The Utah State Archives is excited to welcome Lonny Pehrson as the new Director of the Government Records Office!

In this role, Lonny will oversee the daily operations of the Government Records Office, adjudicate GRAMA (Government Records Access and Management Act) appeals hearings, supervise the Government Records Ombudsman and staff, and serve as a key resource on records access and management for government agencies and the public. He will also lead the team responsible for statewide training in records and information management and access.

To help get to know Lonny, we asked him a few questions:

Welcome, Lonny! What are you looking forward to in your new role?

I’m excited by the challenge—and opportunity—of building out a new office within DARS that promotes public access to government records across Utah. I know there will be a learning curve, but I’m fortunate to be working with such a dedicated and experienced team, including Director Ken Williams, Executive Secretary Rebekkah Shaw, and Government Records Ombudsman Monica Minaya. With their support, I’m confident we can make the Government Records Office a valuable resource for both government entities and the public.

What is your background and how did it lead you to working at the Utah State Archives?

Before law school, I worked for the Utah Department of Corrections, Adult Probation and Parole—that was my first exposure to government records and to just how complex and sensitive they can be. During law school, I worked in the U.S. District Court Clerk’s Office, managing large volumes of court files and dockets. After graduating, I spent 12 years as a pro se law clerk and staff attorney in federal courts in Salt Lake City and Houston, handling prisoner civil rights and habeas corpus cases.

In 2016, I joined the Utah Attorney General’s Office as Government Records Counsel. I oversaw the processing of all GRAMA requests and appeals for the office and provided legal guidance and training on GRAMA matters to attorneys and staff. Each of these experiences shaped my understanding of government transparency and prepared me for this new position.

What excites you most about this job?

I’m especially excited to help streamline the GRAMA appeals process so that the public can get faster resolutions and improved access to records. I’m also looking forward to diving deeper into the work DARS does—especially exploring the historical records and learning about the tools and techniques used to preserve them.