BWF County Coalition Updates - January 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 Utah counties ensure this happens. The following are updates for each coalition’s progress since their establishment. Please click on the individual County Coalition webpages (linked below) to learn more.

Beaver County: The County Coalition had a successful think tank about women and girls in their county in the spring of 2024 where they discussed what leaders and residents could do to strengthen the impact of girls and women in their area. They identified county Co-Leads and interested residents. Ashlee Hollingshead stepped forward to be a county Co-Lead, and we are looking for other individuals in the county who would like to serve as Co-Leads, along with others for the leadership team. They will then work on building their coalition in 2025, including planning an in-person event to grow the County Coalition and create more awareness of the movement.

Box Elder County: This County Coalition kicked off in 2024 with JeuneElle Jeffries, Loni Newby, and Susie Witt volunteering to be Co-Leads. They have had a presence at community events and are currently working to expand the leadership team and find spoke representatives for each of the 18 areas of focus. To do this, they are focusing on partnering with existing coalitions and sharing information through those channels. To kick off 2025, their goal is to identify the remaining half of their spoke representatives, being mindful that some may overlap. They are keeping in mind the results of their 2023 think tank and what was noted as ideas from county leaders on what can be done to strengthen girls and women in Box Elder County.

Cache County: Monthly coalition meetings occurred throughout 2024. Co-Leads focused on individual spokes, bringing local and statewide leaders together with County Coalition members to help raise awareness, while identifying a good rhythm and format for meetings. Led by Maya MacKinnon, Michelle Smith, and Julia Westover, members participated in a Crucial Influence workshop with Dr. Susan Madsen, building on the initial county think tank from 2022. In 2025, plans are underway to engage and partner with those doing the work in the community – turning knowledge to action – beginning with The Policy Project’s event in February.

Carbon County: After a community gathering of leaders and residents in the spring of 2023 to discuss the needs of women and girls in their county, the coalition has laid a solid foundation and has transitioned Co-Leads with Christina Pay, Brenda Addley, and StacyAnn Maxwell now leading the BWF efforts in the county. The coalition leadership has regular monthly virtual meetings to keep things moving forward. They had a successful breakfast in November to educate the community about BWF and introduce spoke representatives and had a great turnout with a lot of support. They have identified 17 out of the 18 Spoke Representatives who were very willing to be a part of a BWF and lead the way in the county in those focus areas. In 2025, they will focus on creating social media channels and find additional residents who want to join the BWF Carbon County Coalition to make a difference in the lives of women and girls.

Daggett County: The smallest county in the state, Daggett County residents came together for a think tank in the spring of 2024 to identify what they could do to lift girls and women in their county. Part of the Uintah Basin, the leadership of Uintah and Duchesne County Coalitions will help engage this community of under 1,000 residents as multiple agencies and organizations collaboratively serve all three counties. We are looking for Co-Leads who will move the work forward in Daggett County.

Davis County: As the third most populous county in the state, the Davis County Coalition was established after their think tank in the fall of 2023. The County Coalition is led by Alyssa DeHart, Bettina Smith Edmondson, Sophia Bunker, and Stephenie Glissmeyer. They worked to identify needs in their community in 2024, identified spoke representatives, and have had a BWF presence at a variety of community activities, including a Girl Scout STEM event at Hill Air Force Base. They appreciated the opportunity to have a Crucial Influence workshop with Dr. Susan Madsen and their county leadership. They are planning a county event for March to help educate residents about a BWF and look forward to accomplishing more important work in 2025.

Duchesne County: A shift in Co-Leads recently occurred with Lindsey Garlick beginning to build on the groundwork in mapping laid by previous leaders. Thank you to Halee Ficklin and Jenalee Moynier for their initial leadership. Part of the Uintah Basin area, they look forward to partnering with Uintah and Daggett counties and the Tribal Nations to help create awareness around Spoke goals and initiatives. In 2025, they will focus on recruiting more members and identifying spoke representatives. They are also planning a gathering for the community.

