BWF Spoke Updates - July 2025

In the Bolder Way Forward Framework, there are 18 specific areas of focus (spokes). Each spoke, a key topic area where change needs to occur, is also a movement with a strategy that functions to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Effective work within the spokes is needed to create more expansive and cohesive change overall. To learn more about each spoke’s leadership, bold vision and goals, thriving statements, partners, and ways to get involved, please click on the individual spoke webpages (linked below). The following are monthly updates on what is happening within each of the Spokes:   

Childcare & Pre-K: The Spoke began the month leading a 75-minute breakout session during the 3rd Annual A Bolder Way Forward Summit discussing a case study (Vermont’s recently implemented payroll tax supporting childcare) as well as creative ideas for approaching the complicated issue of childcare within Utah. The spoke amplified local and national press coverage of early childhood issues, including a PBS Utah spotlight of two innovative childcare programs in Utah—the needs-based childcare scholarship in Park City and Neighborhood House’s affordable childcare center in downtown Salt Lake City. The Spoke Coordinator continued to make connections within the early childhood community and met with several individuals to discuss ideas. Within the monthly statewide update, the Spoke shared all of the press coverage, upcoming early childhood state events, and open positions within the early childhood space in one convenient location. 

Child Sexual Abuse: This month the Child Sexual Abuse Spoke had the opportunity to meet during a breakout session at the BWF Summit. The group spent time discussing the Spoke’s vision and goals, how to be an advocate for prevention education both in Utah schools and within the home, and how to access key resources to support these efforts. The Spoke recommends that anyone who wants to stay engaged subscribe to the email newsletter and follow the Spoke on Instagram and LinkedIn. The Spoke is excited to share that year’s SAFE Symposium, a major event for the Spoke, will be held at Utah Valley University at the Sorensen Student Center on October 6. More details and sharable save the date graphics coming soon! The Spoke has been closely following the approval process for this cycle of USBE approved curricula focused on Child Sexual Abuse & Human Trafficking Prevention. A final list of approved providers is coming soon, which will be a key resource when advocating for prevention education within Utah schools. 

Domestic Violence:  Spoke Partner Utah Domestic Violence Coalition (UDVC) maintains ongoing collaboration with funders and relevant agencies (including DCFS, DHHS, DWS, UOVC, and CCJJ) to support domestic violence programs and related initiatives. Efforts are being made to assist these programs in reducing administrative burdens, enabling them to focus on direct service delivery. This work also involves participation in the Domestic Violence Subcommittee, the Data Subcommittee, and the State Victim Services Committee. The UDVC is also seeking nominations for board members from individuals interested in joining their Board of Directors. If interested, please apply. The deadline for submitting completed applications is by the end of the business day on August 11. Applications can also be forwarded to Max Pierce (mpierce@udvc.org) and elections will be held on September 9th.  Please subscribe to the BWF DV Newsletter here. If you are interested in the new Religion & Domestic Violence Sub-Spoke, please reach out to carey@careyvanwagoner.com. You can learn more about the Subspoke on the new Sub-poke webpage, which has important resources. The Dear Utah Campaign is still running, and you can submit your stories here. Additionally, the Domestic Violence Spoke is supporting the “Start by Believing” campaign (in collaboration with the Sexual Assault Spoke), and we encourage all to sign up for the pledge here.   

Entrepreneurship: Big things are happening in the Entrepreneurship Spoke of A Bolder Way Forward! Beth Colosimo, Executive Director of The Mill Entrepreneurship center, has joined as a new Spoke Leader, which has brought fresh energy and vision to drive meaningful change for women and girls in entrepreneurship across Utah. The Spoke is also thrilled to welcome new Co-Leads to each of our Working Groups—they’re already off and running! Want to get involved? Fill out this form to stay connected or email Spoke Coordinator Crystal at crystal.bwf@gmail.com. Stay inspired and informed by following the new Entrepreneurship Spoke LinkedIn account for statewide updates and opportunities.  

Finance:  The Finance Spoke focused their efforts and discussion at the 3rd Annual BWF Summit breakout session on increasing the confidence of women in Utah in achieving their financial goals. The Spoke is working with the Crucial Influence model to determine how all Spoke Partners can help increase this confidence in women. The Intervention Resources Working Group created a survey to collect information on financial resources throughout the state and a rubric to evaluate these resources. Spoke Partners Jump Start, the Utah Treasurer’s Office, and Utah State Board of Education hosted the $tart $mart Teacher’s Summit for Financial literacy educators throughout the state. Hundreds of educators attended classes that provided tools and support for financial education. Utah ranks 2nd in the nation for financial knowledge and education, and this annual summit provides valuable support for K-12 efforts in the state. To learn more about initiatives and opportunities to engage, please contact Angela (Spoke Coordinator) at atrawlings1@gmail.com.   

