BWF Spoke Updates - October 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 spotlighted New Mexico in the monthly statewide update as the first state to offer universal childcare to all children, with no income requirements. Connecticut also recently implemented free childcare to all families making less than $100K. The Department of Early Childhood recently launched a new website to find services for children; the Spoke created an Instagram reel to show how to navigate this great resource. The Spoke shared data about how almost 75% of working families with young children need two incomes for household expenses. In addition, the Spoke shared research showing that salary is not the only thing important to workers with children—an important fact to understand in the context of Utah’s ongoing hiring gap. Collaboration with other stakeholders occurred at meetings and events involving key organizations and partners, including the Utah Women’s Organization Network, YWCA, USBE, Voices for Utah Children, and the Childcare Policy Roundtable. The Spoke’s statewide update (newsletter) continues to grow its reach with a 92% open rate in September. 

Child Sexual Abuse: The Child Sexual Abuse Spoke helped host the annual SAFE Symposium on October 6, bringing together community leaders and advocates for powerful conversations on how we can protect children from sexual abuse and break the cycle of lasting impacts. Thank you to all who attended and supported this event. If you’d like to get involved in the work of the Child Sexual Abuse Spoke, visit this page for different opportunities based on your interests and availability.  The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) has awarded Prevent Child Abuse Utah (Spoke Partner) the contract as the statewide primary provider of child sexual abuse and human trafficking prevention education in elementary schools. The funding for this program was made possible through changes to Utah’s Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Law (SB205) during the 2024 legislative session. This bill appropriates $1.5 million in ongoing funding for prevention education in Utah elementary classrooms that provide high-quality, age-appropriate prevention education at no cost to schools. The contracted provider receives $1 million, and the other $500,000 will be used in a grant program in which LEA’s can apply to receive funding for a USBE approved provider. Read the news article about PCAU’s prevention education initiative here. The Spoke encourages advocates to reach out to their local elementary schools and encourage leadership to add child sexual abuse prevention education to their curricula. The Spoke is still missing some Spoke County Representatives in certain counties. If you have interest in becoming a Spoke County Representative, please contact Spoke Coordinator at alexabsimon@gmail.com to learn more. The Spoke is still seeking County Spoke Representatives in certain counties. If you have interest in becoming a Spoke County Representative or learning more about sharing the curricula with your local elementary school, please contact Alexa Simon (Spoke Coordinator) at alexabsimon@gmail.com.  

Domestic Violence: The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition (Spoke partner) 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. The Religion & Domestic Violence Subspoke has two new leaders, Candice Smith, MD, a pediatrician, and Jessica Woodbury, a certified social worker. You can learn more about the subspoke goals and find resources on their webpage. Trauma Informed Utah will be hosting a seminar on Thursday, November 6th. This four-hour seminar is designed to provide information on the concepts of trauma and a trauma-informed approach. Learn more about the event here. This year, as part of the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s 20th Annual Domestic Violence Counts Survey, they are adding a separate form for survivors to participate. For some survivors, sharing their story can be a step toward healing. For others, they may be interested in engaging with national advocacy efforts. The Survivor Stories form offers an opportunity to do both. It is open to any survivors who are interested in participating. For more information, subscribe to the BWF DV Newsletter here or contact Carey Van Wagoner (Spoke Coordinator) at carey@careyvanwagoner.com. 

Entrepreneurship:  The Entrepreneurship Spoke continues to grow, bringing together women entrepreneurs, leaders, and communities from across Utah. To help keep members connected and informed, they are continuing their monthly newsletter . Subscribers will receive regular updates on events, initiatives, and tools designed to support entrepreneurs at every stage, making it easier than ever to stay engaged with the movement. In November, we are especially excited to launch a Statewide Proclamation to highlight and advance women in entrepreneurship, with the support of state leaders. This initiative will focus efforts to make change for all women entrepreneurs. Momentum is already building with the launch of our new She-Suite Webinar Series. Organizers were thrilled to have 33 people registered for the very first session, which focused on Access to Capital, and they look forward to sharing the recording soon for those who were unable to join live. Stay tuned for the next session in this series! Another highlight this fall was the Queens Court Pickleball event, where the Spoke connected with more than 50 women in a fun and engaging networking setting. Be sure to follow the Entrepreneurship LinkedIn account, which will serve as a central hub for updates and opportunities like these across the state. Join the Spoke in building networks, elevating women entrepreneurs, and creating real change! 