Emery County: Community outreach efforts are what the County Coalition Co-Leads Patsy Stoddard, Alice Wadley, and Shawna Carroll, are most proud of in Emery County. BWF leaders and volunteers were present at several county events in 2024 and hosted some of their own. They had a Family Fun Night to introduce family fitness and A Bolder Way Forward, had booths at the Women's Conference and the Fair, partnered with the One Direction coalition for prevention of drug and alcohol use in youth, and hosted a Harmful Effects of Social Media Night with the Governor's Office of Families. The report from their think tank exemplifies why this movement is needed in Emery County. They are excited about accomplishing more milestones in 2025, including a focus on women in the military and the issues they face at their January meeting. They will be adding to their team to gather momentum in all 18 focus areas and plan to attend community events to further the work of a Bolder Way Forward initiative and increase male allyship awareness.

Garfield County: Callie Ward, Cheryl Cox, Elizabeth Julian, and Kolbi Frandsen stepped forward to be County Coalition Co-Leads after a community think tank in Panguitch in the spring of 2024. They have added additional leadership and are working to engage residents from across the county. To help spread the word and grow their coalition in 2025, they are planning an in-person community BWF event on March 3 in Tropic. They are looking to identify others who would like to engage in the coalition as leaders or Spoke Representatives.

Grand County: Grand County was one of the earlier County Coalitions that was formed after their initial community gathering in the spring of 2023.  Co-Leads Ariel Atkins and Trisha Hedin began by organizing a book club around How Change Happens: Why Some Social Movements Succeed While Others Don’t (by Leslie Crutchfield), and laid a solid foundation by identifying the majority of the Spoke Representatives in 2024. They have been intentional to ensure all women are included, and Seekhaven Family Crisis & Resource Center has been a vital county BWF partner. A community gathering in November was held to educate and engage residents about BWF. They are looking to pass the baton to new Co-Leads to build on the momentum in 2025.

Iron County: After the initial community think tank in the fall of 2023 with community leaders and residents about how to strengthen the impact of girls and women, the leadership had some transition and is now being led by Rhonda Vasquez and Brittany Fisher, with support from many community members. They have met regularly to map who in the community is engaged in each spoke and have invited them to be county spoke representatives with positive results as the majority of the spoke representatives have been identified and can influence their areas of focus in the county. The County Coalition is planning a community BWF lunch March 3 to help inspire and grow the coalition.

Juab County: One of the last counties to have their community think tank with community leaders and residents about how to help strengthen the impact of girls and women in their county, BWF efforts are being led by Lisa Woodland and Linda Hanks with others leaning in to help. They spread the word about the BWF Juab County Coalition at their Community Day of Service last fall. In 2025, they look forward to an in-person event, getting a solid group of spoke representatives, growing the coalition, and defining a vision for the county.

Kane County: A successful think tank in the spring of 2024 had great community support and resulted in a report about what residents in the county can do to help girls and women in the county. Many residents stepped forward to be a part of the coalition. Currently led by Sue Cosby, additional co-leads and spoke representatives are needed as part of the County Coalition. The Coalition generated community interest recently at a local business summit where they recruited more coalition members.  A breakfast gathering is being held March 4 to educate the community about BWF and grow the county coalition. 

Millard County: Currently being led by Jody Anderson and Julie Stevens, the Millard County Coalition was one of the last to be established. Jody and Julie volunteered to be county Co-Leads after their county think tank about women and girls and the results of the discussion about strengthening the impact of girls and women in their county. They had a presence at the Community Family Night Out & Intermountain Health Fair to raise awareness about a BWF and the county coalition. They invite others to join the coalition and plan to add members to the coalition in 2025 by hosting a BWF community awareness gathering.

