Herriman Journal | August 2023

HERRIMAN WOMAN HELPS SAVE THE WORLD ONE PROJECT AT A TIME

By Elisa Eames | e.eames@mycityjournals.com

When Herriman officials need something done, there’s always one name that rises to the top of the shortlist: Herriman resident Bethany Zeyer. She is the go-to person for many Herriman organizations, including the police department. As she has spent over a decade serving the Herriman community in various capacities, it is clear that Zeyer has a way of recognizing and filling overlooked needs. An import from Wyoming, she and her husband settled in Herriman almost 20 years ago.

The mother of four began her extensive community service in 2010 when she was asked to volunteer as the emergency preparedness specialist for her local church congregation. Much of her time was spent working with Herriman City, and she became the area coordinator for the city’s Community Emergency Response Training program. She and her team were among the first volunteers to help with the Machine Gun Fire that burned three homes amid the hills south of Herriman in 2010.

“I sat at a command center on and off for an entire week coordinating volunteers or doing whatever they needed,” she explained. And as part of efforts to prevent winter mudslides, she and her team also helped to reseed the hills and

coordinate additional community volunteers.

Later, these experiences inspired her to organize a reunification drill in 2012 for families of Herriman’s Silver Crest Elementary, where her own children were students. She worked closely with Jordan School District and local police and fire departments to make the drill a reality. Children were bussed to Herriman High—the actual off-campus evacuation site for Silver Crest—and parents experienced what it would really be like if the elementary school were to be evacuated. Zeyer proudly noted that Silver Crest was the first school in the area to hold a reunification drill; she was also instrumental in assembling safety kits for all Silver Crest classrooms that year.

“I had a passion for it because no one else was going to do these things, so I needed to,” she said simply.

Towards the end of 2012, she stepped forward again, serving as the president-elect of the PTA for Silver Crest and becoming its president the following year.

Continued page 4

Bethany Zeyer shows off her Herriman crossing guard uniform. (Zeyer Family)

“When I went to my first PTA meeting and saw that no one had signed up as president, I was like, ‘I can do that.’ I love finding a need and filling it, and that’s how all of my adventures in Herriman have begun,” she said, chuckling.

During her PTA tenure, she moved away from the world of emergency management in 2013 when former Herriman Mayor Carmen Freeman was so impressed by her work as a volunteer that he asked her to be his campaign manager—despite the fact that she knew nothing about campaigns. Not one to let a lack of knowledge or experience stand in her way, Zeyer rolled up her sleeves and did her own research. On election night, shortly after she and Freeman received the news that he had won, she was whisked into her next adventure when the then-police chief asked her to be a crossing guard for the city.

She was quickly hired by the Unified Police Department and began as a substitute crossing guard. She was later assigned to Silver Crest as a permanent crossing guard, and when Herriman split from the UPD in 2018, she became the crossing guard coordinator for the new Herriman Police Department. Though she doesn’t carry traditional police tools, Zeyer has a badge and a police officer’s uniform because she has the authority to act on behalf of the HPD when she goes to a crossing.

Despite its limited size, Herriman is unique in its large number of elementary schools—10 schools create 43 crossing locations. Always concerned about child safety, Zeyer reminds everyone to drive carefully.

“Change starts with you,” she said and added gratefully, “The kids in Herriman are so kind and polite and are always saying thank you to the crossing guards.”

Though it isn’t considered part of her job, one of her favorite responsibilities is giving tours of the police department.

Jou r nals

HERRIMAN TEAM

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“They just asked me to because I love people so much.” she said with a laugh.

In addition, coordinators for community events, such as parades, the Herriman Rodeo, Herriman Towne Days, the Herriman Howl and the Christmas Night of Lights, regularly call upon the crossing guards to assist, and Zeyer loves to help direct parking and facilitate crossings at parade intersections.

“It’s so much fun interacting with the public. We just see a need and fill it.” she said excitedly. During upcoming Herriman events, look for Zeyer and her team with their yellow vests and say hello.

Constantly juggling multiple balls at once, Zeyer currently serves as the administrative assistant for the Citizen Advisory Board, which gives advice to the HPD police chief. Residents who sit on this board review situations in which police used force and then offer their perspectives on what transpired. Zeyer handles all the logistics. She is likewise on the Traverse Mountain Communication Council for the Utah area president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, helping with public affairs in the areas of government, military, prisons and school districts. While creating relationships with individuals in those sectors, she also works with the nonprofit Silicon Slopes and assists with the annual One Million Meals project; last year, she and other volunteers packaged over one million macaroni and cheese meals to donate to food banks.

Yet another ball that Zeyer keeps airborne is facilitating logistics for the South Valley Interfaith Council, which is comprised of local mayors and pastors from many different churches. The newly created board discusses community needs and collaborates to address them.

“I love working with the leaders of so many congregations. There is such power in interfaith collaboration!” she enthused. Meeting the needs of her communi-

ty has given her many unexpected experiences, but what she absolutely loves the most is the people she has served and worked with. “Someday maybe I’ll grow up and figure out what I’m going to do,” she joked. “Or maybe this is my calling in life—to float wherever the need is.”

One reason Herriman’s close-knit community is so important to her is that she doesn’t have any extended family nearby. “The community is my family. People

are my hobby.” Zeyer stated happily.

She’s not sure where the future will take her, but she knows that one way or another, she’ll be helping others.

“I want people to leave better and feel better than before I interacted with them.” She then extended an enthusiastic invitation. “Let's save the world together!” l

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Herriman crossing guard Bethany Zeyer and her family enjoy spending time together. (Zeyer Family)

Principal of the Year excels at largest school in the district

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

What kind of principal is needed to coordinate 43 teachers and 42 support staff members for more than 1,125 K-6, special education and preschool students? The best.

Meredith Doleac, principal of Ridge View Elementary School, the largest school in Jordan School District, was named the district’s 2023 Outstanding Principal of the Year because of her flexibility, creativity and commitment.

“There's a lot of logistical issues that you have to overcome, but I feel like we've done a really good job of putting in really good structures and systems to manage all of that,” Doleac said. “The school wasn't built to have that many students in the gym area or cafeteria area at one time, so we've had to get creative there. We've still been able to carry on with our assemblies and our monthly activities, we've just had to do it a little bit differently.”

Jordan District Administrator of Schools April Gaydosh said at such a big school, it would be easy for a teacher or student to fall through the cracks, but not with a leader like Doleac.

“I think it's her focus and energy and authenticity that really makes her a great leader,” Gaydosh said. “She's just such a present person. When you're meeting with her, she is present in the moment and you feel like you are the most important person in that space. She's committing that time and energy just to you. And I think that's what we heard over and over when we talked to teachers and parents, was how present and authentic she was in those interactions. She takes time with people and works with them and really listens.”

Brittney Romney, who has a child attending Ridge View Elementary said, “Ms. Doleac has always made time to speak with me about any concerns I have for my child and has been empathetic and helpful as we come up with solutions. Ridge View Elementary is an extremely large school, and Ms. Doleac has created structure and consistency for the students and teachers.”

Doleac turns what could be a problem into a positive experience by realizing that working in such a large school has pushed the staff to work more creatively and collaboratively.

“It makes us, as a staff, have to be creative and it gives us all the more purpose and reason to be collaborative and work together,” she said. “Because you can't really be selfish in those situations, you have to think about what's going to be best—obviously, always what's best for the students, but just what's going to be best for the school as a whole to make it run smoothly and efficiently so that we can do our jobs.”

Music teacher Kristen Helton said Doleac is an effective leader. “She is a visionary,” Helton said. “She encourages our staff to be pioneers and lead as a model school. Everything we invest in at Ridge View is centered around her expectation that we provide our students

with the best educational experience. I believe the school culture is impacted greatly by her leadership. When people enter our school, they are welcomed. I watch as she works hard to remember each child's name. She is kind in all of her interactions with students, even when the talk might be about improving behavior.”

Romney has worked with Doleac as a parent and as a professional and has been impressed by how involved she is with the students.

“It’s not uncommon to see her out and about in the school and popping into classrooms or out on the playground,” Romney said. “She is such an example of professionalism in the way she interacts with students and parents. She stays calm with students, even when chaotic situations erupt.”

Gaydosh said Doleac’s responses to situations are characteristic of a great leader.

“I've seen her in stressful or high stakes situations where she's been very steady and consistent and able to calm situations because of just her presence,” Gaydosh said.

Alicia Rasmussen, an instructional coach at the school, was one of the teachers who followed Doleac from another elementary school when she was appointed principal at Ridge View Elementary when it opened in 2019.

She said Doleac, as a person, is a good friend and leader because of her kindness, patience, compassion and ability to have fun, and that she is a good principal because of her focus on the students.

“Everything she does at school is about what's best for the students,” Rasmussen said. “She sets high but attainable expectations for the students because she sees greatness in them. She enjoys visiting classrooms and celebrating the good things the teachers and kids are doing. When students have done some-

thing great, they'll get a high-five and a huge smile from her. She makes many good news phone calls home when she has seen students doing positive things around the school. Conversely, when students are having a hard day, she will sit on the floor with them and listen. She is an advocate for the kids and takes quick action when necessary to ensure they feel safe and welcome. Meredith makes being a principal look easy—and she does it all in heels!”

Doleac exemplifies a calm, happy and positive mindset, said Rasmussen. “She is slow to react and make judgments,” she said. “She is fair and incredibly intentional in every decision she makes.”

Doleac created a BEST team to establish interventions for students, school-wide positive behavior systems, a wellness center and calming kits in every classroom.

“By focusing on positive behaviors and habits, negative ones are not being fueled to grow larger,” Rasmussen said. “The positive behaviors, attitudes and adjustments are being praised, therefore, the students put more energy into improving themselves and contributing positively to the classroom and school culture.”

Doleac has also implemented SIOP protocols and instructional priorities to help teachers meet the language and academic needs of about 200 students whose first spoken language is not English.

Gaydosh said all schools have access to the same strategies, but Doleac stands out because of her implementation of the strategies that has led to measured academic growth.

“She's very hands-on and involved, working with teachers and prioritizing that in her building because she sees that as a big need,” she said. “She saw a need and then prioritized some resources to help address the need in a very systematic way. That's another hallmark

of a great leader, being able to see a need and then address the need. And it’s a good way to see some results.”

Doleac is also invested in her staff’s personal growth, so she prioritizes professional development opportunities. She has ensured that teachers have teaching resources, books, games, activities, training and translating devices to improve their multilingual students’ access to instruction.

“Teachers are dedicated and motivated to help all of their students learn, whether they speak English or another language,” Rasmussen said. “They feel more confident in this area because of the resources and support that Meredith has made accessible to them. The biggest celebrations, obviously, are the achievements our multilingual students are making in their English reading, speaking, writing and listening abilities and scores. As these improve, their access to core content is growing, and their confidence in being a member of our community is increasing.”

Doleac loves being a principal, especially the day-to-day interaction with the students.

“Honestly, there are really, really hard days—our jobs are very difficult—but you can be having the toughest day ever and a student will come up to you and say just the right thing or they'll come and give you a hug or a highfive,” she said.

Her focus on relationships is at the center of Ridge View Elementary’s school culture.

“I'm very much a relationship/people type of person, that's how I operate,” she said. “And so I am just very proud of the culture that we've built among teachers, among students and with parents and families, because I feel like that really sets the foundation for everything. And if you have a positive culture, that's what has enabled us to effectively deal with the growth and the large enrollment that we have.”

Because of its location in Herriman, Ridge View Elementary’s student body will continue to grow. Last year, the school used 13 portable classrooms. Three more will be added this year to deal with the increased number of students. There is a more permanent solution in the works.

Jordan District is building a flex school right next to the current school building. When it opens for the 2024-25 school year, the student body will be split, with younger grades housed in one building and older grades in the other.

No decisions have been made about administrators for the two schools, but some teachers have already expressed a preference to remain with Doleac.

