BWF Spoke Updates - November 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 highlighted a feature by Utah Business Magazine about the benefit of nature-based preschools and some examples of successful programs in Utah. The monthly statewide update featured the infant/early childhood mental health virtual consultations offered by The Children’s Center Utah. These consultation services are offered at no cost to providers seeking support related to serving young children and their families. Nationally, voters in Colorado will decide next month if their state will form a special tax district to fund childcare, which would be the first of its kind if passed. In Cache County, the Jr. Aggies Academy, an early care and education program for the children of faculty, staff, and students who attend USU, received national recognition for its commitment to quality and continuous improvement. As October was National Work and Family Month, the Spoke created an Instagram post about the concrete benefits of flexible work policies for both employers and employees. In addition, the Office of Child Care released their annual adjustment of childcare assistance income levels. The Spoke posted on social media about this update as many Utahns might be surprised to learn that income limits are adjusted to 85% of the state median income, not the federal poverty level. This reiterates the point that childcare is not only unaffordable to families living in poverty, but most families with average income. The Spoke continued meetings to discuss upcoming policy options and how best to work with partners. 

Child Sexual Abuse: The SAFE Coalition (Spoke Partner) hosted the 4th Annual SAFE Symposium that facilitated strategic conversations and ideas about child sexual abuse prevention that will now be turned into action plans. The Spoke is focused on spreading information about how to advocate for USBE approved prevention education in Utah K-6 schools. If you would like to help with these advocacy efforts, please reach out to Alexa, the Spoke Coordinator, at alexabsimon@gmail.com for more information. The Spoke encourages anyone interested in learning more or becoming engaged to visit the LinkTree for different ways to connect.  

Domestic Violence: Domestic Violence Awareness Month was a success, with events and gatherings across the state. Moving into the holidays, Fight Against Domestic Violence is hosting a holiday drive to gather gifts for single mothers. Get involved by visiting Strengthen Her Utah. The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition (UDVC) will host a two-day symposium, titled "Pathways to Safety: Strengthening Collaboration with Indigenous Communities," on November 19-20, 2025. You can register for the free virtual event here. UDVC is also moving into the legislative season and is actively working on legislative priorities for the 2025/2026 session. If you would like to discuss Domestic Violence Policy Priorities, please email Erin Jemison with UDVC at ejemison@udvc.org.   

Entrepreneurship:  The BWF Entrepreneurship Spoke is celebrating incredible momentum this month! Spoke Leaders are excited to announce the official launch of the “Utah Proclamation for Women’s Entrepreneurial Empowerment”. This is a statewide effort to create actionable steps to help Women Entrepreneurs. Keep an eye out for the official Proclamation signing on November 19th—it will be published on the website and sent out via email. In conjunction with that, the spoke is thrilled to announce the launch of Movement Wide Awareness Campaign to continue building understanding about women’s entrepreneurship in Utah. The BWF Entrepreneurship LinkedIn group has seen a 200% increase in searches, showing the growing interest in connecting and collaborating statewide. To celebrate Women’s Entrepreneurship Day on November 19th, Utahns are invited to wear gold, post a photo on social media, and tag A Bolder Way Forward Entrepreneurship Spoke using #womensupportingwomen, #bwfentrepreneurship, and  #womeninbusiness. The spoke welcomed new partners this month: Tyler Jennings with Boost Conference, Kelly Mickelson with Red Mountain, who is hosting an event supporting women-owned floral shops, and Christine Wzorek with White Label Advisors, whose Executive Fall Retreat was a huge success. Want to stay connected with all things entrepreneurship? Sign up for the spoke newsletter or email crystal.bwf@gmail.com. 

