BWF County Coalition Updates - November 2025

In the Bolder Way Forward Framework, grassroots is key to making long-term societal change, and that means getting the message to every community, neighborhood, and family in Utah. County Coalitions in each of the 29 counties ensure this happens. The following are bi-monthly updates for each county coalition’s progress. Please click on the individual County Coalition webpages (linked below) to learn more. 

Beaver County: With the addition of a Five County Regional Coordinator, a future in-person county event is being planned to help grow the coalition. BIG Chamber has been invited to be a partner and a resident has attended recent gatherings who can help with the county coalition. If you are interested in supporting the BWF Beaver County Coalition, please contact deborah.lin@usu.edu for more information and to discuss opportunities.     

Box Elder County: Monthly presentations continue for the Box Elder County Coalition at the Box Elder Stronger Together gatherings. This month, co-leads Susie Witt and Loni Newby will be meeting with the new Regional Coordinator to clarify their needs and identify what support and resources are needed to help girls and women in the county. United Way of Northern Utah helped local families with a Government Shutdown Relief Fund and members were encouraged to donate to help neighbors impacted.  

Cache County: The Cache County Coalition has continued their spoke education series, meeting monthly over Zoom to learn from local coalition members and community members who are familiar with current issues, initiatives, progress, and calls to action. In November, the focus was on the Health Across the Lifespan spoke. October’s speaker was a media literacy expert who presented on digital wellness. In September, an in-person meeting was held to discuss future plans for the coalition. It was determined as a group to continue to provide education over Zoom when there are relevant updates to share and to begin forming smaller groups within the coalition to focus on specific spokes or issues. The STEM group has been meeting over the last few months, and another working group is meeting in December to begin planning a Cache County community educational event for spring 2026 focused on the prevention of child sexual abuse, with support from local organizations such as The Family Place, CAPSA, and the Children’s Justice Center, and involved community members such as the North Logan City Police Chief, who regularly provides workshops for parents and others on protecting our children from sextortion and other internet-based attacks. 

Carbon County: Securing community recognition and maintaining the strength of their spoke working groups have been the focus of the coalition, along with getting the UWLP fall survey out widely. A major success was the county passing a Bolder Way Forward resolution and declaring October as Carbon County Bolder Way Forward Month (read the article here). They are pushing this momentum to local cities, with Wellington City passing a BWF resolution November 12 and declaring A Bolder Way Forward Month. After that, they are aiming for the other municipalities in the county to follow. Growing partnerships continue to bring in more collaborations to strengthen their external reach. Internal efforts are focused on monthly spoke-leader meetings, dedicated space for spoke reps to share their work, ask questions, and collaborate with the Carbon County co-leads. Despite this progress, they want more awareness about BWF within their community; even with twenty new followers on Facebook, they are brainstorming ways to get more individuals involved and to spread recognition. To ensure their outreach is as effective as their dedication, they plan to audit their member list in the new year. Welcome to Shara Sumnall as a county co-lead! 

Daggett County: Daggett County residents were encouraged to participate in the UWLP Fall Survey. Elected officials, school administration, county employees, and more received the survey link and were invited to share it with others in the community. As part of the Uintah Basin, Daggett participates with Duchesne and Uintah counties in joint efforts to lift girls and women. To join, contact Amy Anderson at amy.z.anderson@usu.edu to share details about you or your organization and the ways you’d like to get involved.   

Davis County: The county coalition is thrilled to amplify the good things partners are doing in their county. The Davis County League of Women Voters hosted candidate forums in 10 Davis County cities for municipal elections in September and October. Another partner, the Davis County Health Department, launched Davis Links, a resource for all things Davis County that works with 211 to connect resources to residents of Davis County.  They also welcomed the Davis Chamber of Commerce as a partner. A new regional coordinator will help them work with their spoke reps and plan the calendar for next year, including a county-wide meeting. Congratulations to one of their county co-leads, Bettina Smith Edmondson, who was re-elected to the Layton City Council. 

Duchesne County: The September meeting of the combined Uintah Basin Coalition was held in Roosevelt. Alisha Gowen from Friends Against Family Violence shared information on the impact of domestic violence in the region and the services that FAFV provides: 24/7 crisis hotline, domestic violence advocacy, sexual assault advocacy (with or without willingness to prosecute), rapid rehousing, transitional housing, support groups, education and outreach, and shelter. Support groups include A Window Between Worlds, a trauma-healing art class, and Within My Reach, a healthy relationship class. Updates from the eight current spoke representatives were also provided.  

