Ryan and Melissa Spelts with family.

Connection Publishing is a community magazine company. We started with a goal to create more connection in our own community in 2016. Today we help other cities create that same connection with our official city magazines. We specialize in partnerships with small to medium sized city’s and replace their fold up newsletter with one of our professional magazines. These magazines contain city news, local stories, history, students of the month, positive community stories, business and restaurant spotlights as well as recipes. We include stories by and about each community we serve so that they receive a customized magazine just for their community. The advertisers found within your magazine are how these publications are possible. We would love to hear your story ideas and we accept guest authors. We avoid politics and focus on the lifestyle in each community we serve. Thank you for joining us in helping foster the connection we all crave in our lives.

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Founders

Ryan Spelts - CEO - I have spent 25 years selling various products and building sales teams. With a varied background from selling Cutco Kitchen Knives to animated scriptures DVDs, I have learned to only sell things I love. I have always wanted to have my own company and build something from scratch. When Melissa and I were in transition in 2016, we decided now was the time to venture out and create a company. After pondering many things, and trying some things that didn't work for us, we had the idea to create a magazine for our community. We did and it worked, so when other surrounding cities started approaching us to make magazines for them, we have done so and our company continues to grow. We are excited to see what the future holds for us. 

Melissa Spelts - Chief Content Officer - When Ryan and I were first married, we both decided that I would stay home and raise our children and so I spent 16 years doing so and Ryan worked to provide financially for our family. When Ryan came to me with the idea to start Connection Publishing, I told him it would be a great idea and thought I would just cheer him on as I had done in all of his other careers. About a week before the first magazine was due in 2016, I realized he was still out selling advertising and the content wasn't getting completed. I dove in and helped pull everything together. Since that day, I have  helped curate and gather the content we love creating every month. I also love photography and work hard to make sure our covers are beautiful and draw in our readers. 

Design Team

Robert Dodd
​Magazine Layout and Design
​Ad Design

Fresh out of high school, a complete stranger at the time, who became a close friend over the years, introduced me to my first career ambition in radio broadcasting. I married my wonderful wife a few years later. We have now been married for 30 years but a few years after getting married, I watched my wife's brother designing things on a computer using graphic design software. I became increasingly obsessed with computer graphic design. The only previous design I knew were of the true "cut and paste days" with actual scissors and paste when I helped with our school newspaper and yearbook.
I have self-taught most of the design software but also attended college courses in graphic design. Most of the classes teachers would turn to me asking for help with software because I knew it better than them. I have always wanted to become as successful a designer as much as I hoped to prosper in broadcasting. 
Almost twenty five years later, I continue to build on the skill and talent of graphic design. I often receive praise for my designs and I derive strength from those accolades. My passion for the work drives me to create both beautiful and effective designs.

 I am thankful for the opportunity to work with Ryan and Melissa and all the other great people here at Connection Publishing. There is vigorous feeling of fulfillment that emanates with a project that becomes productive for any of our clients. It reinforces my determination and preserves the focus of the goals I have set as a successful designer.

Content Team

Hailey Minton
Writer
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Multimedia Journalist 
At the beginning of 2017 I was at a media conference as I was wrapping up my internship at the BYU-Hawaii campus magazine. I graduated the year previous with a degree in business management with a focus in marketing and returned to my passion of interviewing people and writing their stories. A man at this conference had his own hyperlocal news outlet and everything he talked about resonated deeply with me. Upon returning to Utah I met Ryan and immediately knew I could use my craft to help people feel more connected with their community through his magazines. I love getting to know the people who are willing to share their stories with me. It is my goal to first understand the person or people as best I can and then to pass that understanding on to everyone who reads my work. I absolutely love what I do.

Kassie Baker
Writer, Editor
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Kassie is a native Utahn who has lived in both Davis and Weber county. In 2017 she married her better half, Cole, and five years later, in 2020, they welcomed their daughter to the world. Kassie is set to graduate with her BA in English and minor in Professional and Technical Writing in the Fall of 2022 with honors. She has found that writing and editing are her passion and she loves to spread literature through the poetry she writes and offers.

​She is currently writing a chapbook called, “Poems to Strangers” where she is gathering the poems she writes to strangers. She says, “everyone can always add a little literature to their life.”

Kris Blankman
Writer
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I am a lifelong resident of Cache Valley, Utah. I graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Merchandising and a Minor in Marketing. I had originally started school in journalism but later changed. So, to be able to come full circle and now be writing is a dream come true. I live with my husband and 16-year-old son in Avon, Utah. We live a western lifestyle with our horses and dogs and following our son on the cowboy poetry and high school rodeo trail. I enjoy writing poetry, sewing, photography, travel, and animals.

Cindy Jones
Writer

​Hi, I’m Cindy! I’m a mom of two daughters, a wife, a nature-enthusiast, a history-lover, an old-house stalker and a self-proclaimed seeker of ordinary miracles. 

Throughout my different roles in life, I have written training manuals, newsletters, employee bios and automated answering system scripts. I have worked as a correspondent at the Standard Examiner, a contributor at Wasatch View, written for Utah Life Magazine, and had my poetry published in two anthologies. I also enjoy graphic design.

I think I am ever drawn back to the written word because it captures things we can’t speak.  Our written words reveal our unique qualities, our secret dreams, our quiet contemplations, and at the same time our words connect us to others, who read and gather our thoughts to mesh with their own.