Gender Pay Gap: This month, the Communication/Education Working Group released educational modules on compensation strategies, making progress towards the spoke goal of empowering women of all ages with skills and knowledge about compensation strategy by developing and delivering comprehensive training programs to at least 300 women annually (both online and in-person). To schedule a presentation for your organization, county, or group contact the Spoke Coordinator (Emily) at emily@martinprisbrey.com. The Data/Research Working Group is partnering with University of Utah groups on Utah-focused data projects. The Legislative Working Group will work with workforce legislative teams on upcoming legislation. The Equal Pay Day event held in March by the Corporations Working Group is now live—watch it here to hear corporate leaders in Utah discuss support for women! 

Health Across the Lifespan: With over 80 attendees participating in the Health Across the Lifespan breakout session at the 3rd Annual BWF Summit, valuable input was received during distinct listening and discussion sessions. Subspoke Leaders from Prevention/Access, Reproductive Health, Perimenopause/Midlife, Older Adult/End of Life and Mental Health/Trauma Informed Care/Adolescent Health conducted two sessions to gather feedback and refine the work within their areas. Spoke Co-Lead Stephanie Stokes presented to leadership at DHHS to solidify how BWF can help amplify the work they are doing statewide. Handouts for each subspoke modeled after the What Utahns Need to Know, including resources, were created and are ready to share with county coalitions. The Adolescent Health, Access, and Mental Health/Wellbeing Subspokes are in need of additional co-leaders.  If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Amy Anderson (Spoke Coordinator) at amy.z.anderson@usu.edu.   

Higher Education Attainment: The Higher Education Attainment Spoke attended and enjoyed the 3rd Annual Bolder Way Forward Summit on June 6th. The Spoke presented a breakout session filled with higher education professionals and interested parties. Spoke Co-Leads Eric Dahlin, Mallory Santa Cruz, and Spoke Coordinator Courtney Harris, presented the “State of the Spoke,” as well as updates on metrics and Spoke goals. Attendees contributed to thoughtful discussions and presented their ideas on how to address barriers and resources for higher education, how to create awareness and fuel communication about higher education, as well as how public policy has affected higher education and what will happen moving forward. The Spoke welcomes Fiona Hayes as its newest Working Group Co-Lead for the Spoke Policy Working Group. Fiona is the CEO of ViewPoint Simulations, Inc. and has a huge passion for helping women and girls pursue higher education.  To get involved in a working group and learn more about how you can support Higher Education Attainment, please contact Courtney at courtney.bwf@gmail.com.  

Home & Family: The Spoke had an engaging breakout session at the BWF Summit, where many people came together to discuss unpaid labor, healthy relationships, and how to make women’s work in the home more visible. It was a great brainstorming session, and the Spoke encourages all interested in this work to join working groups on these topics, even if they can only participate occasionally. A new working group, Digital Wellness and Media Literacy, has formed, and the Moms with Littles Working Group is still calling for input in their quick survey about making spaces more child-friendly.  The Single Mothers Subspoke had a successful partners luncheon and asks any businesses or organizations supportive of single mothers to collaborate with them on this work. Email Charlotte (Spoke Coordinator) at charlotte.abwf@gmail.com to get involved or learn more about these opportunities!  

K-12 Initiatives:  The K-12 Initiatives Spoke will be launching another awareness campaign in August 2025 titled “Back to School, Every Day Counts!”.  This movement-wide awareness campaign will focus on school attendance. The goal is to raise awareness of the importance of in-person school and highlight facts, such as chronic absenteeism occurs when a student misses just 2 days a month. Please watch, like, and share their Instagram account for posts during the month of August. More information can be found in the Spoke’s July newsletter. To subscribe, contact Laney Benedict (Spoke Coordinator) at laneysconnection@gmail.com. 

Leadership Development: The Leadership Development Spoke held a successful breakout session at the 3rd Annual BWF Summit. Spoke Leaders conducted a mini-training on UWLP’s Exploring Your Purpose: Talents, Callings, and Influence Course and asked the attendees to bring this training back to their community or business. The Spoke welcomed Ruling Our Experiences (ROX) as a new partner. ROX is a program for middle-school aged girls to uplift their confidence and leadership skills. This program is for middle school aged. The Girls & Young Women Working Group is transitioning to a new subspoke called “Young Leaders” and will be launching a webpage soon. More information will be shared in the Spoke’s monthly newsletter. To sign-up or learn more about this exciting new subspoke, contact the Spoke Coordinator (Laney) at laneysconnection@gmail.com. 

Organizational Strategies & Workplace Culture: A Spoke highlight for June was the 3rd Annual BWF Summit. It was an inspiring event where the Organization Strategies and Workplace Culture Spoke Leaders shared a brief explanation of the spoke’s mission and goals during the opening session.  During the Spoke’s breakout session, Melanie Jones (newly appointed CEO of Women’s Leadership Institute) was introduced as a new spoke co-leader. Spoke Leaders shared more information about the Spoke’s role as a hub for the BWF workplace related spokes. Attendees participated in a “Strategy Sprint” activity where small groups discussed an area of focus related to organizations (i.e. flexible work and parental leave, pay equity, caregiver support, and more). Spoke leadership looks forward to connecting further with those who attended the Summit, and anyone interested in being involved. Please contact Kristen Lee at klee.abwf@gmail.com for more information. 

