Melissa Garff Ballard

Melissa Garff Ballard was born and raised in Davis County, Utah, the daughter of politician, businessman, and religious leader, Robert H. Garff.{{Cite web |title=About Melissa |url=https://melissagarffballard.com/about-melissa |access-date=2020-03-30 |website=MELISSA BALLARD |language=en-US}} During her youth, Ballard lived in England for three years while her father was president of the England Coventry Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).{{Cite web |title=Melissa Garff Ballard |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Melissa_Garff_Ballard |access-date=2022-03-24 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}} Later, She attended the University of Utah, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in Piano Performance and a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Accompanying.{{Cite web |title=David Park, violin and Melissa Ballard, piano {{!}} Arts Tickets |url=https://artstickets.utah.edu/uncategorized/david-park-violin-and-melissa-ballard-piano/ |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=artstickets.utah.edu |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Legislative Champ 2023: Melissa Garff Ballard |url=https://saltlakecommunitycollege.blogspot.com/2023/04/legislative-champ-2022-melissa-garff.html |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=saltlakecommunitycollege.blogspot.com |language=en}}

Ballard was the Founding Chair of the University of Utah School of Music Advisory Board and Camarata Awards.{{Cite web |title=Camerata Awards Gala - School of Music - The University of Utah |url=https://music.utah.edu/gala/past-honorees.php |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=music.utah.edu}} She managed a professional piano studio for more than 23 years.{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=2020-10-28 |title=Policymaker Profile: Getting to know Melissa Garff Ballard |url=https://utahpolicy.com/archive/25299-policymaker-profile-getting-to-know-melissa-garff-ballard |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=Utah Policy |language=en-US}} She is a certified MTNA{{clarify|date=October 2023}} and released an album in 2020 with Centaur Records, collaborating with violinist David Park.{{Citation |title=Kreisler & Others: Violin Works by David Park, Alex Marshall & Melissa Garff Ballard |date=2020-08-07 |url=https://music.apple.com/mx/album/kreisler-others-violin-works/1525383969 |access-date=2023-09-07 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=University of Utah College of Fine Arts - David Park, Adjunct Professor of Violin, on his upcoming landmark year |url=https://finearts.utah.edu/about/news/the-finer-points-blog/item/664-adjunct-professor-of-violin-david-park-on-his-upcoming-landmark-year |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=finearts.utah.edu |language=en-gb}} Their album received the 2020 National Critic’s Choice Award from the American Record Guide.{{Cite journal |last=Vroon |first=Donald R |date=January 2021 |title=American Record Guide: Independent Critics Reviewing Classical Recordings |url=https://www.americanrecordguide.com/subscribers/ARG2101.pdf |journal=American Record Guide |volume=84 |issue=1 |pages=10 |via=Record Guide Productions}} They performed in New York City's Carnegie Hall on October 13, 2023.{{Cite web |title=David Park, Violin, and Friends at Carnegie Hall – PIANYC |url=https://pianyc.net/event/david-park-violin-and-friends-at-carnegie-hall/ |access-date=2023-09-07 |language=en-US}}

She served on the advisory board for Salt Lake CAP Head Start for six years.[http://davisclipper.com/news/looking-back-top-10-stories-from-2018/ "Looking back: Top 10 stories from 2018," The Davis Clipper, Jan 4, 2019]

Ballard was elected to the Utah House of Representatives in November 2018,{{Cite web |title=Representative Page {{!}} Utah House of Representatives |url=https://house.utleg.gov/rep/ |access-date=2023-10-17 |language=en}} after winning the Republican party nomination for the seat in a three-way race in June 2018.[https://www.standard.net/news/government/ward-ballard-collect-wins-in-primary-elections-for-legislature/article_1eb17d5e-add6-5cc3-b8e4-4766a8c1e091.html "Ward, Ballard collect wins in primary elections for Legislature," Standard-Examiner Jun 26, 2018] She was elected to the Utah House in November, after defeating Democrat Ryan L. Jones with 65% of the vote.[https://web.archive.org/web/20181130070847/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900040803/election-results-as-of-late-tuesday-for-utah-races-issues.html "Election results as of late Tuesday for Utah races, issues," Deseret News, Nov. 7, 2018]