“I would follow her to the ends of the earth to be a part of her team,” Helton said. “She makes me, as a teacher, feel valued, important and sets me up to be successful.” l

Members of the Jordan Education Foundation and family members celebrate Meredith Doleac being named the 2023 Outstanding Principal of the Year. (Photo courtesy of Meredith Doleac)

100 Companies Championing Women recognizes equitable policies and practices

In April, the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity announced it had reached its goal of designating 100 Companies Championing Women, recognizing businesses in Utah with women-specific policies and practices that allow women to advance as leaders in their fields.

“These individuals and businesses represent the very best Utah has to offer,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, in a media release announcing the 100 companies. “They work tirelessly and continually step up to meet new challenges, and the results make our state a thriving place for women to do business.”

Whether it’s providing flexible schedules, part-time benefits, pay equity, leadership programs, child care support or family leave, these companies have forged a new direction in how women are hired, trained and supported in the workplace.

Salsa Queen in West Valley City (2550 Decker Lake Blvd.) was one business selected in the 100 Companies Championing Women. Maharba Zapata, who has legally changed her name to SalsaQueen, was a single mother, a talented chef and the mother of

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

seven children when she decided to turn her hobby into a career.

Her boyfriend, and now husband, Jim Birch, encouraged her to sell her delicious salsa as a way to bring in some extra income. It turned into a career Zapata never expected and her salsa can be found in grocery stores across the country. Now, she’s made it her mission to help women step into their roles as leaders.

“In our company, we want to promote the same way that Jim did for me. He believed in me, he gave me some wings to fly,” Zapata said. “Unfortunately, we don’t all have the same opportunity to have somebody that believes in us and because somebody believed in me, I want to give back to everybody else. They have that power within themselves, they just don’t know.”

Salsa Queen’s female employees are encouraged to take leadership positions, even when it’s uncomfortable. Zapata hopes to change the mindset that women are less important or less valuable than men in the workplace, and she has that discussion with the women themselves.

“I don’t know what it has to do with

being a woman but it’s almost in our genes to be doubtful and self conscious and put ourselves down and think we’re not good enough,” Zapata said. “I didn’t have a career, I didn’t have job experience, I didn’t even finish high school and I was able to become successful. I want to empower a woman to feel that same way and to be able to shine.”

Clearfield City was one of only two municipalities listed in the 100 Companies Championing Women. Along with St. George City, Clearfield was recognized for its flexible leave benefits, family-friendly schedules and women’s pay equality.

More than 170 women are employed at the city with two dozen in supervisory or management positions. Several women in the city have been invited by their supervisors to attend Clearfield’s leadership academy and tuition reimbursement is available to help women cover education costs.

After the city conducted a compensation study to ensure equitable pay based on position, not gender, city leaders implemented policies that were more family-friendly and flexible.

“We wanted to make sure women in the

workplace were taken care of and earning what they should,” said Clearfield Mayor Mark Shepherd. “Our council’s goal is to have a highly trained and motivated workforce, and that means all of them. It means doing what we can do to ensure that happens.”

Other businesses recognized as one of the 100 Companies Championing Women include Instructure (Cottonwood Heights), Booksmarts (Kaysville), CHG Healthcare (Midvale) and AVIVA (Millcreek).

With on-site child care, female representation in leadership positions, flexible schedules and generous family leave, the 100 Companies Championing Women set the stage for growth and equity. For a complete list of businesses, visit inutah.org/100-companies.

“Times are changing where women are becoming more powerful and more independent,” Zapata said. “For me, it’s about giving women a voice to create their own happiness, their own ending story, their own success.”l

The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity recognized 100 Utah businesses that provide flexible schedules, pay equity and leadership opportunities to help advance women. A list of the 100 Companies Championing Women can be found at inutah.org/100-companies. (Stock photo)

Inspire in Utah 2023

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Alternative Healing Utah ahuwellness.com

ARUP Laboratories www.aruplab.com

Aviva Wo/man avivawoman.com

Ballet West Academy www.academy.balletwest.org

Better Business Bureau www.bbb.org/us/ut/salt-lake-city

Beehive Meals beehivemeals.com

Big Leap www.bigleap.com

Booksmarts www.booksmartspro.com

Brandless brandless.com

Canopy www.getcanopy.com

CashMan cmatm.com

Caspa www.capsa.org

Catalyst Campus catalystcampus.org

Chatbooks chatbooks.com

CHG Healthcare chghealthcare.com

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Clearfield City clearfield.city

Clozd www.clozd.com

Clyde Companies www.clydeinc.com

Comma www.teamcomma.com

Cotopaxi www.cotopaxi.com

Digicert www.digicert.com

Digital Respons-ability respons-ability.net

Dogtown Pet Spa dogtownpetspa.com

Dominion Energy www.dominionenergy.com/utah

doTerra www.doterra.com/US/en

Dyno Nobel www.dynonobel.com

EDCUtah www.edcutah.org

El's Pampered Paws www.elspamperedpaws.com

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ETHIK ethik.com

Extra Space Storage www.extraspace.com

GMRE gmre-inc.com

go1 www.go1.com

Goldman Sachs www.goldmansachs.com

GPS www.gpsfx.com

HealthCatalyst www.healthcatalyst.com

Hickman Land Title Co. hickmantitle.com

iHeart Media www.iheartmedia.com

Instructure www.instructure.com

Intermountain Health intermountainhealthcare.org

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Kinect Capital kinectcapital.org

Known Medicine www.knownmed.com

LedgerGurus ledgergurus.com

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Merit Medical www.merit.com

Morgan Stanley www.morganstanley.com

Motherly www.mother.ly

Moxielaw moxielawgroup.com

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97th Floor www.97thfloor.com

Northroup Gruman www.northropgrumman.com

NuSkin www.nuskin.com/us/en

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Park City lodging www.parkcitylodging.com

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Reset your Nest www.resetyournest.com

RevRoad www.revroad.com

Rocky Mountain Power www.rockymountainpower.net

RUMOR www.rumoradvertising.com/#brand-strategy

SALSA QUEEN www.salsaqueen.com

SAN Fransisco House www.ebay.com/str/sanfranciscohouse

Sew Sweet MINKY sewsweetminkydesigns.com

Shipley Associates www.shipleywins.com

Silverster & Company silvesco.com

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Spectrum Recruting Solutions spectrumrecruitingsolutions.com

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Tech-moms www.tech-moms.org

The Larry H. Miller Company www.lhm.com

The Peoples Health Clinic peopleshealthclinic.org

Thread www.threadwallets.com

Uammi www.uammi.org

USANA /www.usana.com/ux/dotcom/enu-US/home

Utah Association of Realators utahrealtors.com

UVU www.uvu.edu

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Wander wandermaps.com

Wasatch Regional Council wfrc.org

Weave www.getweave.com

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Wilson Electronics www.wilsonelectronics.com

Womens Leadership Institute wliut.com

Women Tech Council www.womentechcouncil.com

World Trade Center Utah www.wtcutah.com

Zions Bank www.zionsbank.com

Dr. Angela Dunn still serves the public, just not so publically

By Ella Joy Olsen | e.olsen@mycityjournals.com

Her job is still to protect the public, but her role these days is a little more Clark Kent than Superman, and that’s just how she likes it.

She’s Dr. Angela Dunn, former Utah State Epidemiologist, and the face many still associate with the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Even now when I meet new people they’ll say something like, ‘I feel like I should get your autograph,’ and that’s always a little unsettling to me,” Dunn says, indicating that public servants don’t serve for celebrity status, either positive or negative. “Heck, I dyed my hair blonde so I wouldn’t be as recognizable, but the hair thing is too much work, so I’m going back to brunette.”

Still, she feels a little bad about being associated with a public health crisis, with the years that were quite possibly some of the hardest ever encountered by our country, our state and the community-at-large.

The role of State Epidemiologist is, by nature, an outwardly focused one. Dunn’s duty was to share directly with the public emerging and science-based suggestions for containing any public health crisis. She just happened to get a global pandemic. She, and other health officials countrywide, worked against a political movement that belittled scientific expertise. This drew controversy from local detractors who circulated her address on social media and gathered in front of her home to protest.

“It was scary and wrong that someone would feel comfortable sharing my personal information,” Dunn told the Salt Lake Tribune in late 2020. “That people would think it is OK to harass civil servants.”

About that time she realized the controversy had diminished her ability to be perceived as a neutral figure, so in 2021 when the county’s executive health director, Gary Edwards, announced his retirement, and Dunn had the opportunity to move into a less visible role, she took off the cape, so to speak.

Still a superhero

She’s now two years into her position as the Executive and Medical Director of the Salt Lake County Health Department, one of the largest local health departments in the nation, serving nearly 1.3 million residents. This new role is significantly different in that she is more behind- the-scenes, ensuring that the “best 500 public health practitioners,” those involved on the frontlines, have the resources to protect and improve the well-being of all county residents. She problem-solves in a team environment, doing big picture planning for the future of public health.

Services provided under the umbrella of the County Health Department are vast and seemingly jack-of-all-trades, ranging from expected things like screenings and immunizations, to more obscure services like: noise pollution, noxious weed control, tobacco prevention, bee inspection and water quality.

Or according to the department website,

“Every day we immunize children, inspect restaurants, keep tobacco out of the hands of minors, encourage physical activity, teach proper nutrition, protect our water and air, and provide culturally appropriate services to a multitude of disparate populations.”

Dunn believes that, “these different divisions fit well together because, when combined, they touch the health, lives and livelihoods of every single person.”

Casting a community-focused web

Dunn’s first year in her new role was focused on adjusting to the aftermath of the pandemic, on helping staff to process the complex emotions after the adrenaline rush and heartbreak.

She now hopes to apply the lessons learned from those tumultuous years. She is working toward a change in perspective. Rather than applying top-down health objectives to all communities, health workers are now being strategically placed to reflect the unique communities they serve. They will be in a position to communicate with local trusted leaders, with the intent of proceeding from people toward policy (rather than the other way around). The goal is to ask about specific community-focused priorities and needs, then address those needs, then focus on health literacy so the information and services provided will be easily understood and used.

The hope is to build back trust lost during the pandemic, to be engaged with communities over the long term, to be in a positon to let people know why and how recommendations come about and may change, and to innovate and move faster when confronted with another health crisis.

Hero’s journey

Dunn was born in Texas. Her father was in the oil business and his job moved the family from state to state, so by the time she was 7, Dunn had lived in nine different houses. She learned to adapt to change, a trait she still uses in her profession.

Dunn received her medical degree from the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, and completed her residency training in general preventive medicine and public health at the University of California San Diego. She also holds a Master of Public Health from San Diego State University and a B.A. in international relations from Brown University.

After her education she served as an epidemic intelligence service officer for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she responded to the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone. In 2014, she accepted an epidemiologist assignment with the Utah Department of Health and she became the state epidemiologist just four years later.

Along with her executive director position at the county, she’s currently the president of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, or CSTE, which held their annual

conference in SLC in June. Unmasking the superhero Dunn’s perfect day would start with an unhurried, unstructured morning of breakfast, reading and cuddling with her sons, ages 11 and 6. She loves trail running, so she might get a little exercise someplace like City Creek, on a trial with a bit of elevation and a perfect combination of shade, sun and views. She loves that she can access mountain trails from her back door, something she realizes is not found in many cities.

If she had a bit of extra free time during the day, she might listen to an audio book to allow for multitasking. Her favorites are not medical thrillers (because she sometimes feels like she’s lived it) but spy or crime novels. Or she wouldn’t mind watching a show. Dunn’s Covid-19 binge series was “Homeland,” which she enjoyed because the main character’s job

woes felt even more daunting than her own. For dinner she’d go to HSL, where she loves the food and the décor. She’d choose one of the groovy high-backed booths for an easy, private conversation with friends and/or family.