Political & Civic Representation: The Political & Civic Representation Spoke focused on two key items during the Spoke’s breakout session at the 3rd Annual BWF Summit: climbing the “civic engagement ladder”, and the new Political & Civic Representation Toolkit. Participants were asked to reflect on the rungs of the civic engagement ladder, identify where they currently were, where they wanted to go, what barriers existed at each rung, and practical solutions for overcoming those barriers. The feedback was very thoughtful and constructive, and the Spoke will be sharing more about this feedback in upcoming social media posts and newsletters. Sign up and learn more by contacting the Spoke Coordinator (Britney) at britneym.bwf@gmail.com.  

Poverty & Homelessness:  As the Spoke prepares to re-launch regular spoke meetings in August 2025, Spoke Leaders are actively refining goals and developing new strategies to enhance member engagement and communication. A key initiative in the works is a Poverty & Homelessness Instagram account to better inform and connect with the community. This will be launched in August, and will serve as a central hub for updates, resources, event announcements, and ongoing developments in the world of poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness. To stay engaged and discuss ways that you can contribute, please contact Nancy (Spoke Coordinator) at nancygriggs@ogdencity.gov. The Spoke is seeking an additional co-leader to provide perspective on housing challenges faced by women. If you are interested, please contact Brie Sparks (UWLP Statewide Impact Manager) at brie.sparks@usu.edu.   

Sexual Assault: The Spoke held a great breakout session at the 3rd Annual Bolder Way Forward Summit. Spoke Leaders discussed the Start by Believing campaign and ways to leverage your voice to make a difference on social media and with local legislators. The Start by Believing Subspoke hosted their first quarterly meeting on Wednesday, June 18th. The meeting had great attendance from partner organizations and other spokes including, Sexual Harassment & Gender-Based Discrimination, Health across the lifespan, and Child Sexual Abuse. Julie Valentine (Spoke Leader) led the meeting and shared the history and power of the Start by Believing campaign. If you would like to join future quarterly meetings, please email sbbutah@nurs.utah.edu. The Spoke welcomed HealEx as a new Key Partner this month. This is an exciting partnership, as HealEx is dedicated to helping people heal from exploitation. 

Sexual Harassment & Gender-Based Discrimination: The Spoke had a successful and inspiring breakout session at the 3rd Annual BWF Summit, where fresh insight and perspective was gained about workplace prevention training regarding sexual harassment and discrimination. Spoke Leaders were able to meet many new people who are interested in furthering the work of the Spoke and have been finding ways to incorporate these into working group initiatives. To join a working group and help expand Spoke efforts, contact the Spoke Coordinator (Brooke) at brookepiippo21@gmail.com.  

STEM Fields: Spoke Leaders Dr. Stacy Firth, Kristin Wright, Aimee Edwards, and Cydni Rogers Tetro would like to thank those who took part in the 3rd Annual BWF Summit on June 6th. With the combined efforts of Spoke leadership (including Working Group Leaders Angela Trego, Tami Goetz., Owen Miller, Spencer Magleby, Tulinda Larsen, Megan Ware), and those in attendance, the STEM Fields Spoke breakout session was a success! The session included a discussion on the current climate for women in STEM in Utah, what’s missing from Utah’s current approach to attracting or retaining Women in STEM, and what needs to change if there is a desire to attract more girls to STEM. Poll responses from this discussion will be included in the upcoming spoke newsletter. The Spoke is currently looking for individuals interested in the following opportunities: participation in Engineering, Mathematics, and/or STEM Higher Ed working groups; STEM event discovery/coordination; finding and organizing existing research related to the efforts of the STEM Fields Spoke; building up communication within the Spoke. To find out more on how to get involved, collaborate on events, learn about opportunities to lead or engage in a working group, or serve as a County Spoke Rep, reach out to Ashley (Spoke Coordinator) at ashleyp.bwf@gmail.com. Additionally, in support of Dr. Angela Trego (co-lead for the Spoke's K-12 STEM Education Working Group), you can take a brief, anonymous survey about Imposter Syndrome here. The STEM Fields Spoke loves to support efforts of those working to better understand and improve issues affecting girls and women in Utah. If you would like to share your unique perspective and expertise, please take a quick minute to fill out this form and follow the Spoke’s LinkedIn page.  

Workforce Development: At the 3rd Annual BWF Summit, many members of the Workforce Development Spoke gathered and discussed opportunities for women to connect with mentors, training and employers as they strive to enter the workforce. The conversation focused on workshop opportunities that the Spoke could help support throughout the state and what mentorship would look like for women returning to the workforce. In addition, many of our partners held training/networking events in June. The Spoke partnered with Return Utah for a large return-to-work event at the Utah State Capitol where returners and representatives from companies and non-profits met to connect and help returners find current opportunities. Tech-Moms hosted their summer networking meet-up event and provided interviewing training with Marketstar, and Proxima Careers expanded their program to Davis, Utah and Tooele counties. To discuss opportunities to get involved, contact Angela (Spoke Coordinator) at atrawlings1@gmail.com.