Morgan County: Following up on a spring think tank and BWF launch, the Morgan County Coalition has started to gather individuals committed to lifting girls and women in their county, with a focus in the areas of Home & Family, Childcare/Pre-K Programs, and K-12 Initiatives. Inspired by the Fall Leadership Huddle (for leadership through the BWF movement), Jill Hatch has joined Chris Hayes to serve as Co-Leads and outline an outreach event in 2025 to grow the coalition. The leaders plan to invest in building relationships not only between the coalition and its members, but between the members themselves. Through networking, they have connected those interested in building capacity in childcare with the county business development resources, an example of systems thinking.

Piute County: With the next to smallest population in the state, Piute County was well represented at their county think tank last spring and had a valuable discussion, as shown in their county report about strengthening the impact of girls and women in their county. Piute County’s Coalition is led by Holly Westwood. Considering the size of the county, identifying six spoke representatives to date is a significant success. They have met regularly, engaged key people in the community, and will meet with Sevier and Wayne County Co-Leads about combining efforts and sharing resources.

Rich County: One of the final counties to hold a think tank and BWF kickoff with Dr. Susan Madsen in 2024, establishing Co-Leads remains a priority. There are engaged individuals and organizations in this county of 2,600 with passion for improving the lives of their full-time residents from the Idaho border to Wyoming. Planning is underway to promote BWF resources, incentives, and ways to work together. A meeting with the Chamber of Commerce will be held in 2025 to continue the conversations to identify leaders. A social event is being planned to build new relationships.

Salt Lake County: As the most populous county in the state, the Salt Lake County Coalition is led by Emily Rushton, Karen Klc, Laurie Stringham, Paula McKinnon, Sandy Lisonbee, and Sara Cody. There was wonderful support for their county think tank about how to help women and girls, and they have worked to bring an extensive list of interested individuals into the BWF movement and welcome others. They had an in-person gathering for their Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and held regular virtual trainings for their ELT and spoke representatives. The coalition also hosted a holiday social, attended Crucial Influence workshop with Dr. Susan Madsen, and have had a BWF presence at a range of events across the county, including with STEM and Education outreach recently at West Fest. They are active on Facebook and LinkedIn, are starting a newsletter, and plan to inspire their county with mini-impact monthly challenges in 2025.

San Juan County: The County Coalition leadership of Racheal Holiday, ReNee McDonald, Shaina Sagg, and Tazbah Jackson represent all residents, including the important role of the Navajo Nation in the county, with great support from the Utah Navajo Health System as a Partner. They have had conversations to engage their community, including hosting a BWF open house in November. They have worked to bridge the gaps despite everyone’s busy lives. They will work on establishing spoke representatives, meeting monthly to share the vision in 2025, and supporting community gatherings. The report from their 2023 community think tank gives important direction for strengthening the impact of girls and women in their county.

Sanpete County: A successful think tank in the spring of 2024 at Snow College included many community members who wanted to engage with BWF. Led by Dana Bagnall and Linda Christiansen, the Sanpete County Coalition would like to add to their county leadership and identify individuals who can serve as spoke representatives in their county. In 2025, they hope to spread the word, continue to organize the County Coalition, and host an in-person community gathering to educate and inspire residents about a BWF.

Sevier County: Sevier County’s community discussion with county leaders and residents about how to increase the impact of girls and women in the county was one of the first, held in 2022. That conversation resulted in a “What Can I Do?” report to help guide Sevier County. Recently, Brooke Burrows-Roundy and Sheri Thompson stepped in to be new county Co-Leads with the support and Partnership of New Horizons Crisis Center. They had an event to educate the community about BWF in November, after which many attendees engaged as spoke representatives. In 2025, they plan to have regular meetings educating the community on the spokes and what they can do to make a difference. They look forward to collaborating with Piute and Wayne County Coalitions.

Summit County: Sharing information on a BWF at “Women in Business 1.0” this fall, Co-Lead lead Tana Toly demonstrated the engagement of the county coalition within the community at large. Co-lead Jessica Hill coordinated a joint meeting of 30 individuals along with Wasatch County to capitalize on the service organizations that cross county lines and combined efforts will continue in 2025. Spoke representatives are being gathered. Renewed enthusiasm to address issues outlined in their 2022 think tank will help move the needle in Summit County this year.