In 2019, Ballard sponsored a bill which would reform the Utah State Board of Education by (1) reducing the number of board members from 15 to 9; (2) having board members appointed by the governor and ratified by the senate, and eliminating popular elections to the board; (3) setting a two-term limit for board members; (4) reconstituting the board so it had one representative from each of Utah's congressional districts, one representative from charter schools, and four at-large representatives, instead of each board member representing a geographical district. The Education Committee voted against the bill 12–3.{{cite web |last1=Tanner |first1=Courtney |title=Republican lawmaker proposes overhauling the Utah Board of Education and eliminating elections for members |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2019/02/09/republican-lawmaker/ |access-date=21 March 2022 |website=Salt Lake Tribune}}

In 2021, Ballard sponsored HB 223, Alternative Fuel Incentives Amendments, to create new tax credits for hydrogen vehicles in Utah.{{cite web |last1=Imlay |first1=Ashley |date=10 February 2021 |title=Air is getting cleaner, but Utah legislators still driving 22 clean air proposals |url=https://www.deseret.com/utah/2021/2/10/22276644/2021-legislature-lawmakers-discuss-22-clean-air-proposals-pollution-energy-salt-lake-valley |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=Deseret News}} The bill passed the legislature and was signed by Governor Spencer J. Cox.{{cite web |title=H.B. 223 Alternative Fuel Incentives Amendments: Bill Status/Votes |url=https://le.utah.gov/~2021/bills/static/HB0223.html |access-date=25 March 2022 |website=Utah State Legislature}}

In the 2022 legislative session, Ballard was a member of the House Education and the House Transportation committees,{{cite web |title=Melissa G. Ballard |url=http://house.utah.gov/rep/BALLAMG/ |website=Utah State Legislature |access-date=25 March 2022}} and was House Vice Chair of the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee.{{cite web |title=Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee 2022 |url=https://le.utah.gov/committee/committee.jsp?year=2022&com=APPHED |website=Utah State Legislature |access-date=25 March 2022}}

Her legislative service also includes being Chair of the Higher Education Appropriations, along with membership on the Public Education Standing, Transportation Standing, Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Standing, Business and Labor Standing, and the Economic and Workforce Development Standing committees.{{Cite web |title=Representative Page {{!}} Utah House of Representatives |url=https://house.utleg.gov/rep/ |access-date=2023-10-17 |language=en}} She serves as Chair of the Education and Mental Health Commission,{{Cite web |title=Utah Legislative Committee Information |url=https://le.utah.gov/committee/committee.jsp?year=2022&com=SPEEMH |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=le.utah.gov}} the Behavioral Crisis Response Commission, Chair of the Corrections and Higher Education Council, and Chair of the Utah Marriage Commission.{{Cite web |last=University |first=Utah State |title=About & Contact |url=https://extension.usu.edu/strongermarriage/about-contact |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=extension.usu.edu |language=en}} She also serves on the Utah Education Commission, and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.{{Cite web |title=Utah |url=https://www.wiche.edu/our-region/utah/ |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=WICHE |language=en-US}}

She has worked to improve government efficiencies, prison reform, conservative energy policy.

Ballard lives in North Salt Lake, Utah. She is a member of the LDS Church and served with her husband, Craig Ballard, when he was president of the Oregon Portland Mission from 2014 to 2017. Her husband is the son of M. Russell Ballard, the former acting president of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Ballard and her husband are the parents of six children.

Ballard's father, Robert Garff, died on March 29, 2020, of COVID-19.{{Cite web|url=http://kjzz.com/news/local/utah-business-tycoon-bob-garff-passed-away-due-to-coronavirus-complications|title=Utah philanthropist, auto exec Bob Garff passes away due to coronavirus|last=Klekas|first=Mark|date=2020-03-29|website=KJZZ|access-date=2020-03-30}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/utah-business-titan-bob-garff-dies-from-covid-19-his-daughter-says|title=Utah business titan Bob Garff dies from COVID-19, his daughter says|date=2020-03-29|website=KSTU|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}

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Category:21st-century American educators

Category:21st-century American women educators

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:American music educators

Category:Educators from Utah

Category:Latter Day Saints from Utah

Category:Living people

Category:Mission presidents (LDS Church)

Category:University of Utah alumni

Category:Republican Party members of the Utah House of Representatives

Category:Women state legislators in Utah

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:21st-century members of the Utah Legislature