These days Dunn no longer wears a mask at the farmer’s market, on a plane, or while attending the theater. She’s a hugger and is happy to get back to that norm. What she loves is that at this stage we have a better understanding of Covid-19 and tools to fight it. Individuals, knowing their prior conditions, risk factors and vaccination status, can take the proper precautions. We can mask or unmask, and she says, “Isn’t it refreshing that masks can now occupy a more politically neutral space?” l

Dr. Angela Dunn and her son represent the Salt Lake County Health Department at Pride. (Photo Angela Dunn)

What is your name and position with the company?

Jacob Hu — Owner / Operator

How long have you been with the company and what quali cations do you have?

I originated the company in June of 2020, just as the onset of COVID-19 was really getting hot. For years before this I studied wood characteristics coupled with bat design. Having an engineering background, my brother and I started toying with the idea of making a wood bat, not that we ever thought anything would come of it, rather just having fun.

Soon after our rst hand made bat was completed, we grew more curious as to what it would take to make a bat like professional bat companies, and a bat professional players would use. There was so much to learn and innovation still is on the forefront of our industry and our mindset here at American Batsmith. Since the company’s inception, we have made many bats for many players both outside and inside MLB.

How long has your business been in business?

We have been in business for 3 years, going on 4 years. Owning your own business has been quite the ride. Having never run my own company before, learning the business side of the business and the (BAT SIDE) of the business made for some busy years and even now, busy days.

What products and services do you o er?

We o er a full spectrum of Wood bats, from Trophy, amateur, to pros. We also o er a line of Hickory bats and are working step by step on our own composite wood bat.

What sets your company apart from your competitors?

American Batsmith buys the same wood as many market share

bigger bat companies get their raw material. The wood had minimal blemishes and is graded for MLB use. What set us apart is our own style of stains, top coats, and our compression of the wood barrels giving us award winning surface rigidity to our bats. Does your business solve a problem for your customers?

Many players in baseball are very superstitious. We work to provide a bat that feels like an extension of your hands, giving the player the most con dence and comfort. This in turn places the player in a more achievable hitting atmosphere to promote hitting success.

Who is your ideal client/customer?

Honestly our ideal customer is everyone, we sell to the public and to anyone who wishes to have our product.

How do potential clients choose between you and a competitor?

Generally, I believe it comes down to three components that players usually look at. 1st is the look os the bat, the colors and topcoat. 2nd is the feel of the bat in your hands, the balance, thickness, length, and geometry. 3rd which is the most

important and that gets often overlooked is the quality of wood. Wood quality should be your rst priority in considering any game ready bat. So these three items are typically how players would choose a manufacturer that works for them.

What is your best advice for someone who is considering doing business with you?

Let’s be creative, we love creativity in this realm or market. Be patient also, as some custom cuts and paint need time to create and top coats to cure properly.

What is your favorite product/service your company o ers?

My favorite product we o er is our compressed Birch bats we produce. I feel Birch is a better baseball bat wood than Maple in longer term durability. Seeing how there is no minimum density requirement for Birch within the MLB statutes that we follow, we can be more creative with geometries.

Are you currently running any special or hosting any upcoming events?

We are currently not running any specials or have any events. We typically set up a pop up store at tournaments every year, however we have been so busy those opportunities have been foregone due to workload.

Where can customers nd you?

We can be found at www.americanbatsmith.com or @ americabatsmith on Instagram

If you are a service provider, what is your service area?

We have shipped bats all over the world!

Anything else you’d like our readers to know about your business? Buy local!

Nourishing her community, one lasagna at a time

Every week for the past two years, Deea Hobbs has taken hours to shop and cook lasagna from scratch.

She has perfected her original recipe and often, generously bakes homemade bread and chocolate chip cookies to the meal.

Then, she drops off the dinner to a stranger.

It’s called Lasagna Love.

While Hobbs didn’t come up with the concept to provide this meal service to people, she may have mastered it.

The founder is Rhiannon Menn, who, concerned about food insecurity in her Hawaiian community in 2020, started cooking and delivering homemade dishes to those in need. To her surprise, that snowballed; when others heard of her generosity, they asked if they could cook and deliver hot meals.

Those acts of kindness became a nonprofit, which has turned into a global phenomenon of people reaching out, serving each other. Now, more than 350,000 lasagnas have been served to more than 1.5 million people by more than 45,000 volunteers worldwide, according to the Lasagna Love website.

Hobbs, a Sandy realtor, learned about Lasagna Love from one of her clients, who also provides lasagna on a regular basis.

“It was COVID, and we stopped going to church, so I really missed connecting with people through service,” she said. “When one of my clients posted about it on Instagram, I thought that’s exactly what I need. It’s perfect for me. So, I signed up and started volunteering.”

And recruiting. Hobbs’ sister, in Jacksonville, Florida, and her niece, who lives in Oklahoma, also are part of the Lasagna Love team.

“I’m kind of obsessed with it. I’m always recruiting more people, finding new volunteers, and more people who need the lasagna. I’m now the local leader or the Lasagna Love boss for 10 counties in Utah,” she said.

Hobbs has encouraged people to pledge to spread the word. As a grassroots effort, “Lasagna Love weaves kindness into communities by simple acts of love and from one human to another,” Hobbs said.

On a regular basis, she will drive around to community refrigerators — those that sit in someone’s driveway as a spot to donate or for those who are in need, to get food — and put fliers up about how to sign up for Lasagna Love.

“Even though the pandemic is over, people still need food. The need is just not pandemic-related. I’ve delivered lasagna to people in tents, and I’ve delivered lasagna to mansions. There are no questions

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

asked, no judgment. Sometimes you don’t know what their needs are. Sometimes their needs are lasagna — and they have food in their fridge, but they just needed lasagna and that’s OK. Sometimes, people are desperate for food and lasagna is that needed meal and we’re happy to give them that. We don’t ask their situation or need. We’re just here to provide a meal and to serve. All they have to do is sign up and we’ll deliver them a lasagna,” Hobbs said.

Her fliers have a QR code so people can scan it or they can go to the website, www.lasagnalove.org/request/ and sign up or sign up someone else. By filling out a simple online form, available in English and Spanish, with name, address, phone number, number of adults and children, allergies, an option to share about themselves and agree to consent, it starts the process of pairing the requestee with a volunteer chef.

Hobbs has posted about Lasagna Love on Facebook groups and provided food pantries and service organizations cards about the meals. She’s reached out to families who have babies in the neonatal intensive care units or long-term facilities and to those who provide foster care. She has included cards when dropping off Toys for Tots donations during the holidays.

She has given the opportunity to help serve the community to others, including teaming up with a local Girl Scout troop to make lasagna this month.

“I love offering this as a source, one people can use, but also one for others to use as they serve. I love connecting with other nonprofits,” Hobbs said.

Her 30 volunteers — some working professionals, some retired — set their own schedules. Some may provide lasagna a couple times per week, others, monthly. They may only be able to drive within a 5-mile radius or they may be willing to drive 50 miles. If she doesn’t have someone in a remote area who requested it, she will reach out to churches, social and service organizations to ask for someone to volunteer. Some volunteers may be willing to bake a vegetarian or special order lasagna while others stick to traditional recipes.

“I’ve had people who sign up for lasagna and they live in the middle of nowhere, but they’re thinking it’s not going to happen. But it does; we really try,” she said. “It helps them, and I love how this has changed our volunteers. It has impacted me. It’s inspiring to help people. It’s a ‘pay it forward’ thing. It’s uplifting.”

Knowing her volunteers’ perimeters, Hobbs helps create weekly assignments to fill about 100 requests monthly in her region.

“It isn’t a big deal because it’s what

I love. It’s the easiest volunteer gig if you like to cook and you can adjust your budget because it is all self-run. Nobody is giving me money to buy groceries for lasagna; it’s just something I do. It fills the need for people who need lasagna and fills my need to serve people,” Hobbs said.

Volunteers generally reach out to those who request the lasagna within 24 hours to arrange a day and time for the delivery.

“We’ll ask, ‘Will somebody be available at that time to collect the lasagna?’ It’s contactless for the most part. But sometimes, people will come out when I arrive and they may be crying, hugging me, giving me cards. Or they’ll respond saying, ‘It’s the best lasagna I’ve ever had,’ or ‘I haven’t had a hot meal in a week.’ That is very sweet, but it’s not expected,” she said. “Sometimes, there will be people who I

don’t meet, and I never hear from them again and that’s totally fine too. I’m not doing this for someone to show me gratitude. I’m just doing this because I want people to know that they’re not alone. That is a message that I want to give them. I want people to know the world doesn’t suck. Maybe it will ease the burden for just one night and let them know somebody cares.”

Hobbs feels most at home in a kitchen.

“My kitchen has always been a safe place for me. It’s my favorite place. As a kid, I would get my mom’s cookbooks out and pour over them to find a recipe with ingredients we already had, and I would cook,” she said.

Hobbs said it stemmed from her upbringing.

“I was raised in Indiana by a single mom who worked multiple jobs to make

A Sandy woman, Deea Hobbs, has perfected her lasagna recipe while making dinner for people who sign up for the meal. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Spa Trouvé provides services and opportunities for women

Walk into any of the six Spa Trouvé locations in Utah and you’ll know you’re not in a traditional salon. With glow signs, fuchsia chairs, leopard rugs and recessed neon lighting, the brand is loud, proud and founded on the owner’s passion for beauty and science.

Courtney Anderson opened her first Spa Trouvé in Orem in 2011, and 12 years later she’s built an award-winning medical services spa empire with additional locations in Draper, Bountiful, St. George, Saratoga Springs and Highland.

The BYU graduate, podcast host and business mentor is a motivated and driven leader with an infectious personality who kind of fell into the medical spa business.

“I had always loved the beauty industry, but I'd also gone to BYU and I had a science degree,” Anderson said. “I liked that [a med spa] combined both worlds. We have the science behind the treatments along with the beauty aspect. So it wasn't just hair and nails and pampering but it was progressive.”

One of her biggest challenges is the constant transition of employees. Her spa technicians are usually women between the ages of 18 and 25 and often leave when they get married or have children. She encourages her employees to retain their skills and certifications, and even work part time in order to stay connected to the industry.

She also encourages her employees to have the conversation with their partners about working out of the home. Anderson offers flexible schedules to allow women the opportunity to use their skills, make some money, and have time out of the home after they become mothers.

“My true belief is that all women should have a part-time job, even if it's very part-time, just so they have an outlet and a

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

safe place. Being at home…can be very daunting and mentally challenging,” Anderson said. “I think a lot more women could have a dream…if they had more of that support from their husbands. I do believe women are really, really great at supporting their husbands in general…but I think it can be a little bit more challenging to have men flip their mindset.”

As an elite provider of medical spa services, Spa Trouvé offers skincare treatments, including Botox, microneedling and chemical peels. The spa also does CoolSculpting, laser hair removal and other high-end services.

Anderson is grateful to Comcast Business for supporting her entrepreneurial journey. She said Comcast representative Derek Birch has been a responsive and excellent partner as she created an effective communication system that helped unify her six locations, which includes a 500mbps Comcast Business Internet connection, Comcast Business VoiceEdge and Select solutions. The technology from Comcast Business helps her manage operations at her training facility, as well as her office and front desk areas.

"We are incredibly proud to have played a significant role in Courtney’s inspiring entrepreneurial journey,” Birch said. “Her unwavering dedication to excellence has culminated in the successful establishment of Spa Trouvé across six locations in Utah.

“As a company that values innovation and customer satisfaction, we were honored to provide the necessary communications equipment and services that fueled her business growth.”

Described as the “Nordstrom of medical spas” by Anderson and her clients, Spa Trouvé is a woman-owned business success story in Utah and a leading example for medical spas

around the country. Trouvé means “to find” and the spa’s tagline “Find your glow” reminds women they deserve to be pampered, beautiful and radiant.