Finance:  September was “Personal Finance Awareness Month”, celebrated with a movement-wide awareness campaign by A Bolder Way Forward. This included the Women in the Money Conference where over 1000 women attended either in person or online for 4 sessions of financial education. The Finance spoke also participated in a concentrated push to share the many financial resources that are available in the state including the Utah Treasurer’s Financial Toolkit. The toolkit contains resources on topics from financial planning and investing, to taxes and fraud protection. Many of our partners have upcoming events in October that provide financial information and resources to women in Utah. Women of the World will host financial planning and health insurance info sessions for immigrant and refugee women. USU extension’s Empowering Financial Wellness program will provide free lunchtime webinars throughout the month on practical strategies to save for short-term goals, credit reports, credit scores, avoiding scams, money personalities, and how to financially prepare for the holidays. My529 (BWF Key Partner) has released content on how new legislation will affect college savings plans. The BWF and Cyprus Credit Union partnership will begin their collaborative Invest in Girls classes at Skyridge High School this month. If you have questions about these events, would like information about Invest in Girls courses for your local school, or would like information on the Finance Spoke, please contact Angela Rawlings at atrawlings1@gmail.com.  

Gender Pay Gap: The Spoke launched its first online salary negotiation training series this month, presenting two of four sessions on September 12 and 26 during Friday lunch hours. These trainings help Utahns address the pay gap, with research showing most women do not negotiate salary. To request a live presentation for your group, contact Emily Prisbrey (Spoke Coordinator) at emily@martinprisbrey.com  The Data & Research Working Group is partnering with the University of Utah for a county-level gender pay gap study. The Spoke is also meeting with state legislators to discuss workplace improvements for women and looks forward to sharing updates as the legislative session approaches.  

Health Across the Lifespan: Pilot efforts across the subspokes are yielding success. Eating disorders are recognized as one of the most fatal mental illnesses in the US with data showing early intervention efforts must be in place by high school, at the latest, before the typical onset of ED. To that end, the Disordered Eating working group created information to share with coaches, school counselors and school nurses on recognizing youth at risk. They will be presenting to the Sports Medicine subgroup of the Utah High School Activities Association this month. The Prevention Breast Cancer workstream efforts at West High School in SLC included an educational video filmed by students on the importance of cancer screening. It yielded almost 60 parents completing an educational quiz on breast cancer with only 35% of women over 40 identifying as having their mammogram completed. This collaborative project with the student group Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) will be a model for future efforts across the state. For more information on upcoming events and how you can help raise awareness about disordered eating and cancer screening, please contact Amy Anderson (Spoke Coordinator) at amy.z.anderson@usu.edu 

Higher Education Attainment: The Higher Education Attainment Spoke is bringing awareness to events and resources this month. October includes Utah College Application Week (UCAW), a series of events focused on supporting students as they prepare to submit college applications. Events are taking place throughout the state, reach out to your school district or high school counselor to learn more.  

The Higher Education Attainment Spoke is thrilled to welcome new Working Group Co-Leads, KT Finney and Kara Vail. Kara Vail is joining as a co-lead for the Barriers and Resources working group. KT Finney has accepted a role as a Communication and Awareness Working Group Co-Lead. Keep an eye on the Higher Education Spoke’s social media accounts to learn more about these new leaders. Please join the Higher Education Spoke this month in encouraging high school juniors and seniors to attend Utah College Application Week Events. Please reach out to Courtney Harris (Spoke Coordinator) at courtney.bwf@gmail.com to learn more.  

Home & Family: The Spoke finished a 6-month-long project creating a comprehensive resource page for Utah families. All Utahns are encouraged to bookmark and share the Resources for Utah Families page in times of need, whether for addiction resources, supplies, free or low-cost dental care, etc. Follow the Spoke on Instagram or Facebook to learn more. Additionally, the Single Mother Subspoke had a partner luncheon to discuss collaboration. If you know of an organization that is committed to helping Utah Single Mothers, the Subspoke invites you to become a partner. If you are a single mother, join the Utah Single Mother Coalition Facebook group. Email megan.bwf@gmail.com to get involved or stay updated.   

K-12 Initiatives: The K-12 Initiatives Spoke is joining the statewide attendance campaign efforts of the Utah State Board of Education. The Spoke would love to hear specifics about barriers in your community that affect children from attending school. For example, is there a lack of transportation afterschool either to your home or childcare facility? This information will be helpful to pass on to the Utah Legislature. Please reach out to Laney Benedict (Spoke Coordinator) at laneysconnection@gmail.com to submit information about attendance barriers. Let’s work together to end chronic absenteeism in Utah! 

Leadership Development: The Spoke is working to establish relationships with organizations that provide leadership development for women. This month, Spoke Leaders met with members of the Rotary Club and Utah PTA to share opportunities to collaborate. The Spoke needs representatives in counties across the state to focus on implementing projects, convening partners, facilitating connections, and driving measurable outcomes at the local level. County Spoke Reps grow skills (strategy, communications, coalition-building), expand their statewide network, and have résumé-ready impact with clear wins and recognition. To learn more about this and other opportunities to get involved, contact Laney Benedict (Spoke Coordinator) at laneysconnection@gmail.com.  

Organizational Strategies & Workplace Culture: In honor of National Work and Family Month, the Spoke has put together a Movement-Wide Awareness Campaign Plan for the month of October. In this plan, various work/family-related data, resources, and calls to action have been highlighted. Ways you can help (calls to action) include: 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 would like to learn more about these calls to action or become more involved in helping Utah women thrive in the workplace, please email Kristen Lee (Spoke Coordinator) at klee.abwf@gmail.com.    

