah Coaching & Advancement Network

Sarah Burton serves as the Director for Faculty Affairs and Associate Director of Clinical Operations for the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. She is also Co-Director of U-CAN and a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare, Sarah has held roles across clinical, administrative, managerial, and leadership domains. As a co-founder of T.U.R.N. and Women in GI, and an active member of UWHEN, Sarah brings a deeply humanitarian lens to all she does. Sarah’s coaching and leadership philosophy centers on fostering empowerment, grit, and resilience. She works with clients to increase self-awareness, specifically thought awareness, deepen intention and responsibilities, and unlock meaningful personal and professional growth.

Harriet W. Hopf, MD, Co-Director of U-CAN, is Professor and Executive Director of Faculty Development and Academic Affairs in the Department of Anesthesiology, Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Past President of Academic Senate at the University of Utah. An experienced coach, she coaches in the U-CAN Early-, Mid-, and Late-Career Coaching programs (co-leading MCC and LCC) and in the Opportunity Coaching Program. She co-developed and co-leads the U-CAN Annual Fundamentals of Professional Mentoring and Fundamentals of Professional Coaching Workshops. She completed Drexel University’s Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program for senior leaders in academic health care in 2009 and co-leads the Building Your Career Infrastructure Curriculum she co-created for the program since 2020. As SOM Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in 2012-16, she led the major revisions to the SOM Faculty Review and Advancement (aka RPT) policy. In recognition of her mentoring across the spectrum of students, trainees, and faculty she was elected to the University of Utah Academy of Health Sciences Educators in 2014 and received the UCSF Graduate Students Association Faculty Mentorship Award in 1999, the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research Excellence in Research Mentoring Award in 2013, the University of Utah’s Award for Distinguished Service to Women in 2017, and the Women in Anesthesiology inaugural Distinguished Service Award in 2019.

Tony Tsai is the Director of Career and Leadership Develop for University of Utah Health Sciences, a Co-Director in the Utah Coaching Advancement Network (U-CAN), and a Co-Director in the RealMD program. He helps learners and professionals connect to their meaning and authentic purpose in their careers through coaching and leadership training. His coaching philosophy blends philosophy and spirituality with practical applications such as negotiation, interviewing, career decisions, personal transitions, and navigating leadership challenges.

Dr. Nancy Murphy is a Professor of Pediatrics and the Vice Chair of Faculty Engagement and Women in Pediatrics at the University of Utah's Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine. A Certified Physician Development Coach, Dr. Murphy brings nearly three decades of experience in academic clinical practice and leadership to her coaching roles within the Utah Coaching Advancement Network (U-CAN) and the Department of Pediatrics.

Her coaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that people are whole, creative, and resourceful. She emphasizes the importance of heightened self-awareness, enhanced communication skills, and clarity of purpose as essential components for achieving peak professional and personal fulfillment. Through individualized and team-oriented coaching, she cultivates growth and action, enabling others to reach their highest potential.

Dr. Murphy's background includes advanced leadership development programs with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM), along with graduate education in conflict resolution. Her multifaceted expertise positions her to effectively guide faculty and teams towards greater professional success and personal satisfaction.

Adam Bress is a tenured professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine and a Hudson Institute–trained leadership and transition coach, committed to helping the institution’s faculty and staff thrive—both personally and professionally. Drawing on his background in heart disease and dementia prevention research and mentoring, as well as his formal coaching training, he provides a supportive, confidential environment where clients can gain clarity, build resilience, and realize their goals. Influenced by mindfulness practices like nonviolent communication and meditation, his approach balances empathy with structure, ensuring each session promotes genuine self-discovery and growth. Whether refining teaching or research, pursuing leadership roles, or seeking more fulfillment in daily work, he tailors each coaching partnership to the individual’s needs, helping them navigate challenges with greater confidence, authenticity, and purpose.

Amber Bledsoe is a Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, specializing in early and mid-career coaching through UCAN. She has pursued advanced training through the International Coaching Federation (ICF)-accredited Physician Coaching Institute, with a focus on career fulfillment, personal well-being, resilience, leadership, and effective interpersonal communication. Her passion for coaching began during her tenure as Director of Quality Improvement and Vice Chair for Inpatient and Non-OR Services in the Department of Anesthesiology. This interest deepened through her involvement with UCAN, where she now supports clients in achieving personal growth and development. Additionally, she serves as a peer support resource for the resiliency office, providing assistance after career-impacting events.

Katherine Anderson, MD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics.  She serves as Chief for the Division of Medical Education and is the Associate Dean of Faculty Development for Education. Her passion for faculty development led her to use coaching as a primary modality when working with faculty and she has gained extensive experience coaching both faculty and trainees through her numerous roles in MedEd.  In 2018 she joined with UCAN founders to design the early career coaching program. Dr. Anderson specializes in early and mid-career coaching and since it’s inception, she has coached numerous faculty through UCAN. She finds working with faculty through the coaching process to be extremely rewarding and particularly enjoys helping faculty navigate and develop their careers in a manner that defines success uniquely for them both professionally and personally.

Matt Moore, PhD, CMPC, is an Assistant Professor of Sport & Exercise Psychology at the University of Utah and a High-Performance Coach with University of Utah Health. He specializes in human flourishing and whole-person performance, using an Awareness–Acceptance–Commitment (A-A-C) coaching framework to build psychological flexibility, emotional regulation, and values-driven action. Matt works with athletes, coaches, clinicians, students, military personnel, and leaders to translate evidence-based mental skills into sustainable growth and wellbeing. Contact: matthew.moore@health.utah.edu.

Bridger Battaglia, MD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Utah. His work with elite athletes and business professionals has shaped his approach to performance coaching with high-performing faculty in demanding academic and clinical roles. Through coaching, Dr. Battaglia helps faculty clarify goals, strengthen focus and resilience, optimize recovery strategies, and improve decision-making under pressure. He emphasizes a whole-person approach that integrates mind, body, and spirit, and finds particular meaning in helping clients pursue excellence in ways that support both professional impact and a deeply fulfilling personal life.

Dr. Megan Thomas Hebdon is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing and board-certified family nurse practitioner, advanced practice holistic nurse, and health and wellness nurse coach through the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation. Megan has been practicing as a nurse for over twenty-one years and working in academia in teaching, mentoring, research, and leadership roles for ten years. Her coaching philosophy is centered in integrative and holistic care, acknowledging the inner wisdom and intrinsic wholeness of each individual. Using mindfulness principles, therapeutic communication, and collaborative partnership, Megan supports clients in navigating work-life balance, managing challenging relationships, making positive behavioral changes, and achieving professional goals.