Soren Simonsen is the Executive Director of the Jordan River Commission. He is an urban planner, architect, educator, community-builder and social entrepreneur. Over the past three decades, including over 20 years of public service as an elected and appointed official, he has worked to create sustainable places and livable communities, and preserve and restore critical open space in Utah and the West.

Soren earned a Master of Arts in Community Leadership at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, with an emphasis on organizational leadership, public policy and community organizing. His research and thesis focused on sustainable cities and natural resource issues. He previously received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Texas at Austin, with an emphasis in environmental design, urban design, and community and regional planning.

Soren served as Salt Lake City’s representative in the formation of the Jordan River Commission from 2008 to 2010, and as City Council Chair he guided Salt Lake City to join the Commission in 2012. Following his city council service he was appointed as an “At-Large” member of the Commission's governing board from 2014 through 2016.

In his free time, Soren loves to hike, bike and paddle in Utah’s great outdoors. You can find him regularly riding and floating the Jordan River Parkway.