Epicenter is pleased to announce their Come Home to Green River initiative and fellowship team. Come Home to Green River is a rural community design project initiated to complement and enhance the new Canal Commons affordable housing development in the heart of Green River, Utah. Launched by Epicenter in partnership with the City of Green River, this initiative combines downtown revitalization and economic investment efforts with arts and design activities. Specific activities will focus on creative programming, community events, and public installations that activate Canal Commons and the adjacent Pearl Baker Park for both the local community and visitor, with the following in mind:
- Celebration of place: Build community connections and celebrate Green River’s uniqueness both in its location and heritage. Projects will be rooted in stories, traditions, and the natural surrounding landscapes.
- Thoughtful promotion: Encourage visitors to slow down and truly see the town. Activities will focus on sustainable visitorship, healthy growth, and a more diversified economy.
- The built environment: Catalyze efforts that help local residents begin to create a downtown that offers a more inviting and accessible mix of public spaces, retail, housing, and cultural facilities. Activities will utilize strategies that encourage further downtown activity and oppose sprawl.
A team of Come Home to Green River project fellows — Rosie Gochnour Serago, Ashmae Hoiland, Sandra Salvas and Jarod Wilson Hamm — will support Epicenter in this initiative through May 2025. The project fellows were selected through a competitive Request for Qualifications process with local resident input. Learn more about their background and expertise below. If you’d like to meet the fellows in person, please join Epicenter and the City of Green River on Saturday, May 25th at 11am on Green River Avenue for the groundbreaking of the first phase of the Canal Commons affordable housing development.
Come Home to Green River is made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Utah Office of Tourism, the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation, Emery County Travel Bureau, AARP, and private donations.
Rosie Gochnour Serago
Designer and Content Strategist
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Rosie is a writer, designer, and content strategist with expertise in sustainable tourism, BIPOC and women-led storytelling, and human-centered design. She has spent her entire career in the public sector, including many years creating content for the Utah Office of Tourism. She led the strategy and creative behind the “Keep Utah Forever Mighty” brand on VisitUtah.com and all corresponding editorial content. Now, she splits time between raising her son and providing freelance services to organizations such as the State of Utah’s Department for Cultural and Community Engagement, the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, and Exponent II magazine. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Grand Staircase Escalante Partners. Rosie is a sixth generation Utahn who descends from hand cart pioneers and early Pony Express riders.
Memorable Green River Experience: One time her car was totaled by a rolling boulder near Grand Junction. On the way home to Salt Lake City (in a rental car) she and her husband celebrated still being alive by taking in a sunset at Crystal Geyser.
Ashmae Hoiland
Writer and Community Organizer
Location: Provo, Utah
Ashmae is a writer, painter, and community organizer interested in helping people take ownership and love what is immediately around them. This includes the specific landscape that one lives on, the community, history and unique quotidian aspects of each of our lives. Ashmae is the author of several books of memoir and essays, she has taught personal writing courses to over 800 students, has run two successful kickstarter projects, gotten a grant to replace billboards with local poetry, and is always looking for ways to incorporate the personal stories of people into communities.
Memorable Green River Experience: Most recently I passed through Green River with my husband and three children, and after getting tacos, spent the evening at Pearl Baker Park, which they loved. The desert landscape against the Book Cliffs is such a comforting sight to my family.
ashmae.com
@birdsofashmae
Sandra Salvas
Photographer and Producer
Location: Park City, Utah
For the past 16 years, Sandra has been immersed in travel and outdoor photo and video production with a focus on editorial still photography, product marketing video and still imagery, narrative short films, social media-optimized videos and commercial advertising spots. Her work is rooted in highlighting local voices — real people — to deepen connections between people, place, cultures, and shared experiences through beautifully-crafted visual storytelling. She is a listener and an advocate, connecting with people to foster the relationship, earn trust, and ensure stories prioritize integrity. She excels at delivering thoughtful and inclusive stories, keeping things on schedule and on budget, and having snacks available at all times.
Memorable Green River Experience: A day spent exploring the Book Cliffs and the river followed up with tacos and a chile relleno at Tacos La Pasadita.
sandrasalvas.com
@sandrasalvas
Jarod Wilson Hamm
Graphic Designer
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Jarod is a freelance graphic designer, primarily working with nonprofit organizations and rural communities. With expertise in communications, print and web design, and nonprofit administration, he has worked in a wide variety of fields and several countries creating engaging visuals and managing effective programs. Jarod has previously worked with Epicenter, contributing to projects such as the Green River Flag, Green River Rocks, Our Futures, and Spring Summit. He is also Associate Creative Director at Thrive, Inc. where he develops brand strategies for rural communities, and a communications consultant for affordable housing nonprofit Rebuilding Together Nashville.
Memorable Green River Experience: All of the summer Sundays at Swasey’s Beach reading, swimming, and playing cards during his two years living in Green River.