“I think something that really helps us stand out is we just aren't that waterfall, muted, typical spa,” Anderson said. “We are a prominent med spa in the state. We employ over 100 women and three LGBTQ men…You will remember Spa Trouvé when you walk in. It’s just very vibrant.”

To find out more about Spa Trouvé, visit spatrouve.com. For information about Comcast Business visit business.comcast.com. l

ends meet, but she always made sure that we were fed with good, homemade food. She inspired me to cook, but I also come from a long line of people who shared food and cooked. My mom would have every flat surface covered in trays of cookies to give to everyone. Every Valentine’s Day, she’d make the whole town heart-shaped cookies. We were at my grandma’s house for Sunday dinner with all my aunts, uncles, cousins — 30 of us, every single Sunday, and if somebody was new at church or was in need, they were invited to come over too. My mom, even though she didn’t have a lot of resources, she fed people. She credits God for everything, but that was her mission. She still does it and she’s 78. It’s a powerful lesson,” she said.

Now, Hobbs is sharing that same gift.

“Food is comfort and people need comfort and connection. I always felt safe when I had a warm, homemade meal that my mother prepared, and I want people to have that same feeling. I like to help people, and this is

a great way to do it,” she said. “It helps me as I have a need to help people. It gets me outside of myself and helps me see different perspectives. It helps me be grateful for what I have.”

Some of Hobbs’ volunteers incorporate making lasagna into their work, such as an occupational therapist who prepares a lasagna each week with a patient so that it helps with their motor skills, she said.

Sandy resident Alex Mettler has made 27 deliveries since he joined during the pandemic. He often has his two children help him make the lasagna and they include a note, that lists the ingredients and is signed by each chef.

“Before this, I felt there were other things I could do to help the community besides being a teacher,” he said. “When a friend told me about this, I knew it was something I could easily do since

I like to cook and it’s on my own time so I can make it work with my teaching schedule. I’ve made lasagna now so many times that I don’t look at a recipe and I’ve tweaked it to make it a little better each time.”

Mettler said many of his deliveries are in Midvale by Hillcrest High, where he teaches.

“It makes me feel good that I can help somebody. When they text me or if I see them, they’re just appreciative; it feels good to help. I’ve dropped lasagnas off at motel rooms; when they open the door and I see there’s a family there, I know it must be tough,” he said. “For me, it’s worth it to help. I buy items in bulk from the big bags of cheese from Costco to the 30-pack of foil lasagna pans from Amazon, so it becomes more economical. I tell my students about it at the beginning of the year; cooking is one of my ways to handle stress, so it’s a bit selfish, but I enjoy doing it. “

Hobbs will often deliver lasagnas with her husband.

“He knows the kitchen is my sacred place, but together, we can deliver,” she said.

Often those deliveries result in connections with people.

“I’ve delivered to hotels downtown that serve as overflow for the shelters and I’ve delivered to a lady who was a double amputee and couldn’t get to work. A lot of people are just not able to prepare food at all and live on TV dinners and frozen meals. The people who don’t get hot food are excited and tell me, ‘I haven’t had lasagna for 20 years,’” Hobbs said. “I like connecting with people, but when I hear some of the sad stories, I’m heartbroken for them.”

She takes a day off work each week for Lasagna Love, to make and delivery the lasagnas.

“I have a garden with tomatoes, zucchini and basil plants so I can make fresh homemade sauce for the lasagna,” she said. “I love creating and sharing food.”

To top off the gift of lasagna, Hobbs will create a heart out of pepperoni slices or red peppers on the top of the meal.

“It is Lasagna Love, after all.” l

Courtney Anderson opened her first Spa Trouvé in Orem in 2011, and 12 years later she’s built an award-winning medical services spa empire. (Photo courtesy of Courtney Anderson)

Lasagna, with love, from Deea Hobbs may just be the nourishment several community members need. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Judge Shauna Graves-Robertson encourages all, shares her path toward success

Shauna Graves-Robertson gave her tips for success to participants of the South Valley Chamber Women in Business luncheon in June at the public safety building in South Jordan. Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Robertson was a graduate of West High School. She then went on to earn a degree from Arizona State University before attending the University of Utah for a master’s degree as well as a juris doctorate.

Her professional accolades are many. In 2007, she received the Racial Justice Award from the Young Women’s Christian Association for her dedicated service to the residents of Utah, the Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major Award in 2008, the Social Justice/Civil Rights award in 2013, the Meritorious Service Award from the Ogden branch of the NAACP in 2014 and an honorary doctor of Humane Letters from Salt Lake Community College in 2017.

Graves-Robertson has had a lot of experience, not only on the bench, but in life. The following are the tips she has learned and implemented on her path toward success.

Always be your authentic self

“It doesn’t help to try and be someone that you are not,” Graves-Robertson said.

The only African American female judge ever appointed or elected to serve in Utah, Graves-Robertson was appointed in 1999 and has gone through a general election every six

By Rachel Aubrey | r.aubrey@mycityjournals.com

years since her appointment. She reflected on her career and said that her race has been a factor as she has gone through her path, and that being the only African American judge has had its elements of loneliness.

“Just because something is a factor, you don’t let it bar your determination,” Graves-Robertson said.

Another factor she pointed out with some humor was her height. At just 5 feet, Graves-Robertson admitted that she does not let too much get her down or get in her way.

When she was first appointed, Graves-Robertson worked with four other female justice court judges, or her “peers,” who have since retired. Graves-Robertson is one of 81 Salt Lake County justice court judges who serve in one of 115 counties and municipal courts.

Part of being her authentic self is knowing that people were not always going to agree with her decisions, but trusting in herself to make the fairest decision with all the facts she had at any given time.

Do what you love doing

“If you don’t love doing it, it’s absolute drudgery,” Graves-Robertson said. “We spend so much time at work, you want to make sure your work is something you enjoy.”

During her undergraduate work in Arizona, Graves-Robertson spent a semester in Washington, D.C., where she had the opportunity to work

for Sen. Orrin Hatch, who served as the senator from Utah from 1977 until 2019 and practiced law in Utah until 1969.

It was during that semester that she discovered her unrecognized love of the law. Upon returning home to Utah, she enrolled at the University of Utah and received her juris doctorate in 1990.

Robertson worked as an attorney for approximately five years in the State of Utah public defender’s office. She currently presides over a court of limited jurisdiction which includes cases involving theft, DUIs, simple assaults, graffiti and other class B and class C misdemeanors. Graves-Robertson’s court processes more than 11,000 cases a year, a significant amount according to Draper Mayor Troy Walker.

“She’s fair and she treats people with dignity,” Walker said. “She is a pleasure to practice law in front of.”

That sense of fairness stems from her belief that everybody deserves grace and the benefit of the doubt. Among those 11,000 or more cases a year, there have been many instances where Graves-Robertson was poised to alter the trajectory of someone’s life, however she holds strong that people are good and that they can change, and thus she makes recommendations to a defendant to do better.

“I’m afforded grace every day,” Graves-Robertson said. “We all make mistakes and you want to give people a chance.”

Without fail, however, according to Graves-Robertson, defendants end up back in court. To have so much power over another person, and to be able to decide whether someone will do jail time is something she does not take lightly. A self-proclaimed “copious note taker,” Graves-Robertson keeps track of everything that gets said or done in her courtroom to help her make cautious decisions about how to hand down a verdict.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

“There are people out there that you have

never even thought of, that if you ask them to help you, they are more than willing to do something for you to make sure that you get to where you need to go,” Graves-Robertson said.

Growing up on the west side of Salt Lake City in the Rose Park community, Robertson was raised by a single mother. However, she would be the first to tell you that despite her mother working, Graves-Robertson always felt like she had a place to go and people who cared about her and her family.

“I am a true product of the village,” she said. “If I needed something, I had all [those] people to go to.”

Despite being less than 1% of the population, Graves-Robertson said that there were true African American communities nearby that believed in her and helped bolster her forward along her path even after she left Utah to pursue her education.

At the time of her appointment to the bench, Graves-Robertson had two of her three daughters and she admitted that she had to ask for help from her surrounding community to help her raise her children. It was also at that time her mother came to live with her and her husband John and provided a great deal of help in looking after her kids.

As a long-time member of the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, a service-oriented sorority, Graves-Robertson said that she also had help from her sorority sisters, once again relying on the village to help raise her family.

“You want the village to help,” Graves-Robertson said. “I didn’t want my children raised in a vacuum.”

Graves-Robertson has been a devout member of the Calvary Baptist Church and served with Pastor France A. Davis for more than 43 years, and has leaned on her faith to guide her along her path. The best advice she has been given in her life?

“Be true to your word,” Graves-Robertson said. “Keep your promises.” l

Speaking to attendees at a Women in Business luncheon, Judge Shauna Graves-Robertson shared the philosophies she has implemented within her career as a Salt Lake County justice court judge. (Rachel Aubrey/City Journals)

By Ella Joy Olsen | e.olsen@mycityjournals.com

She may cook sweet, but the gal’s got grit. Tami Steggell is the founder of RubySnap Bakery where daily she bakes and serves up cookies. It is her dream job and may sound like the sweetest gig in the world, but Steggell worked hard, and continues to work hard, to make it so.

Necessary ingredients

Steggell’s father was a Marine, and as such, she grew up all over the world. She calculated that she’d moved 21 times by the time she was 18 years old. At about age 15, her family was living in Saudi Arabia, and she decided to move back to the States for educational opportunities.

She finished high school and went on to get her degree in Architectural Design from BYU. After that, she spent 15 years in the industry. At that time she was an avid cyclist, training all week, and on her one day off she wanted nothing more than something wonderful to eat. She’d think about it all week, because “every edible moment meant something to me,” but invariably the sweets she found would taste like nothing but sugar.

That’s when she started baking for herself, experimenting with seasonal ingredients like beets, rhubarb, cherries, mint and vanilla beans sourced directly from Bali. Her own cookies were “worth her time and calories,” sweettalking her architectural clients with a batch of fresh-baked was a success, and she thought maybe she had created something special.

In 2008, she quit her job, cashed out her IRA and opened the flagship store at 770 S. 300 West, in an area that is becoming the redeveloped and cool Granary District, but back then it was surrounded by industry and empty store fronts. Still, she liked the vibe of the place and it was rent she could afford. With sweat equity, she gutted the building and opened the doors. And the customers came.

Thankfully,

the cookie didn’t crumble

That’s not where the story ends, and things haven’t always been sweet.

At conception, the company was named Dough Girl, a name Steggell had copyrighted, but Pillsbury sued anyway, as the name was a little too close to Dough Boy for their liking. Steggell decided she could be stuck in the courtroom proving she was right, or she could continue her dream journey, baking great cookies. She opted out of a lengthy legal battle and it took her $50,000 to rebrand to RubySnap, but her customers and the community responded and rallied behind her.

By 2018, RubySnap had expanded to five stores, a couple out of state, but Steggell realized with all the expansion, she and her crew had been working harder, not smarter. Her life was unbalanced. It was a hard decision, but RubySnap closed all but their flagship store and pulled out of 165 retail outlets, getting back to their core priorities.

And now we have the Salt Lake “Cookie Wars.” There is fresh cookie competition and it’s getting heated, as Crumbl, Dirty Dough and Crave battle it out in the bakery and in court. RubySnap is out of the legal fray, but when asked about the pop-up cookie shop competition on the South Valley Chamber Podcast, Steggell wasn’t worried, “Competition forces ingenuity, an evaluation of your product and priorities, and the people who win are the consumers.”

Change and innovation keep it fresh for this smart cookie

Steggell has a passion for fresh produce in season. She builds the flavor of her cookies through real ingredients and no preservatives: strawberries in the spring, peaches during harvest, citrus in the winter. She is always experimenting with new flavor palates and wants the seasonal options to taste “pulled from the garden.”

