Leadership Development

Developing leadership knowledge, skills, and abilities in girls and women across Utah is central to ensure that girls and women—and their families—better thrive. Developing male allies is also critical to this spoke and the work of A Bolder Way Forward. Some of the initial elements of this spoke include helping more people understand what leadership means and how women lead in all kinds of ways, from their homes to their churches, communities, and workplaces. It will encompass efforts to help women and girls understand their gifts, talents, strengths, purpose, and calls. Important elements are strengthening a leadership identity, understanding our biases, and developing more traditional leadership skills and abilities. It will include development initiatives and opportunities, from girls’ camps to executive education, and increasing mentoring, sponsorship, and coaching skills. To learn more, listen to the spoke leaders discuss the work on this 15-minute podcast.

Spoke Leaders

Bold Vision & Goals

To make Utah a place where more girls and women can thrive, the Leadership Development spoke leaders and partners have crafted the vision and goals below. Spoke leadership and UWLP team members are currently working to collect baseline data that will assist in adding numbers to the changes we want to see by 2026 and 2030.

Vision: To significantly increase the number and percentage of women leaders in all settings within Utah. This includes creating opportunities for every Utah woman and girl to envision themselves as leaders, develop leadership skills, and lead in any setting they choose. It also includes increasing the number of male allies and individuals understanding and confronting their own biases. 

Goals: 

1. Increase the percentage of Utah women in leadership.
   1. Executive positions: from 23.95% in 2021, to 28% in 2026, and 35% by 2030. [Metric]
   2. Business leadership (e.g., CEO, board, president, top managers): double by 2030, with a 30% increase in each category by 2026. [Metric]
   3. K-12 leadership: district superintendents (12.2% in 2022 to 25% by 2030), high school principals (29% in 2022 to 50% by 2030), and high school asst principals (35.4% in 2022; to 50% in 2030); maintain leadership representation in all other roles. [Metric]
   4. Higher education: to 40% by 2026 and 50% by 2030. [Metric]
   5. Government: local [Metric], county [Metric], and state [Metric] (to 40% by 2026 and 50% by 2030).
   6. Elected office: see Political & Civic Engagement for goals. [see outcomes and metrics here]
2. Maintain the percentage of women leaders in nonprofit settings [Metric] and some of the K-12 leadership categories. [Metric]
3. Increase the percent of women in the higher income earning category ($100,000+) from 5.6% to 7.5% by 2026 and to 10% by 2030. [Metric]
4. Increase the number of women program completers who are advancing in their careers so that (1) by 2026, 30% of participants have advanced in their careers within 2 years of completing the program and, (2) by 2030, 50% of the participants have advanced within 2 years of completing the program. [Data forthcoming]
5. Increase the number of quality leadership development programs for girls and women by 10% by 2026 and by 25% by 2030. [Data forthcoming]
6. Increase the number of individuals who are completing quality leadership development programs by 20% by 2026 and by 50% by 2030. [Data forthcoming]
7. Increase Utah women’s aspirations to be leaders, their understanding that it is important to pursue opportunities to develop leadership abilities and that there are opportunities and resources around them to help them develop leadership skills, and their perception that they are already leaders. [Data forthcoming]

Partners

Female Students on College Campuses Working Group

• Co-Lead: Ruchi Watson (University of Utah)
• Co-Lead: Kristyn Allred (Utah State University)

Confidence Working Group

• Christina Pay (Utah State University Extension)
• Melanie Dabb (Utah State University Extension)
• Jared Hawkins (Utah State University Extension)
• Cindy Jenkins (Utah State University Extension)
• Lisa Schainker (Utah State University Extension)
• Andrea Schmutz (Utah State University Extension)
• Eva Timothy (Utah State University Extension)
• Sadie Wilde (Utah State University Extension)