I am excited to be a part of the communities the Connection Magazines serve, making connections through the sharing of words and stories.

Abraham Tinklepaugh
Writer

​Originally from New York, Abraham Tinklepaugh has been plying his craft as a Copywriter and Graphic Designer in the start-up space since graduating from the University of Utah in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communication. According to family legend, Abraham’s love of language and communication began when he started using complete sentences at the ripe old age of eighteen months. Now living in Northern Utah, Abraham continues to write for a variety of brands while working on developing a series of graphic novels based on time he spent growing up in Africa.

Brittany Carroll
Copy Editor / Proofreader

Brittany was raised right here in Weber County, Utah, and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Although she left Utah after high school, she couldn’t wait to get back to her roots in 2017. Surrounded by majestically beautiful mountains, heavenly colors of sunsets, rugged charm of the deserts, fantastic hiking and biking trails, and the best snow on earth, Brittany feels there isn’t a better place in the whole country in which she and her loved ones could live. Add her better half, Michael, and her kids to the mix, and she has found heaven on earth!
 
Brittany is honored to be an English teacher for grades 11 and 12 and hopes to instill a love of literature and writing in her students. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing and, in June, will hold a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She hopes to be a student until she reaches the age of 99.
 
Brittany may have been holding a book when she entered this world. There’s a running joke in her family that she was reading while still in her mother’s womb. Brittany has an extreme love for words; she feels as if words can be art, just as paintings, sculptures, or music can be. To read the thoughts and feelings of people close to home warms her heart. For Brittany, it is a privilege to work for a company dedicated to giving members of a community an avenue through which each person, business, school, etc. can have a voice, and each city can keep lines of communication open for all. ​

Abigail Rigby
Graphic Design

​After spending her entire childhood in Japan as a US Navy brat, Abigail traveled along both coasts of the US before finally setting roots in her new hometown of North Ogden, Utah.  She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, dabbling in digital painting and never turns down a Venti Green Tea Frappucino.



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Crystal Rappleye
Graphic Design

My name is Crystal. I'm married to the love of my life. I like dance parties in the kitchen with my 2 boys. I love creating through design, crafts, painting & upcycling. I like reading nonfiction, napping, spray paint and chocolate. I like learning new things as long as I'm good at it. I love sitting around the table laughing and playing games as a family. I am cheerful and like to be around happy people. Oh and Oreos, can't forget that! I love oreos.

Kim Crook
Media Manager

After receiving her Associates Degree from Utah State University in the Art Education program, Kim put her education on hold so she could work to put her husband through school. She got a job in customer service, which lead to promotion into Management and Marketing roles.  She found she loved customer interaction, problem solving, and utilizing technology to help a company grow.

After Kim's husband graduated, they moved to Weber County. Kim joined the Connection Publishing team, where she manages the magazine's websites and social media. 

When she's not working, Kim enjoys spending time with her husband, playing with their dog, drawing, painting, playing the piano, photography and baking. Her favorites treats to make are beautiful cakes and intricate royal icing sugar cookies.

Sales Team

Ann Park
​Sales Operations Director 

Ann Park is a long time resident of Northern Utah. She loves the outdoors, especially the mountain peaks. She loves adventure, hiking, and mountain climbing. She is deeply committed to creativity, loves writing, and is a published author. She loves the spirit of entrepreneurship, and loves to see great business concepts launch and fly.  Working with people is always one of her favorite things.
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"I love discovering amazing businesses right here in the city, and I love meeting the people who run them. I learn so much every day. I've been a huge fan of Connection Publishing since they started. I have written for them for years just because I loved to share and hoped to bring the community closer together. I have thought about working for Ryan Spelts for a long time, but as he was preparing to launch the Ogden Connection, the timing was right. I'm excited for this new creation to go out to everyone, and the more new people come on board, the more amazing it will be."

Diane Liberator
Area Sales Manager - Ogden Connection

My name is Diane Liberator. I was born and raised in Northern Utah. I started my career in advertising at the Standard Examiner; it has been fun to see all of the changes over the years. I have spent 35 years in the print advertising and publication business. I love working with customers to find the right avenue to promote their business. 

​I am married to an amazing husband! We love to go on road trips on the Harley and golf whenever we can. We enjoy spending time with our grandchildren and watching their sports games.  

Kendal Jensen
Area Sales Manager​ - Weber Connection

Kendal is a former state and national rodeo queen who has worked in sales for 15 years and in publishing for 4 years. She has previously created a popular western lifestyle magazine and has a passion for creating content that celebrates the community. She resides in Farr West with her husband Zach, their seven busy kids and stable full of horses and 4H animals. In her spare time she enjoys helping her kids pursue their rodeo dreams and rodeoing and roping with her husband and family.
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Danielle Arana
Area Sales Manager​ - Syracuse Connection

Danielle was born in Ventura, California. Due to the oil downfall and recession, she moved to Roy, Utah with her husband in 2015 to search for work. She calls this the "best move in our lifetime." Danielle and her family, including 7 children and 4 grandchildren, love the mountains, the people and the feeling of home.
With over 20 years of customer service experience, and a few small businesses of her own, Danielle knows the importance of taking care of her clients in a way that they know they are valued--they are like family.
In her spare time, Danielle sings in a band and hangs out with her family.