THE MAN

Brandon Kowallis is the driving force behind Salt Lake Community College’s Concurrent Enrollment Program, an active cave explorer and photographer, and author of the book Fragile Frontiers. He has a master’s degree in filmmaking and has produced and edited several short films including: SLCC Concurrent Enrollment – Under the Hood, The SLCC Student Spotlight Series, The Wisdom Next Door pilot, Pornography, Confronting the Addiction, SLCC Concurrent Enrollment Directions, and the NACEP and InspHAIRation promo videos. His photographic works have been published in multiple publications and exhibits across the nation.

As a certified Lean 6 Sigma Black Belt and project management fanatic, Brandon has transformed the dwindling SLCC Concurrent Enrollment Program into the one program at SLCC that has seen continued growth over the past 7 years. His YouTube Show SLCC Concurrent Enrollment Under the Hood highlight a few of Brandon’s techniques for revitalizing what has become one of most process-efficient and relationship-strong programs in the nation. 

THE JOURNEY

In 2013 a whirlwind of challenges began stacking up against Brandon to help him grow into what he is today: a solid year of extreme baby-induced sleep deprivation, a first-time leadership position in a toxic environment, and disabling anxiety and depression overshadowing those he loved, trickling into his own life. 

But he knew that if he could navigate the pain and discomfort of extreme caving and convert it into an activity that brought joy and fulfillment into his life, then somehow he could surely do the same with a job he wanted to leave and a phase of life he wanted to escape.

Every spare moment, every extra ounce of energy, as minuscule as it was went into finding ways to cope, and then to thrive. He discovered ways to lighten his load, to address difficult relationship, to enact change without frustrating others, and ways to approach those around him with greater empathy. The journey was not pretty and his navigation of it anything but elegant, but life is that way. There is no neatly packaged ending to our story, just a transition from one phase of life to the next, with beautiful moments scattered at random and unexpected intervals in between.

THE REST

Brandon, his wife Michelle and their two children live in Salt Lake City, Utah where there are lots of caves to explore and rocks to climb. In his spare time, Brandon goofs around with his kids, plays the piano, makes cave maps, serves in his church and community, writes books, looks for wild mushrooms and edible wild plants, works on their small yard, makes repairs around the house, dreams of his replacement motorcycle, and goes hiking, caving, and camping with the kids.