Finance:  The Finance Spoke is pleased to highlight the She’s Got Cents course facilitated by Alyssa Olsen and spoke partner Cyprus Credit Union at Skyline High School during October and November. This course presents investment and financial education for high school girls that adds to the required high school General Financial Literacy class. The response has been positive, and more high schools will host the course in the coming year. The Spoke encourages all Utahns to focus on their financial wellness in this uncertain economy and with the Holiday season approaching. Please take advantage of weekly webinars from USU’s Empowering Financial Wellness department on timely topics. If you have questions please contact Angela Rawlings, Spoke Coordinator, at atrawlings1@gmail.com.  

Gender Pay Gap: The Gender Pay Gap Spoke completed the initial launching of its first online salary negotiation training series this month, presenting sessions three and four. These trainings help Utahns address the pay gap, with research showing most women do not negotiate salary. The spoke is also creating some additional training modules for those who may experiencing gender pay discrimination in collaboration with the Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based Discrimination Spoke. To learn more or request a live presentation for your group, contact the Emily Prisbrey at emily@martinprisbrey.com. 

Health Across the Lifespan: The Spoke welcomed a new co-leader for the Perimenopause/Midlife Subspoke, with Britt Vanderhoof joining Dr. Camille Moreno. In response to the UWLP research paper on body image, Disordered Eating working group leader Dr. Liz Joy and KUED are working on an interview on disordered eating and body image to air in the new year. Resources for high school coaches and parents developed by the working group will be featured. Spoke leaders presented to the Utah Society for Public Health Education at their annual conference, sharing information on spoke goals and metrics along with general information on BWF. The November newsletter focused on the issue of Sexual Health, which is one of the questions in the UWLP fall survey, to encourage readers to participate themselves.  

Higher Education Attainment: The Higher Education Attainment Spoke is pleased to announce new partnerships with Viewpoint Solutions, Equality Utah, and Western Governors University. The Spoke is grateful for all current and new community partners who help to create change for Utah women and girls. Utah is currently last in the nation for high school senior FAFSA completion, while research shows the biggest barrier to higher education in the state is cost. This fall and winter, please encourage seniors and their parents to learn more about FAFSA and complete an application. The Spoke also congratulates the University of Utah on the newly announced Utah Promise Scholarship which guarantees (to qualifying students) full coverage of tuition and mandatory fees for eligible first-time, first-year students whose family household income and assets are each less than $100,000 per year.  

Home & Family: The Spoke welcomed a new coordinator: Megan Turner. Spoke leadership met to collaborate on coming up with improved goals, with more defined calls to action to increase impact and resources for families in Utah. The Spoke also welcomed a new partner, Momivate, who will be hosting bi-weekly meetups for moms in need of support. These have been very successful so far, and they are specifically looking for moms able and willing to lead meetups in more areas. Please email megan.bwf@gmail.com with questions, or if you’re interested in supporting efforts in the Home & Family Spoke! 

K-12 Initiatives: The Spoke is happy to announce partnerships with Envision Utah and the Utah STEM Action Center. Both partnerships will be collaborating with BWF efforts to increase early numeracy, and the Spoke will be working with County Spoke Reps to share their resources throughout Utah. If you would like to learn more or join these local efforts, please email brie.sparks@usu.edu.  

Leadership Development: This month, Steph Smith represented the Young Leaders Subspoke and co-led a breakout session at the Utah Afterschool Network Jumpstart Conference. The Subspoke has identified goals to ensure that every girl and young woman in Utah has access to meaningful leadership opportunities shaped by their voices, supported by a statewide network, and rooted in equity. Learn more by checking out the Young Leaders overview and calls to action. If you are interested in supporting these efforts, reach out to Steph Smith (smithsd17@gmail.com) or Jen Werner (coach@jenwernercoaching.com).  

Organizational Strategies & Workplace Culture: October was National Work and Family Month. As part of the Spoke’s movement-wide awareness campaign, the following calls to action were shared: 1) Advocate for women in leadership roles in your company, 2) Encourage your company to perform annual pay equity audits, 3) Talk to employers you know about the importance of offering flexible, part-time work for women, 4) Encourage your company to implement comprehensive anti-harassment policies, and 5) Encourage your organization to participate in Women Leadership Institute’s ElevateHER Challenge. If you’d like to know more or become involved, please email spoke coordinator Kristen Lee at klee.abwf@gmail.com.     