Each day visitors to the store are able to choose from 22 different types of cookie, and the choice isn’t easy. Eighteen are menu/customer staples, two are seasonal specialties, and two are show-off cookies, made with a variety of unusual ingredient combinations. Each cookie is named after one of the “We Can Do It” women of World War II, who Steggell so admires and who are a part of the RubySnap brand.

There’s the Ellie, a gluten-free (you’d never know it) topped with seasonal peaches, created in honor of a former employee with significant dietary restrictions. There’s the Sophia made with passion fruit and hibiscus, the Margo with chocolate cinnamon dough and a

milk chocolate mint center, and the Trudy, an old-fashioned chocolate chip girl. All in all, Steggell says they have developed and baked over 90 different recipes.

For those who don’t live close to the flagship store, frozen dough can be found at Harmons, Lee’s Marketplace and Whole Foods across the state. And for this next holiday season, RubySnap is creating a dry cookie mix for baking and gifting with flavors like eggnog and chocolate peppermint.

Something else to chew on

Steggell is the mom of seven and a new empty-nester. This left her with a tiny crumb of extra time, and because one cannot live on cookies alone, Steggell started Bite Me Industries @bitemeindustries, an Instagram account where she creates one-minute tutorials of what she is cooking in her own kitchen. She films an actual dinner-in-the-making, edits the footage to a bite-sized portion and posts the segment with an ingredient list and instructions.

Her goal is to demystify a meal. Recipes include favorite salad dressings, mains, greens and grains salads, desserts (of course), and other recipes using all things seasonal.

Bite Me Industries started as a hobby and morphed quickly into a monthly cooking segment on KSL Studio 5, and a teaching gig at Orson Gygi.

A cookie to share with the community

Since RubySnap cookies are made fresh with no preservatives, at the end of each day unpurchased product is boxed and frozen for donation. Anyone can request cookies, but the company rule is that a donation must go toward a good cause. Recipients are places like the Ronald McDonald House, Primary Children’s

Hospital, unhoused family shelters, nonprofit preschools and various adult rehab sites. Steggell was told that attendance at several of the rehab sites is higher on the days they deliver, as the cookies provide a sweet reason to show up.

And new this year at Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum, kids can try their hand at working at a pretend RubySnap Bakery in a play kitchen complete with ovens, cookie sheets, and plastic cookies and frosting. RubySnap provided ideas and branding for the kitchen, and dollars toward the project. Annually, Steggell and RubySnap donate more than $165,000 to the community, a big bite for a small company. l

One smart cookie—founder of RubySnap Cookies, Tami Steggell, is committed to her customers and to her community

All sorts of deliciousness in one box. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)

Tami Steggell founder of RubySnap Cookies stands in front of the flagship location in the Granary District on Third West. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)

The flagship RubySnap location in the historic Granary District on Third West. (Ella Joy Olsen/ City Journals)

UTWNG is about building relationships and collaboration

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Palle can name each of the 10 women who got together in 2011 for their first networking meeting. Most of the women worked from home and were starting businesses in fields like real estate, consulting and photography. Their goal was to encourage each other and provide insight into building a successful company.

Now, the Utah Women’s Networking Group, founded by Donna Rudzik, has more than 750 members across the state. It has grown to become one of the most successful networking groups for entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals in Utah. With a focus on collaboration instead of competition, group members are mentors, cheerleaders, counselors and friends to help build women in business.

Palle took over UTWNG after Rudzik stepped away from the group. The mission of building relationships has stayed the top priority over the last 12 years.

“We want to connect people to build valuable relationships that will last beyond business,” she said. “We’ve helped people through deaths, we’ve helped people through births, we've helped people through businesses falling apart or starting businesses. A lot of these women have fought depression and anxiety and all types of mental health issues because they needed to belong somewhere. They know they belong with us.”

The organization’s Facebook page is run by UTWNG ambassadors who engage members on a daily basis, encouraging them to share lessons learned, best practices, hard-won advice and their sense of humor. That daily connection is valuable, especially for women (and men) who run small businesses out of their home.

Facebook page administrators are quick to enforce the no bullying, no politics, no selling and no religion rules to keep the social media platform a safe place for everyone.

“You can go on other groups and everybody's selling, selling, selling and trying to be better,” Palle said. “I don't see our people like that. They’re not trying to be better than someone else, they're just trying to be the best they can be. And there's a huge difference in that.”

Besides building relationships, UTWNG’s second goal is to educate. Whether it’s online training seminars or the annual women’s conference where the organization has awarded more than $125,000 in grant money to female entrepreneurs, members can be involved at any level.

UTWNG members can learn business skills like creating a resume, marketing or understanding best hiring practices. By partnering with other groups like the Women’s Business Center of Utah, the Utah Microloan Fund and local chambers, there is access to a wealth of knowledge.

The popular Coffee Connections that went away during COVID is getting restarted. People gather at a local coffee shop to have a relaxed conversation in an informal setting. It’s a chance for people to connect and share their wisdom.

Angie Gallegos is a UTWNG member and ambassador. She and her husband, Pete, own Utah Scale Center, an independent dealer of industrial weighing equipment. Gallegos joined the group five years ago as a way to create friendships.

“I think at my age, and just kind of being isolated at this small business, my world has gotten small, as far as friendships go,” Gallegos said. “So really, for me, the biggest benefit has been meeting other women that I’ve been able to connect with, on a personal level.”

Although many members are entrepreneurs and owners of cottage industries, there are also members who are part of larger companies looking for support and networking opportunities. And while it’s called a women’s networking group, membership is open to any gender.

For more information, visit utwng.com.

“[UTWNG] brings a level of support and camaraderie,” Gallegos said. “We gain things from one another like our ability to succeed, especially if it’s in a male-dominated field or company. That is a real benefit to networking with other women.” l

The Utah Women’s Networking Group provides opportunities for women in business to support each other, learn about entrepreneurship and create long-lasting relationships. (Photo courtesy of Rick Hepner)

What’s your legacy?

Serving Local Families Since

During one of life’s most difficult moments, you deserve the utmost respect, kindness, care, and guidance. Six generations of Larkins have been devoted to serving Utah families in their time of need, and that unique experience enables us to guide you in preparing services for your loved one with consideration and respect.

Mind the Gap Festival celebrates women’s voices

What better way to celebrate the power of women’s voices than a music festival featuring female musicians? Salt Lake’s inaugural Mind the Gap Fest will be held at The Gateway (18 Rio Grande St.) on Saturday, Aug. 26, with gates open at 11 a.m.

Presented by Salt Lake Community College, Women’s Leadership Institute, Utah Women & Leadership Project, Girls on the Run and more, the festival celebrates women who are pursuing careers in music and entertainment.

The festival features headliners like Beach Bunny, Yaeji, Sales, Orion Sun, Destroy Boys and Jadu Heart in a celebration of Women’s Equality Day. Mind the Gap will help attendees understand gender gaps in equality including income, executive positions, education and political representation.

“We have a really educated workforce of women [in Utah] but they choose to stay home. They get their degree and then don’t do anything with it,” said WLI Director of Communication and Community Patti Cook. “They don't have the opportunity to have remote work. In Utah, 95% of the CEOs in Utah companies are male and so there’s a lot of bias around women and where their place is.”

However, once women step outside the traditional corporate structure, they demonstrate robust entrepreneurial success. With the corporate structure built to support male leadership, women find running their own companies gives them the freedom, opportunity and flexibility to grow as a leader and business owner.

Although this is the first time Mind the Gap has been

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

held in Utah, it’s a national franchise that’s been proven successful for many years. A portion of each ticket sold will benefit a scholarship fund for individuals interested in pursuing a degree in an entertainment related industry.

Tickets can be purchased at MindTheGapFest.com. Use the code WOMENLEAD20 for 20% off.

In conjunction with Mind the Gap Fest, WLI will host an event Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 4-6 p.m. at Kiln (26 S. Rio Grande St. #2072). The event will be an open discussion, moderated by WLI CEO Pat Jones, to identify cultural norms and how they impact women in Utah.

“When we talk to women, they think that they’re the only one having this problem and we want them to know that they’re seen and heard,” Cook said. “It’s not them who needs to be fixed. They’re in spaces that could be more friendly.”

Cook said enhancing women’s voices and giving them a place at the table lifts all aspects of society. Having a diverse selection of voices on boards, commissions, corporate and political leadership and education leads to more inclusive social and economic outcomes.

“We have to prepare women to be able to stand up and negotiate that salary that is on par with their male counterparts, and to not be afraid to do that, and to have the confidence to speak up in meetings,” Cook said. “Confidence is huge. Because so many women have worked in toxic environments, they think if they put their head down and work hard enough, they’ll be promoted, but that is not statistically true.” l

Female musicians headline Salt Lake’s inaugural Mind the Gap fest on Saturday, Aug. 26, a music festival that addresses gender gaps in equality. (Image courtesy of the Women’s Leadership Institute)

SLCC exercise science student Erin Jackson aiming to repeat speedskating gold medal at 2026 Olympics

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Erin Jackson is the first Black American woman to win a winter Olympic gold medal in an individual sport. She claimed the 500-meter speed skating gold at Beijing in 2022.

“It was a lot of shock, disbelief,” she remembered one year later. “It was surreal. I felt a lot of pride; I saw my dad’s face, then my coach, my teammates, those who supported me along the way. This was a group win, for sure.”

Jackson hopes to add another medal at the 2026 Olympics in Italy. Recently, she took one month off to recover from surgery.

“I get that itch to get out and do something. I’m being active by going for long walks and spending time on the bike. I’m taking it step by step,” she said. “I always tell people to take that first step right because if you think about your goals as these big long-term things like wanting to go to the Olympics that seems like an insurmountable goal. But when you just take that first step to what you’re trying to accomplish, then the next step comes a little easier. Then the next thing you’re snowballing into your goals.”

Jackson is an exercise science student at Salt Lake Community College.

At 30, she already has graduated with honors from the University of Florida’s materials science and engineering program and earned an associate degree from SLCC in computer science.

“I’m a naturally very lazy person. If I don’t have enough things to fill my day, I’ll just sit down and watch TV. I feel like keeping a few things on my plate helps me with time management,” she said. “My career goal is biomechanics; I want to work with prosthetics. I know a lot of Paralympians and I’m always asking questions, trying to figure out the ins and outs of their prosthetics and devices.”

Jackson, who was named United States Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Year for Roller Sports in 2012 and 2013, followed a lot of skaters who transition to ice to pursue the Olympics. However, she needed some persuasion.

“I didn’t see that in my future. I always thought I’m happy on my skates, my inlines. I hate being cold. Why would I switch over to the ice? I was focused on getting my degree,” she said, remembering she shifted to ice when she was convinced she “could possibly go to the Olympics.”

With four months of speedskating experience on ice, Jackson qualified for the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang. In 2021, she became the first Black American woman to win the World Cup in the 500 meters. Her Olympic speed skating gold medal is

the first since Chris Witty in 1000 meters in 2002 and the first American woman to win the women’s 500 meters since Bonnie Blair in 1994.

The student-athlete was part of a keynote panel for the post-COVID-19 return of SLCC’s exercise science conference, sharing her insights with fitness instructors, personal trainers, students and other exercise enthusiasts.

“I don’t really like to eat my vegetables, but if I do, I just douse them in ranch,” Jackson told them. “Dr. Jen told me it doesn’t hurt to do that, just because you’re dousing them doesn’t negate the fact that you’re still getting your nutrients.”

Her diet and exercise are monitored by the U.S. speedskating team. Two members SLCC Assistant Professor “Dr. Jen” Day, a certified specialist in sports dietetics, and SLCC Associate Professor Carrie Needham, a doctorate who has worked in exercise science for more than 25 years — joined Jackson, describing how they support Olympic excellence.

Day traveled with the speedskating team and watched Jackson win her gold medal.