Emery County: The Emery County Bolder Way Forward Coalition has been busy on many fronts for the past two months. In September they had a guest speaker, Amanda McIntosh, who spoke about suicide prevention. In October the focus was women's health with an informative discussion with Tiffany Jeffs, NP with the Emery Medical Center who gave recommendations to improve the health of women and girls. The Dec. 1 meeting will focus on entrepreneurship. The co-leads have recently participated in trainings and updates with the Bolder Way Forward movement and were out in the community helping with the Halloween trunk-or-treat and carnival at the local museum. Emery County is looking forward to a brighter future for women and girls as A Bolder Way Forward moves ahead in new directions. 

Garfield County: A range of activities are helping elevate the work of BWF in Garfield County. Everyday People, Zion Canyon Mesa, the Boulder Arts Council, and BWF coalitions from the Five County Region hosted a “Skills to Connect Through Conversation” workshop with Becca Kearl, the Executive Director of Living Room Conversations (LRC), to learn core bridging skills.  The coalition is joining with the Boulder Ward, the Boulder Wellness Network, and the Garfield County Bolder Way Forward Coalition to sponsor Boulder Bounty, organized and run by community volunteers. A recent mammogram bus to Garfield and Wayne Counties increased access for women. To encourage local input on UWLP’s annual fall survey, an article was included in their local newspaper. Congratulations to one of their county co-leads, Cheryl Cox, who was elected mayor of Boulder.  

Grand County: Seekhaven is partnering more fully with BWF to share the word about their services and programming around body safety curriculum for children as well as their financial empowerment program. Thanks to the Women’s Business Center Utah, BWF had a presence at the Moab Women’s Festival. If you are interested in supporting the BWF Grand County Coalition, please contact deborah.lin@usu.edu for more information and to discuss opportunities.     

Iron County: The county coalition supported the multi-county Living Room Conversation gathering and connected with other county coalition leaders. They are working on organizing their current structure, including updating contacts and spreadsheets, and recruiting an additional county co-lead to help oversee county coalition efforts. A strategy meeting is being planned with the new Five County Regional Coordinator.   

Juab County: October was a full month for the BWF Juab County Coalition. The leaders helped co-host and attended a Living Room Conversation at the hospital hosted by The Refuge, a BWF partner.  Three women from the community attend who feel there is a great need for women in the county to be aware of resources and support on domestic violence and abuse. They followed up with a brainstorming evening. A county co-lead attended the Prevention Coalition meeting where plans are underway for a county year-round theme that will unify all efforts improving Juab County citizens way of living. The coalition will combine efforts to spread the word about resources and address the needs of the county.  They are excited for 2026 and hope to host more living room conversations. Welcome to Eden Richardson, a new county co-lead. 

Kane County: Pat Guerrero with the Kanab Area Chamber of Commerce has joined as a county coalition co-lead, and the Kanab Area Chamber and Best Friends Animal Society officially joined as BWF partners after having already been engaged in the county coalition. They have been working to have a good response from county residents for the UWLP Annual Fall Survey. 

Millard County: The county leaders have discussed the importance of providing support to spoke reps to help them with their roles. They look forward to connecting with other counties through the new regional coordinator and structure and anticipate finding strength through coming together.  

Morgan County: There is no update from Morgan County this month. Residents were invited to participate in the UWLP Fall survey, including through USU Extension. If you are interested in supporting the BWF Morgan County Coalition, please contact deborah.lin@usu.edu for more information and to discuss opportunities.     

Piute County: There is no update from Piute County this month. Partners helped spread the word about the UWLP fall survey among county residents, hoping to have meaningful data.  

Rich County: Co-leads for Rich County continue to be sought. Efforts in coordination with the Bear River Health Department and the Bear River Association of Government to help publicize the need continue. Contact Amy Anderson at amy.z.anderson@usu.edu to learn more.  

Salt Lake County: County leadership is actively planning for the year ahead, including looking for additional co-leads to step in as others transition out. Emily Rushton, who has been a co-lead, has stepped into an expanded BWF fundraising role with Bold Women. The City of Millcreek became a BWF City upon passing a Bolder Way Forward resolution. The Chi Omega sorority at the U of U had a BWF presentation and wants to help raise awareness among other fraternities and sororities. The South Salt Lake Chamber and XL PR joined as partners. They have worked to get the UWLP fall survey out and hope to support Saprea with the free community trainings they offer.    

San Juan County: Spoke reps were invited to a meeting with the county co-leads to address their roles, and they are addressing needs on many fronts. The county co-leads are working on an event with Elizabeth Smart and Dr. Susan Madsen January 31 with community partners. Seekhaven is connecting with UNHS to share child sexual abuse prevention, and they are still working with Saprea to have a class for community members. In addition, they are working on childcare needs, looking for solutions to the thrift store closing, and discussing how to provide professional attire to help women get into the workforce.  

Sanpete County: The county coalition’s new leadership development spoke representative, Taylor Rosecrans, has organized a six-part series for women’s leadership development to help local women see themselves as leaders and develop leadership skills. They have also been working to get the word out about the UWLP Fall Survey.  