Political & Civic Representation: In October, the Political & Civic Representation Spoke took their social media presence to the next level by launching new Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok accounts. These are in addition to the existing LinkedIn account. The Outreach and Communications Working Group will be posting regularly on all platforms, focusing on amplification of partner events and resources that align to the BWF initiative and our spoke. Please follow on your favorite platform, and contact Britney McCausland (Spoke Coordinator) at britneym.bwf@gmail.com for more information.  

Poverty & Homelessness: As many families in Utah were impacted by the temporary shutdown of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Spoke has supported the Create Better Health SNAP-Education program (Spoke Partner) to raise awareness about community resources available during this time. If you or someone you know needs assistance, contact your local Department of Workforce Services or visit the Utah Food Bank webpage to find emergency food resources near you. We also thank Karen McCandless for her service as a spoke leader since the beginning. Although she was just elected as mayor of Orem, she’ll continue to support BWF from afar.   

Sexual Assault:  This month the Start by Believing Subspoke had their second quarterly meeting. They have a goal to get 50 signatures for the proclamation by the end of the year. The subspoke would love your help. If you haven’t already, please sign the proclamation and please encourage groups, organizations, clubs, etc. to sign it. They have made it easy to sign and share, with this Google Doc. With your help, Utah can become a safer place for more women and girls. The Spoke is sending out monthly newsletters to keep Spoke members informed on upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, donation needs, latest news, and current Spoke information. Sign up here if you would like to start receiving the newsletter. 

Sexual Harassment & Gender-Based Discrimination:  Earlier this year, the Spoke held a meaningful and educational event titled “Beyond Reporting: Prevention in Action”. This featured a panel of employers, attorneys, HR representatives, and advocates. If you were unable to attend, you can view the recording to learn how to actively prevent sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. The Spoke is currently developing a collaborative initiative with the Gender Pay Gap Spoke and is looking forward to sharing more in the upcoming months.  

STEM Fields: The Spoke and partnered organizations have identified the following shared initiatives: identifying and sharing resources, data, and events; creating STEM awareness within schools, communities, and homes; and coordinated outreach to educational institutions across Utah. If you’re affiliated with a college or university, or passionate about STEM education in K–12, Higher Ed, and beyond, this is the perfect time to join the conversation. The STEM Fields Spoke is continually building a team of interested individuals to help spread awareness and assist with communication efforts; if you are interested, please contact the Spoke Coordinator (Ashley) at ashleyp.bwf@gmail.com. Looking ahead, the Spoke will plan to enlist these individuals to help with Spoke newsletters, spread awareness of STEM events, and provide outreach for STEM Fields Spoke efforts. If you are aware of any STEM related events across Utah, curated mentorships and resources to support the STEM Fields community, or applicable STEM research or Women in STEM highlights, please share information here. If you haven’t already, please check out the most recent quarterly Spoke newsletter that highlights local achievements and opportunities, look through upcoming events, and follow the BWF STEM Fields Spoke on LinkedIn. 

Workforce Development: The Workforce Development Spoke hosted a “Rock Your Resume” event for women looking to enter or move up in the workforce on Friday, November 14. This included a resume workshop, with job search expert Matt Hilbig giving practical guidance on how to create a clear, well-organized resume that effectively highlights skills and experience. The session covered formatting basics, strategies for tailoring a resume to specific roles, and tips for presenting accomplishments in a concise and relevant way. For those who are not in the Salt Lake area or were unable to attend, the Spoke will offer a webinar with similar material on December 12. Stay tuned for monthly in-person and online opportunities for workforce development and connection! For more information, please contact Angela Rawlings at bwf.workforcedev@gmail.com.