“It was a really cool moment,” she said. “I was crying and screaming. It felt Erin just brought the whole world together, and everyone celebrated with her. I’m very grateful to be a part of it. It’s probably one of the top 10 experiences of my whole life.”

Day said her role is to pair sports nutrition with the science of exercise physi-

ology and science of nutrition for the 20to 30-member speed skating team, ages 15 to 36, who not only practice on the ice, but often cross train, biking up Big Cottonwood Canyon in the summer.

“It’s a big difference in fueling needs if they’re out on the bike on a hot day in July compared to doing intervals in a cold, dry environment on ice. There’s a lot of education that goes into teaching them depending on their environment, what kind of training they’re doing, what phase of training there and what their nutrition needs are going to be,” she said.

Day provides healthy diet counseling individually as well as team talks.

“I’m teaching these athletes how to eat a baseline healthy diet,” she said, adding that the team also undergoes regular body composition testing, including girth measurements.

Jackson supports a healthy diet and proper training.

“I wasn’t the best athlete before I joined the skating team,” she said. “I relied mostly on talent so when I came out to Salt Lake City, the coach had all these different ideas about training such as warming up and cooling down. I said that I never warmed up and cooled down. My thoughts around exercise and training changed completely. Now, I’m one of those athletes who always asks a lot of questions. I learn why we’re doing certain things. That’s also why I’m pursuing this degree in exercise science; I feel as a top-level athlete,

it’s important to know the science behind what I’m doing every day. I’ve learned fueling can be one thing that people kind of overlook. When it comes to training and being a top-level athlete, people think that you win in the gym, but refueling is one of the most important things. Your muscles are still working and breaking down after training until you refuel them to repair the muscle fibers.”

Day shops and packs food for the athletes and monitors their supplements.

“It is important for them to have access to food that’s going to support their training and I don’t just willy-nilly get everyone on supplements. We supplement based on need,” she said. “I focus on food first. I’d rather them get their vitamin C from a whole orange because it contains carbohydrates, healthy fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants, right? All of these are perfectly packaged in a little health snack. Where if they take a vitamin C supplement, they’re only getting vitamin C. So, I have a food first approach always.”

By monitoring athletes, she has a better understanding of what is needed.

During the Olympic year, Day noticed Jackson was “getting tired all the time. She needed multiple naps a day. We did some blood work, and it wasn’t surprising to see that her iron levels had tanked.”

With a change of diet and supplements, she was able to increase her level and along with it, Jackson had improved energy.

Salt Lake Community College student and 2022 Olympic 500-meter speed skating gold medalist Erin Jackson shared her story with attendees at the school’s annual exercise science program conference. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Salt Lake Community College student Erin Jackson earned her Olympic gold medal following the nutrition and care of the school’s exercise science program. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

“We have comprehensive labs so we can see all angles of what’s going on and we have a doctor that provides guidance for us,” Day said. “We work a lot with the physiology of exercise, so we understand what the body is going through when it’s stressed with exercise.”

Needham said that exercise science can support Olympians as well as any population since the concepts are the same.

“I look at how can we take that research and apply it in a real-world setting,” she said, saying it is the same whether it’s for somebody who has a chronic disease and needs to improve their lifestyle through an exercise program or if it’s “training for athletes so that they can improve their time by 1% to make it onto the podium. The job of the exercise or sports scientist is to answer questions from the coach or from the athlete. We can look at research and find answers. We can do testing and find those answers. But when we can answer the questions for the coach and the athletes, then we are giving them valuable information that they can use in their performance.”

Her programs are individualized, matching the physiological profile to the athlete.

“We have to know what that physiological profile looks like and the type of athlete they are. Do they have more fast twitch muscle fiber or slow twitch muscle

fiber? What are the demands of the sport? Is it more of an aerobic sport and they need to be able to do that for long periods of time? Or is it a more explosive sport and they need to have that quick, powerful movement,” she said, adding they run tests, including oxidavitve systems, lactate threshold and aerobic capacity. “That’s valuable information for coaches, for athletes, for a personal trainer, for an exercise therapist, to know what we’re doing is making a difference in that training.”

Jackson said she gives “a solid effort” when it comes to testing.

“Testing is really important because our sports scientists, they use this data to help me achieve my goals,” she said, adding that she also makes sure she gets plenty of rest, stretches and massages her muscles for the next training session. “I used to sleep five to six hours a night because of being a student and staying up late doing homework. I had to work on getting eight hours of sleep a night.”

As Jackson looks ahead to her skating career and the possibility of the Olympics returning to Utah, she’s pumped.

“I’m currently 30 years old and I want to skate forever, but that’s not feasible. I would love to have the Salt Lake Olympics in 2030 and be able to compete on home ice,” she said. “If it’s 2034, I’ll likely be on the sidelines, but I’ll be supporting Salt Lake’s Olympics 100%.” l

What makes a great Girl Scout leader? One leader sets example for others to follow

Fifty-seven-year-old Shari SolomonKlebba was harnessed, dangling about 100 feet from a tree.

She was with her Girl Scout troop on an approved climb to scale giant, oldgrowth pines to see the views of the Olympic Peninsula from Washington’s San Juan Islands.

Solomon-Klebba wasn’t scared or mad. Instead, she was joking as a guide was helping her accomplish her goal.

It was her first-time trying tree canopy climbing — and it wasn’t the only thing that didn’t go as planned for the co-leader of a high school-aged troop of girls. After trying 20 minutes to learn how to climb the tree ropes, Solomon-Klebba didn’t master it. Instead of giving up or becoming frustrated, she graciously accepted an ascending device to help her summit the 250 feet so she wouldn’t deprive the girls of the unique experience.

Through this experience, the Taylorsville role model exemplified the mission of Girl Scouting: courage — being willing to take on challenges and showing resilience from setbacks; confidence — accomplishing what she set out to do; and character — showing positive values in a challenging time.

In Utah, there are thousands of Girl Scouts.

They’re learning first aid, scaling new heights and advocating to better the community — in addition to performing service projects and selling Girl Scout cookies to earn money to go to camp.

Supporting them are countless volunteers.

While volunteers serve many roles, they are the backbone support to a troop of girls age 5 through 18 running program-based meetings to provide Girl Scout experiences. These troops may be a group of neighborhood girls, those in community and refugee centers, or in homeless and domestic shelters.

Many of these volunteers were Girl Scouts themselves.

According to Girl Scouts of the USA’s 2021 alumni facts, more than one in three women in the United States were Girl Scouts at some point in their lives, resulting in more than 50 million Girl Scout alumnae.

More than 80% hold positions of leadership — 71% of the women in U.S. senate are Girl Scout alums and every female U.S. secretary of state has been a Girl Scout or Girl Guide (as they are commonly called in other countries).

Girl Scouts volunteer alumni earned higher levels of education (78%), more satisfied in their careers (68%) and are more likely to be involved civically (86%). If they earned the Gold Award, the alums

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

are more likely to become more committed and volunteer.

The majority, like Solomon-Klebba, assert Girl Scouts has a positive impact on their lives.

Growing up, Solomon-Klebba was a member in several troops, including being part of what is now-known as Girl Scouts Overseas and a Mariner specialty troop. She found a place of belonging where others not just accepted her, but welcomed her. She thrived in this niche, earning her Girl Scout’s highest awards, First Class and Gold Award, and now, pays it back, volunteering to regularly mentor high school age girls who are earning their Gold Awards.

As a teacher for the deaf, Solomon-Klebba not only champions for those kids, but also for Girl Scouts. Just days after returning from her troop trip from the San Juan Islands, she dedicated several days to teaching new skills to Girl Scouts who came to statewide camporee. She also helped with the triennial 53rd Girl Scout Convention held in Salt Lake City in 2014.

Solomon-Klebba joined Girl Scouting as a 7-year-old Brownie in a multi-level troop in Norway. Her sister, Peg, was three years older and had already been a Scout when the family lived in Alaska. Finding no existing troop at the American school overseas, her mother started one for girls of all ages.

When the family moved to multiple Midwest states for her dad’s civil engineering job, her mother continued to be the troop leader. Camping was a big part of her life growing up, both with Scouts and her family. Her father liked to tinker and make things work, much like she does as she and her family recently converted a van and a school bus into campers.

“I’ve always had strong science interests. Nature, plants and flowers, animals — it was a big part of my life,” she said. “I thought I’d be a vet.”

Her family moved again, to Salt Lake City, where she joined another Girl Scout troop, and attended Churchill Junior High and Skyline High.

Solomon-Klebba bonded with the girls in that troop. They worked on badges and performed service projects. Five of them joined her in the summers to be counselors at Cloud Rim residential camp, something she did every summer for seven years. She also served as a girl representative on the council’s board of directors and a co-leader for an elementary-age troop at the YWCA.

Several of her troop members were part of a specialty Mariner troop.

“We did everything boat and water related. We sailed, canoed, kayaked, wind sailed, rowed boats. We’d go to (Newport)

California and compete at the Girl Scout gathering with other Mariners and be tested on parts of a ship, semaphore, Morse code, and knots, and we had boating and swimming races. We’d draw the shape of a ship around our campsite, so we had to keep everything shipshape,” she said.

Solomon-Klebba was one of eight girls across the U.S. selected to go to Venezuela to celebrate the country’s 25th anniversary of Girl Guiding shortly after the U.S. celebrated 70 years of Girl Scouting.

“We slept in army tents at a primitive camp in the back of a jungle. The camp was militaristic. We’d line up for uniform inspections and have calisthenics. We learned that girls in Venezuela were selected, so it was distinguished to be part of their eight-member patrol,” she said, adding that girls from Trinidad and Tobago participated in the gathering, too.

Solomon-Klebba also found a direction for her life.

In her troop, she learned some sign

This past June, Girl Scout leader Shari Solomon-Klebba joined her troop tree canopy climbing in Washington’s San Juan Islands. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

At the 2018 Girl Scouts of Utah Camporee, Shari Solomon-Klebba directs Girl Scouts to their next activity. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

language to accompany Girl Scout songs. As a counselor, she used that skill to communicate with girls who were deaf and attended camp sessions and with a deaf staff member at camp.

But at Utah State University, she was studying science.

“Even though I love science, I wasn't enjoying it. I liked my sign language class, and I was told I should be a teacher. I remembered as a kid, I always played school and I loved teaching at Girl Scout camp, so I sat down with my professor and asked how I should pursue it,” she said.

Solomon-Klebba earned her bachelor's in elementary education with a minor in communicative disorders and has her master’s in deaf education. She also has a science endorsement.

“I’m a teacher for the deaf who teaches science. I love science and like that I can make learning accessible for deaf students,” she said.

She has taught 30 years in deaf education. She has worked at Jean Massieu School of the Deaf, as well as in Wyoming, Colorado and Maine. In 2019, she was nominated for the national LifeChanger of the Year award.

“Many of the things I learned in Girl Scouts, I incorporate in my teaching, both in science and leadership such as taking care of environment and making sure everyone knows what’s going on and is included. I teach them to think outside the box, how to work as a team and how to problem solve, skills I learn and teach in Girl Scouts,” she said.

She is an advocate for her students. She leads after-school activities such as FIRST LEGO League, Battle of the Books and Academic Bowl.

“I’m giving my deaf students opportunities the same opportunities as everyone else,” she said. “When I was in Colorado, our students competed against traditional schools in an academic speed event called Match Witz. We lobbied to have questions given ahead of time to our interpreters so our deaf students would be on equal playing ground as others because when you're interpreting, there's always a delay. It’s important that we give everybody equal footing.”

She can make connections between her profession and her personal life.

“I'm a member of the LGBTQ community, and I see lots of similarities with the deaf community. The oppression they've encountered and are still battling, such as accessibility. The incident with Match Witz happened a while ago in a different state, but that kind of thing continues to happen. Similarly, there’s lots of oppression in the LGBTQ community. We've had to go through same sex marriage, and it's still something we’re having to fight for constantly,” she said.