Sevier County: There is no update from Sevier County this month. Word about the UWLP annual fall survey was spread through a variety of channels. If you are interested in supporting the BWF Sevier County Coalition, please contact deborah.lin@usu.edu for more information and to discuss opportunities.     

Summit County: Co-lead Jana Young brought forward a resolution to the Summit County Council to join Bolder Way Forward in October, which passed. The county affirmed its designation as a Change Partner with A Bolder Way Forward and committed to building upon existing county efforts by taking deliberate action to create environments and opportunities in which Utah’s women, girls, and their families can thrive. The co-leads for Summit County also met to plan an in-person meeting in November. Four spoke representatives were identified and local speakers and experts identified to present. These include domestic violence, entrepreneurship, political representation, and childcare. Park City Intermountain Hospital hosted the November 10th event. Contact Tana Toly at tana.toly@parkcity.org to share details about you or your organization and the ways you’d like to get involved.    

Tooele County: There is no update from Tooele County this month. If you are interested in supporting the BWF Sevier County Coalition, please contact deborah.lin@usu.edu for more information and to discuss opportunities.     

Uintah County: In September, the Uintah Basin Coalition met on the USU Vernal campus for a presentation by Daphne Blanchard on Entrepreneurship. As Director of the Bingham Entrepreneurship Center, she shared resources and programs underway to help women create business opportunities. Members widely shared the UWLP fall survey link to help understand the perspectives of men and women in the region. In partnership with the Health Across the Lifespan Access sub-spoke, the coalition looks forward to supporting a mobile mammogram event in December at the Tri-County Health Department.  

Utah County: The Utah County Coalition has been busy with community events. BWF information booths were at Walk for Hope (Domestic Violence), the SAFE Child Symposium, the kNOw Poverty Summit, the Provo Girls Summit, the Boost Conference, and the UVU Clothesline Project Exhibit. They've grown the county coalition by adding a Higher Ed Attainment spoke rep and newsletter creator, and a LinkedIn Group was started for the county. The fall survey was sent to over 500 people in the area. 

Wasatch County: Co-leads Celeste Johnson and Reggan Jastram convened a brown bag lunch in September to discuss the needs and concerns in Wasatch County. Data specific to the county in many of the spokes was presented and attendees shared their perspectives on the most important challenges facing the community. It was determined to focus on increasing the number of UWLP fall survey participants as an initial step. A lofty goal was voiced and ideas, including the placement of banners and yard signs around the county, were solicited. More than double the previous number of survey participants have already engaged as a result. In the new year, a meeting to align goals for January to June tied to the county results will be held.   

Washington County:  In September and October, the BWF Washington County Coalition continued to connect with community leaders and organizations, including with Nate Caplin, Utah Tech University and candidate for City Council; Nikki Hope, Utah Tech University; Chad & Nancy, Integrated Healing Centers; Samantha Parker, CEO Content Agency, Creative Media Director, Podcast Host; and the St. George Interfaith Council of Washington County. They are working with Switchpoint, DOVE Center, and the Five County Association of Governments to host city leaders at each organization to provide leaders the opportunity to personally connect with and experience the organizations’ work firsthand. They have participated with a variety of events, including attending a ribbon cutting at The Sharing Place; having a BWF booth at the Utah Tech Volunteer Fair; attending the Gender Pay Gap virtual meeting and discussing plans for a southern Utah event; and attending Switchpoint’s annual breakfast fundraiser. The 3C collaboration with local women’s groups has partnered with 435Events.com to create a Southern Utah Women’s Collab Calendar (https://435locals.com/southern-utahs-women-collab-calendar/), allowing women’s groups to post events at no cost. A Male Allyship event is scheduled for February 2026 -- they are finalizing details, and are thrilled to have Dr. Susan Madsen as the keynote presenter. Additionally, there are opportunities for a BWF presence at the Women’s Influence Network Ignite Conference on February 6–7, as well as a Strong Towns event scheduled for April. Goals include securing additional spoke reps for underrepresented spokes; establishing a schedule for co-leads and spoke reps to connect and support one another; strengthening women’s group alliances; pursuing town, city, and county resolutions; collecting resources and contacts across Washington County; and strengthening and supporting Five County Coalition connections and collaborations. 

Wayne County: The Wayne County co-leads have been helping spread the word about the fall survey, with a goal to have enough data from county residents to have meaningful, representative data. There is no other update from Wayne County this month. 

Weber County: The county leaders are looking forward to having support from a new regional coordinator and are making plans to move forward in 2026, including refining roles. They are grateful to those who filled out their survey and will make placements in the spokes. They have presented to WACOG and the North Ogden City Council, are discussing Bolder Way Forward resolutions with other cities, and are excited to see who will be the first BWF City in Weber County. Congratulations to Flor Lopez, a county co-lead, for being elected to the Ogden City Council.