Event Recap - A Bolder Way Forward for Utah

For nine years running, Utah has been ranked by Wallet Hub as the worst state in the U.S. when it comes to women’s equality. Year after year, Utah continues to have high levels of domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and gender-based discrimination, and low levels of women’s leadership representation in nearly all domains, including politics and business. 

Although the needle has moved slightly in a few areas, with its current trajectory it will take two, three, or even four decades to make notable progress. A statewide initiative, “A Bolder Way Forward for Utah” (BWF) launched in June and is framed around systems thinking – “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” 

The initiative was the topic of the Fall Women’s Leadership Forum held Sept. 20. The forum was moderated by Dr. Susan Madsen, founder and director of the Utah Women’s Leadership Project, and the Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership at Utah State University. Guest panelists included Nubia Peña, senior advisor of Equity & Opportunity for the Governor’s Office and director of the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs, and Jennifer Smith, executive vice president and Chief Technology and Operations Officer for Zions Bancorporation.  

“In Utah, we’ve been working on related efforts for too long using the ‘parts’ strategy,” said Dr. Madsen. “We need to shift and move together as a system. If we are serious about ensuring that Utah women and girls thrive, we need to create change by 2030, with a check point in 2026.”

The initiative includes 18 areas of focus:

Peña said the Governor’s Office is fully committed to making Utah a place where everyone thrives. A BWF will “take collective movement, traction, engagement and collaboration because it is not just one organization that can lift the solutions.”

The Utah Women & Leadership Project is the backbone organization that has created the initiative and convened leaders, partners, affiliates, and volunteers. Zions Bank and Bankcorporation and the Cox-Henderson Administration are key partners in BWF. Dr. Madsen said hundreds, if not thousands or organizations will need to come onboard for a BWF to work. 

Smith said this movement is personal for those becoming engaged in a BWF. “We look around and feel disappointed when a woman’s voice may not be in the room, or represented enough in the halls of congress or other places. A BWF is a call to action to make our communities stronger. Our community, our state, and our nation need us to stand up and participate and change outcomes. We are at a pivotal point in history where we can make a difference.”

Dr. Madsen said the lack of equity for women in Utah is not acceptable and she will do everything possible to make “this culture and this state a better place for my two granddaughters.” 

To learn more about a BWF visit abolderwayforward.org. To view the entire forum, click on the YouTube link below. 

You can also find more recordings of our past events on our website.