Solomon-Klebba said it’s through Girl Scouting that she found a place to connect.

“I was shy as a teen, probably because I didn't have interest in the normal stuff teenagers typically do. I didn't go to dances; I didn’t go to prom. I didn't enjoy high school at all,” she remembered. “As soon as my schoolwork was done, I got to do Girl Scout stuff. Girl Scouts was my connection. Girl Scouts kept me alive. I think if I hadn't had it….I connected with people and made lifelong friendships. It wasn’t all talk about who you're dating. Girl Scouts gave me a place where I could succeed and become who I am today.”

Solomon-Klebba didn’t come out until college.

“I was raised in the Catholic Church, so I thought my only choice was to become a nun. When I told my parents, I was expecting that my mom would be OK with it and my dad would be the one that struggles. Dad was sitting across the table and Mom was sitting right next to me. Dad got up and came around the table and gave me a hug. Mom couldn't even look at me. It was the weirdest thing because it was totally not what I expected,” she said, adding that it was the initial shock that surprised her mother. “Now, I talk openly and freely about my wife; I'm not afraid of people’s views.”

She also had to face not being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“Being in Utah and not part of the dominant religion was a learning curve for me,” she remembered. “Within the first three minutes of any conversation, they want to know what ward you’re in. It was an assumption that everybody in Utah is LDS. I felt excluded. I knew I was Catholic, but I didn’t know what that meant as my family didn’t talk about it much. I had to find who I was, what worked for me.”

Now, she’s married to her spouse, Cindy, who not only is a college history professor, but also a minister. She, too, is a Girl Scout, as is their college-age daughter, who was a member of both a traditional troop and as a specialty outdoors troop.

“I know how important Girl Scouts can be to someone. I want to make sure girls have a connection because I know how that feels,” Solomon-Klebba said. “Girl Scouting is part of who I am. When I make a decision, it’s based on the Girl Scout Promise and Law. My actions and my words show I’m a person of character and I have confidence and am courageous. Like with tree climbing, it didn’t go as planned, but I was able to see everything, feel the movement of the tree and made sure the girls had that same opportunity. Girl Scouts made me feel comfortable in that situation. I want girls to know that they have a place where they have agency. I want them to know who they are, what they want and have that faith in their abilities. It’s important we empower girls and young women.” l

Utah Women Run helps women occupy positions of leadership

Getting engaged in the political process can feel daunting. The idea of fundraising, staging a political campaign, marketing, canvassing and doing all the steps it takes to run for office often stops people from running before they even start. But Utah Women Run is a powerful advocate.

Hosted by the Hinckley Institute of Politics, Utah Women Run is a nonpartisan initiative designed to encourage, empower and train women so they can bring their voices to the political issues of the day. Whether that’s running for city council or serving on a board or commission, UWR offers programs to get women involved.

“One of the things that holds women back, and this is not anecdotal, this is research, is that women feel like they have to be overqualified before they run for office,” said Morgan Lyon Cotti, associate director at the Hinckley Institute and UWR board member. “We connect them through our alumni, we connect them with those women who have run for office so they can see what it looks like. They can see what other people have done and hopefully gain that confidence to run themselves.”

Founded in 2011 as Real Women Run, the organizers committed to help women engage in political and public life. More

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

than 1,000 women have gone through the program, getting elected to school boards or government roles and creating a stronger voice for women at the political table.

One of those women is Sophia DiCaro, who now serves as executive director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and works as a senior advisor to Gov. Spencer Cox. In 2014, DiCaro ran a successful campaign that earned her a seat in the Utah House of Representatives, serving West Valley City. She said going through the UWR training was beneficial to her, not just as a representative, but in her future roles, as well.

“Groups like Utah Women Run…are a great way to learn more about what a campaign entails or learn more about what the commitment might be. [A way] to get over that intimidation of the unknown would be to attend some of these trainings,” DiCaro said.

UWR amplifies women’s voices and helps them build platforms that allow those voices to be heard. Cotti has seen an increase in women running for local office, whether that’s a mayoral position or on the city council, and she sees them winning.

Many women start their political careers at the hyperlocal level before mov-

ing onto state or even national leadership positions. She said it’s gratifying to have a woman attend a UWR training, win an election and come back to teach other women how to do it.

“The research is absolutely solid that when we have more than one woman in a room, we have more thoughtful conversations which leads to better policy outcomes,” Cotti said. “It is in the benefit of everyone in our state to have more parity and more equity when it comes to women in political office.”

DiCaro emphasized that women can attend UWR training and never run for office. Using the skills taught in the program can help women serve in many capacities and roles that help bring enlightened conversations and policy decisions. For more information, visit Utahwomenrun.org.

“It is such a rewarding opportunity to serve whether it be an elected office or an interest group or whatever that might be. It is so important to participate in the process,” she said. “It’s so easy to get involved to whatever degree people are willing and able. There are opportunities out there and groups out there that would love to help.” l

Utah Women Run hosts socials, trainings and other events to encourage women to run for political office, serve on boards or help guide public policy. (Photo courtesy of UWR)

Young women learn what it takes to be a firefighter

By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com

What’s it like to carry a 24-foot extension ladder on your shoulder and stand it straight up against a building, cut into cars, handle a fire hose heavy with water, or drag a 180-pound person to safety? Twenty-five young women found out during Draper’s All Future Female Firefighters (AFFF) camp in April.

The camp is the creation of Erin Lytle, one of only four female firefighters working for Draper City. “I was the first and only woman here for a year. When I started my career, I didn’t have any female mentors. Draper allowed me to create a mentorship program to help young women know it’s absolutely something they can do if they’re interested,” she said.

Lytle chose the 18-21 age range, largely focused on recent high school graduates. “I wanted to capture that audience because that’s a time in their life when they’re trying to figure out what they want to do with it. Women empowering women is the intent. Especially with high school girls lacking confidence, I wanted to change their outlook and show them they could be part a ‘family’ that’s going to build you up and support you 100%.”

Day one of camp had female speakers from other fire departments talk to the participants about the emotional, mental and physical parts of the job. Day two was designed for hands-on experiences with skill stations for handling a fire hose filled with water, carrying and climbing large ladders, dragging a 180-pound dummy, learning forceable entry, and using tools to cut cars to extract people.

AFFF is designed as a potential recruitment tool for Draper, but primarily a chance to build confidence. “Whether or not they decide to do fire, they learn that they can do hard stuff in life, and challenges aren’t something to back down from but something that helps you grow,” Lytle said.

Each participant had to have her EMT certification prior to the free camp. Those who complete the program and enroll in Utah Valley’s Fire Academy can apply for a scholarship that is gifted upon fire academy graduation. Last year’s winner received more than $4,000. “This year I had seven scholarship applications. That’s seven girls interested in joining the fire service,” Lytle said.

Drawn to firefighting because it was her dad’s career, Lytle started as a volunteer in southern Utah then worked part time for Hurricane and Washington County before being hired by Draper in 2017. Wildland firefighting interested her the most. “Then I got into the medical side of things, so I joined the two as a wildland medic. It’s a challenging career and I felt like I was up for the challenge. The whole idea of fire and EMS is community service which is why I first volunteered,” she said. Now, Lytle is

a Firefighter Paramedic (Fire Medic), the highest level of pre-hospital provider.

Lytle likes to push herself beyond her regular job duties. In addition to the various certifications and continuing education all firefighters must continually keep up on, she has added to her workload by taking on extra projects such as grant writing, re-doing Draper’s Emergency Operations Center, getting the city’s CERT trailers ready in case of disaster, and teaching emergency classes. She traveled to Texas with a colleague to talk with other departments from across the nation about wildland fire mitigation, and she was recently chosen as Utah Plans Section Chief for hazard management.

Lytle is a fan of giving back to the community, so she created a chili cook-off among fire departments in the valley that serves as a fundraiser for the University of Utah’s burn camp for kids. “It’s always a good time for a good cause,” she said.

Funding for AFFF isn’t guaranteed, but Lytle hopes the city will continue to make space in the budget for her confidence-building, recruitment creation, and she has worked on a grant to that end. “I’m hoping it becomes an annual thing with how successful it’s been,” she said. l

Fire medic Erin Lytle, pictured with Deputy Chief Bart Vawdrey, created a firefighting camp for young women as a potential recruitment tool and a chance to offer mentorship to young women at a pivotal time in their lives. (Courtesy Draper City)

Participants in the All Future Female Firefighters camp practice dragging a 180-pound dummy to safety while firefighter Taylor Ward looks on. (Courtesy Draper City)

Utah’s first, only boxing woman referee ‘knows the ropes’

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

She’s Utah’s first and only woman boxing referee — and she’s about to step out of the ring.

Becky Suazo jumped into the ring 29 years ago, joining her brother, Pete, to officiate. She has officiated more than 4,000 bouts of amateur boxing ages 8 and older, locally to nationally. She served as a judge and timekeeper for the Olympic trials as well.

Suazo has refereed some of the big names of boxers in the state, watching them grow up in the ring. She also has refereed stars in the boxing world, such as Belinda Montoya, Darlene Chavez, Whitney Gomez and Ernie Flores, and judged two-time Olympic gold medalist and world champion Claressa Shields and world champion Andre Ward.

Her love of boxing began early.

As two of the oldest children in a family of eight kids, her eldest brother — the former state senator — and she would watch boxing bouts locally and on television. Her brother also boxed as did other relatives.

“My dad only lost one bout,” Suazo remembered her father telling her. “He only was in one, too. He was much more into watching boxing than being in the ring.”

While Suazo never took to the ring, she, too, was a fighter — leaving an abusive first husband and fighting to gain custody of her six children and supporting them — in a time where it was uncommon to speak of domestic abuse.

“My dad and Pete were there to support me when I was ready. I was scared because when I tried leaving before, my ex-husband would find me, drag me back and then he would just beat the hell out of me. It was frightening, but when I did it, I didn’t look back,” she said. “I picked up my life and moved on. It made me a strong woman.”

That included returning to school to get her high school diploma — “when I turned 30, I cried and cried because I hadn’t accomplished anything.” She continued to earn her associate degree in minority human services from Salt Lake Community College and her bachelor’s in sociology with a minor in women’s studies from the University of Utah.

Through every step, her brother was there to support her and her kids.

“He was a father figure to my kids, my nieces and nephews, all the kids. He would take them trick-or-treating, camping, be at their games,” she said. “He helped me find jobs and cheered me on in school.”

As a working professional, she started a preventative intervention for Hispanic youth and their families, advocated for mental health with minorities, coordinated volunteers at a family support center, and has managed a multicultural center.

She also has volunteered for the Utah AIDS Foundation, Planned Parenthood, Centro de la Familia, a peer court adviser, and has been a speaker for a rape crisis center and against domestic abuse.

“I’ve tried to be involved in the community as much as I can,” said the recipient of the 2009 Midvale Exchange Club’s Appreciation Award of Service to the Community. “Everything I did was for a reason, but I never knew why. I used to go into the welfare office when my kids were little to see what resources there were. Then, when I worked in the field, I could tell the parents to utilize the resources that I knew about firsthand.”

When her kids got older, she added boxing official to her volunteer list. Volunteering was a lesson she shared with her kids.

“I had them volunteer. I wanted them to give back, to be involved in the community,” she said. “I also passed along something my parents taught me — voting. I told them, ‘You don’t vote, you don’t have a say.’ I didn’t tell them how to vote, just to take the opportunity to vote.”

In fact, the first thing she did when she returned to the community after leaving her husband was to go to an event for Democratic leader Scott Matheson with her brother.

“Pete got me back involved,” she said, adding that when they were growing up, her parents had pictures of the Kennedys hung in their home. “I loved going to the election party headquarters and being there after the election, waiting for results.”

The two both registered voters and attended events; she has twice attended the National Democratic Convention. He entered the state legislature; she became a poll worker.