Tooele County: With a recent change in coalition leadership, Jeanine Richens, Jerilyn McKeon, and Jada Brown are the new Co-Leads and have begun monthly gatherings to educate the community about a BWF and each of the 18 Spokes. They have partnered with organizations such as Pathways Domestic Violence Shelter, KeyBank, and the University of Utah Care Management Team for these educational events. The results from their 2022 think tank emphasize the need for these efforts. They are working on identifying Spoke Representatives and look forward to increasing awareness about the BWF Tooele County Coalition and spotlighting vital topics each month.

Uintah County: A new county Co-Lead, Teresa Larsen, is helping move the County Coalition forward in 2025. Thank you to Cherie Pickett and Victoria Alleman for their initial work. Understanding the framework for a BWF and mapping the organizations and individuals in the county will be the building blocks for a solid foundation going forward. One of the first regions to host a think tank in 2022 for the Uintah Basin, they will be working to coordinate regional needs and county-specific concerns to improve the lives of girls and women.

Utah County: One of the earliest counties to have a think tank about how to help women and girls in their county in the spring of 2022, the County Coalition was also one of the first to be created. They have five Co-Leads: Karen Hill, Cynthia Gambill, Janae Moss, Jessica Miller, and Kena Mathews. Together they have made critical decisions about responsibilities and organization and sent a questionnaire to 225 interested community members to solicit spoke representatives and working group members. They had eight BWF presentations in the county in 2024, reaching hundreds of residents. In 2025, they plan to fill the remaining spoke representative positions, hold a county-wide recruitment event to educate and motivate the county in March, secure a presence at more events, continue to schedule speaking engagements, increase their social media presence, and have all of their working groups organized and running.

Wasatch County: Joined by women representing healthcare, education, non-profits, elected officials, faith leaders, and more, a think tank held in 2024 formed the core of the County Coalition led by Amy Owen Tuddenham and Reggan Jastram. Participating in Women’s Night Out at Heber Valley Intermountain Hospital was an opportunity to interact and introduce a BWF to a new and larger group. In 2025, the coalition is looking ahead to continued partnership with Summit County’s Coalition through organizations that provide service to both counties as well as focusing on areas unique to their county. Identifying spoke representatives and additional Co-Leads is a first quarter goal.

Washington County: The County Coalition held their community think tank in the fall of 2023 in St. George, with the results published in this “What Can I Do?” report. The coalition was formed soon after, with many local women leaning in. The current Washington County Coalition Co-Leads are Debi Barmonde, Katarina Aikens, Cheryle Caplinger, Chris Healy, Cristina Zavala, and Traci Fitzgerald. The County Coalition has partnered with the Women’s Influence Network (WIN) to educate the community at monthly meetings focused on the 18 Spokes. The County Coalition is having a BWF community event with Dr. Susan Madsen on March 4.

Wayne County: Led by Holly Andrews, Kate Chappell, and Julie Jeffery, the Wayne County Coalition is identifying spoke representatives and spreading the word about BWF. They had a successful think tank in the spring of 2024 with many community leaders, including male allies, about helping women and girls in the county thrive. They plan to continue to grow the coalition and create more awareness about a BWF in 2025. They will share ideas and resources with Sevier and Piute Counties since many of their services and providers serve all three counties.

Weber County: The community think tank about girls and women was held in 2023, with the accompanying report published based on that conversation. Their County Coalition was established later that year. Denise Call is an original county Co-Lead, and has recently been joined by Flor Lopez. The County Coalition leadership had a valuable workshop about Crucial Influence with Dr. Susan Madsen and is engaging many individuals from key organizations in the county. They are looking for other interested individuals to join their county leadership as well as those wanting to serve as spoke representatives.