ROBERT S. BURCH, JR Robert Burch is Executive Director of Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture Foundation, a nonprofit that researches African American history in Utah and the Mountain West. Robert began his career in the United States Navy, serving four years. He had tours of duty in the Caribbean, South America, the North Atlantic, and the Mediterranean Ocean. He received the Navy Expeditionary Cross for service as part of the U.S. Peacekeeping force in the Mediterranean. His professional life has been varied, but it has been focused primarily on sales and customer service, including four years in food safety and corporate compliance. His volunteer career includes serving on the Utah Board of State History and as a Charter Board Member and Vice President of Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage. He is also a continuing education instructor for the University of Utah’s Lifelong Learning program. Robert’s former volunteer service includes being a member of the Utah Museum Association Conference Committee, Utah Chapter President and National Board Member of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Family History Director of the LDS Genesis Group, Utah Juneteenth Committee, and Utah Black Roundtable.