Political & Civic Representation: In September, the Political & Civic Representation Spoke held an event at the Utah State Capitol. This was an exciting opportunity for spoke members/advocates and spoke partners to come together to discuss wins and needs, and to complete a tour of the Capitol through the lens of Political and Civic Engagement. The event also included a thorough review of the Spoke’s Civic Engagement & Advocacy Toolkit. The Spoke has welcomed new working group members who will be assisting the subspokes with data/research, partner outreach/advocacy, and communications. For more information about the toolkit, efforts, and opportunities to be involved, contact Britney McCausland (Spoke Coordinator) at britneym.bwf@gmail.com.   

Poverty & Homelessness: The Spoke continues to develop and refine metrics to guide a renewed strategic direction to help reduce poverty, hunger, and homelessness in Utah. New metrics will better assess community needs and measure the effectiveness of programs and initiatives. By establishing clear benchmarks, the Spoke aims to enhance its ability to support individuals and families experiencing poverty and homelessness. This work lays the foundation for a more data-driven, outcomes-focused approach that aligns with the Spoke’s mission to create sustainable solutions for the population it serves. To learn more and get involved, reach out to Nancy Griggs (Spoke Coordinator) at nancygriggs@ogdencity.com. 

Sexual Assault:  The Spoke is thrilled to welcome New Hope Crisis Center as its newest key partner! New Hope Crisis Center’s mission is to provide all-inclusive, integrated, survivor-centered services to stabilize and support individuals, families, and the community. If you are interested in becoming a BWF partner with the Sexual Assault Spoke, check out the partnership page and contact BWF’s Partnership Coordinator, Kathryn Newman, at kathryn.newman@usu.edu to get involved. This month, Spoke Leaders were involved in the Utah Sexual Violence Conference that took place September 11-12 at Zions Technology Center in Midvale. This conference was focused on grounding in strength, resilience, and collective healing. This was a great opportunity for Utahns to come together and share knowledge, build skills, and strengthen responses to sexual violence. The Spoke is sending out monthly newsletters to keep sexual assault advocates 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:  Spoke Leaders are focused on determining priorities and planning efforts for the upcoming legislative session. The Spoke is collaborating with the Gender Pay Gap Spoke to share trainings for employees help them address concerns regarding pay discrimination and how to file claims with the EOC. Additional trainings are planned to complement this initiative and connect employees to resources that can help them navigate sexual harassment claims. To learn more and get involved, please contact Suha (Spoke Coordinator) via email at bwf.suha@gmail.com.  

STEM Fields: The Spoke’s 4th Quarter Newsletter is live and includes the 2025 Women in STEM Education Update podcast, upcoming events and ways to connect with the growing STEM Fields Spoke community, and a list of STEM-related resources. The Spoke is working to curate a more inclusive list of STEM resources to be able to share with girls and women in Utah– i.e. toolkits, mentorship programs, courses, trainings, grant opportunities-- the possibilities can be endless. A rise in desire for STEM related mentorships has also been a topic of interest among advocates, Spoke members, and within working groups. To help grow the list of curated mentorships and resources to support the STEM Fields community, kindly send any opportunities or resources to Ashley Patterson (Spoke Coordinator) at ashleyp.bwf@gmail.com. The Spoke is also in need of someone to help spread awareness and assist with communication efforts; please reach out to Ashley if you or someone you know is interested in this role. If you haven’t yet, please follow the BWF STEM Fields Spoke on LinkedIn for Spoke updates! 

Workforce Development: The Workforce Development Spoke proudly acknowledges the achievements of its key partners. Tech-Moms recently marked its 5-year anniversary, celebrating with graduates and supporters. This organization is an invaluable asset for women, with or without a college degree, seeking to enter Utah's tech industry. Elavare hosted its 2nd annual summit, providing women with the tools, confidence, and connections needed to successfully re-enter the workforce. People Helping People conducted its bi-annual job fair and Single Mother's seminar, serving over 200 women. Additionally, The Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) launched Hire PowHER, a bold new initiative designed to attract more women to skilled trades careers. These exceptional resources are instrumental in enhancing women's opportunities and experiences in Utah's workforce. Currently, the Workforce Development Spoke and its partners offer various opportunities for individuals to volunteer their time and resources to support women and families. Spectrum Recruiting Solutions is hosting the 6th annual Utah Backpack Project, which benefits families and women who rely on Granger Food Pantry and South Valley Services Women's Shelter. Donations will be collected in October and distributed in November. People Helping People will host the PHP Client Awards Ceremony on December 11th and is currently collecting in-kind donations for the event. If you are interested in participating in these volunteer opportunities or wish to connect with the Workforce Development Spoke, please contact Angela Rawlings (Spoke Coordinator) at atrawlings1@gmail.com.