Pete Suazo served in that position, and as state chief of officials in boxing, until he died about 20 years ago when his ATV flipped.

“He was my mentor my whole life. I always looked up to him. He went to state wrestling (for West High School), and he was a jockey, racing horses. But our family always would go to boxing matches at the coliseum at the fairgrounds, so he got into it. (Longtime boxing trainer and coach) Tony Montoya got him into officiating in 1989,” she said. “When Pete died, he had just become an international official representing the United States.”

After his death, his sister, who had been officiating for about a decade, took over as chief of officials for the next six months.

“Pete got me into officiating, and I did it because it was fun, but I didn’t like being the chief,” she said. “I officiated the pros for about a year; It was a different atmosphere, and I didn’t feel the connection with the boxers like I did with the kids growing up.”

Suazo started as an official for two years before she entered the ring. She would check the boxers’ gloves, be a timekeeper or a judge, or she would score the bout — at first, scoring was done on her fingers, then with a clicker before it became computerized.

“I had to learn it all when I started. Before that, I could pick the winner, just from watching it all the years with my family and listening to it on the radio with my dad and grandfather, but I didn’t know all the rules. It was just a sport I loved,” she said.

In the gyms, she would watch referees in the rings and learn from them.

“I wanted to start referring, but I was nervous. When Ray Silva, who then was the chief of officials for the country, came to do a clinic, Pete introduced me to him and told me, ‘This is your time,’” she said.

She got into the ring and the approval from Silva.

“He taught me to stand on my toes so

As the only female and Latina boxing referee, Becky Suazo, who has served as a role model for others, indicates the winner of the bout. (Photo courtesy of Becky Suazo)

Becky Suazo has been an official in more than 4,000 bouts from local “smokers” to national championships and Olympic trials. (Photo courtesy of Becky Suazo)

it’s easier and faster to turn,” she said.

Her brother’s friends — Silva with USA Boxing and the National Olympic Committee, Angel Villarreal with USA Boxing, and professional referees Russell Mora and Mike Rosario — became her friends too.

“We’re a boxing family and it truly is a family. The women I’ve met in boxing are amazing; we’re so close,” she said, adding that many of them not only supported her through the funeral of her brother and her daughter — even though she wasn’t a fan of the sport. “We officiate for the kids. You see them win and you see him lose and you see that they don’t give up. When they win, they have that glow. I want to see that excitement. When they’re older, many of them stay in the sport to coach or officiate.”

Her first bout she refereed was a local “smoker” in 1993.

“When I first started — for years and years and years — they always gave me the little kids, because ‘this is a man’s sport.’ I was OK with it because I loved the kids. I loved doing refereeing from the first time I ever stepped in the ring,” she said.

She also learned a lesson from her brother that first bout.

“I had their hands ready to announce the winner when I looked over at the oth -

er one who got hurt pretty bad and I said, ‘Are you OK, mi hijo (my son)?’ When I got out of the ring, Pete said ‘Don’t you ever call him that. He’s not your son. He’s a boxer,’” she said.

Suazo has seen officiating as well as the sport itself grow. Currently in the state, there are about 733 boxers and 26 officials in USA Boxing.

“When I started nationally, there were three other women referring. Now, there are hundreds nationwide,” she said.

Women’s boxing also began to grow while she’s been officiating. Her first national tournament refereeing was the first women’s tournament in Atlanta in 1997.

“Two women from Utah became champions there,” she said. “I like refereeing women. They’re more disciplined, easier to read. You don’t have to stop them to pull them apart. They’re good boxers.”

Through the years of being in the ring — and only being grazed once by a fist there has only been one call that had seemed controversial.

“I had a boxer who was a Florida state champion and he kept picking up the boxer and wrestling with him,” she said. “I kept giving him caution after caution. I told him, ‘You’re holding him; that’s why you’re getting the call.’ He didn’t stop. I gave him warning after warning and you can only give three warnings for disquali -

fication. I disqualified him; he didn’t give me a choice. The coach jumped upon the ring and called me all kinds of names. I received an escort out of the ring and venue. When I checked out of my hotel and the person behind the desk said, ‘Oh, you’re the one who disqualified the boxer.’ There was even a news article about it because it was a qualifier and since he was disqualified, he couldn’t go to the Olympic trials. My supervisor said that I did the right call and that I had a ringside seat, the best seat in the house to see those boxers. I learned you just have to use your best judgment.”

Officiating didn’t come with compensation.

“I spent thousands. We pay our own way to officiate or judge. If you are amongst the best and were asked to officiate, you’d get some compensation — either travel or room and board. People give up their vacation to do this. That’s how committed people are to the sport,” she said. “My dad loved to travel with me. The last time he went to the U.S. championships with me, we gave an award in Pete’s name. I’ve done it every year since he died,” she said, adding that now there is a boxing gym, the state boxing commission, a business center, a U of U social work scholarship and street (a section of Redwood Road from North Temple to 2400 South) named after her brother.

Suazo, who is a master national official and once designed the USA boxing patch worn on the officials’ white uniform, now teaches state clinics on how to officiate. She referees about five tournaments per year. After that, she will continue to officiate.

“I love timekeeping. I get to see the whole bout instead of just seeing the punches as a referee. Refereeing is my favorite job, but that’s just seeing not watching,” she said.

Before she steps out of the ring, she plans to work the National Junior & Youth Golden Gloves in August in Florida and the USA Boxing National Championships in December in Louisana.

“I’m the only woman referee in Utah, period. I’m the first. I’m the first Latina. When I leave there, we don’t have a woman who will step in and that’s the saddest part. There’s no one to pass the baton to, but I don’t want somebody just say what the hell is that old lady doing in there? I don’t want to be the one to get knocked down and have somebody give me an eight count,” she said. “When I think about it, I’ve held on to this longer than I have any other job and never got paid a dime. There’s something to be said about that. You do this because you love it.” l

A Bolder Way Forward is the start of a revolution

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

While traveling to and from Costa Rica, Professor Susan Madsen, founding director of the Utah Women and Leadership Project, read “How Change Happens: Why Some Social Movements Succeed While Others Don’t.” The book by Leslie Crutchfield inspired Madsen to create an innovative system to help women and girls in Utah.

In June, UWLP launched A Bolder Way Forward, not just a new initiative, but a movement that Madsen hopes will implement positive change, create opportunities and offer support for women and girls in a revolutionary way.

“National and statewide studies continue to show that women and girls in Utah are not thriving in critical areas,” Madsen said. “Year after year, Utah continues to have high levels of domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse and gender based discrimination, while also ranking us the worst state for women’s equality and having low levels of women’s leadership representation in nearly all domains including in business and politics.”

BWF is designed to be a vehicle of change for Utah women and is represented by a wheel with 18 spokes, a rim and a hub. The center of the wheel is the goal to help more women and girls thrive. The rim includes five impact teams to address sexism, identity (such as gender, race

and neurodiversity), culture (including art, music and women’s history) and male allyship.

The 18 spokes correspond to five key focal points that highlight where change needs to occur. The five key points are education, community engagement, safety and security, health and well-being and the workplace. Spokes include higher education, political representation, sexual abuse and domestic violence, lifelong health, childcare, the gender pay gap and leadership development.

“The UWLP will work with all spoke leaders to craft 2026 and 2030 goals for each of their areas, with all being linked to measurable outcomes,” Madsen said. “To do this, my team will upscale our work in locating and tracking national and state data that can be regularly updated and visual dashboards and various reports to show progress toward the goal categories.”

Madsen said the BWF movement isn’t intended to succeed at the expense of men and boys. Instead, she believes through collaboration and cooperation there is room for everyone to be strengthened by the program.

After studying change for several decades, Madsen hopes people understand that lifting women brings about positive societal change. BWF utilizes systems-thinking where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

She challenges leaders, employers, busi-

ness owners and community partners to wake up to new ideas, remain vigilant and embrace change, even if it’s uncomfortable.

“There are so many ways to be engaged and it’s going to take public policy, it’s going to take on-the-ground training and development and it’s going to take shifts in messaging,” she said. “I welcome you to do the work that needs to be done in terms of strengthening your top girls and women and helping to make sure everyone thrives.”

Madsen knows it will be an uphill road as leaders build programs and initiatives but said past efforts have not worked. It will take a concerted focus to make the road smoother and

to fill in the societal potholes so the wheel of change can move forward.

“Although the needle has moved slightly, ever so slightly…with its current trajectory, it will take us two, three to four decades to make notable progress” Madsen said. “I say that’s just too long. It’s time for Utah to embrace A Bolder Way Forward because when we lift Utah girls and women we do lift all Utahns, including families.”

For more information, visit ABolderWayForward.org.l

The framework for A Bolder Way Forward is represented by a wheel with 18 spokes, a rim and a hub. Each spoke corresponds to five key focal points that highlight where change needs to occur to create better opportunities for women and girls. (Image courtesy of UWLP)

Did you get your property tax statement and feel overwhelmed trying to understand it? Every year we get calls from residents who need help making sense of their tax statement, so here is some info that might be useful.

The county treasurer is responsible for collecting taxes for over 70 different entities, not just Salt Lake County. That means that your city/township, school district, water districts, and other entities show up on your property tax statement. Once we get the money, we distribute it to the different taxing entities.

One great thing about our state is that Truth-in-Taxation is required. That means you will be notified if a government entity is trying to raise your taxes. This concept is all about transparency and making sure the government is open and honest about how your tax dollars are being used. Taxation is necessary for funding various public services, such as schools, parks, roads and public safety. But as taxpayers, it’s crucial for you to know where your hard-earned money is going.

Just because a tax rate stays the same, doesn’t mean your taxes won’t increase. After your property is assessed, the county adds in additional growth and then divides all the property values by the proposed budget amount. That is how we get the tax rate. Government cannot collect more than what they

did the previous year without a Truth-in-Taxation hearing.

If property values and growth are going up, your tax rate would go down if there was no additional tax increase. When taxing entities tell you the rate hasn’t changed, that still could mean a tax increase from that entity. Don’t worry, though… it should be crystal clear on your property tax statement if it’s an increase. If there is a public meeting, that entity is raising your taxes this year.

As part of this process, governmental agencies are required to hold public hearings to discuss tax-related matters. These hearings are an excellent opportunity for you to voice your opinions and concerns regarding how tax dollars should be allocated. But how do you find out when these hearings are taking place? That’s where your notice of valuation comes in.

Notice of valuation is a document sent to

homeowners that provides information about the assessed value of their property. It’s an important notice because it includes details about upcoming hearings related to property taxes. These hearings give you the chance to speak up and let your elected officials know what you think about the tax rates and how they affect you.

So, why is it important for you to notice when public hearings are available and take the opportunity to comment? Well, simply put, it’s your chance to be heard. By attend-

ing these hearings or submitting comments, you can influence the decisions that impact your community and your wallet. Your voice matters, and by actively participating, you can help shape the future of taxation in Salt Lake County.

Remember, your voice matters, and by participating in the process, you can help shape a fair and transparent system that benefits everyone in Salt Lake County. Together, we can create positive change and ensure our tax dollars are used wisely.

Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Councilwoman| District 3

Women who work outside the home are supernatural shapeshifters. One minute they’re closing the deal on a $5-million property and the next minute they’re on the phone with their 5-year-old daughter who’s upset because the parakeet won’t talk to her.

I think we can agree women are in the workplace. I think we can agree most households need two incomes to afford the basics like food, shelter and Netflix. I think we can also agree that mothers take on the biggest load when it comes to child care. Well, our country’s child care system is failing women in a spectacular SpaceX explosion kind of way.

This disparity was highlighted during COVID, an infuriating pandemic where millions of women lost their jobs. As child care centers closed, women were usually the ones to step away from their careers to become full-time school teachers, nurses, referees, short-order cooks, video game experts and day drinkers.

Single mothers always draw the short straw when it comes to child care choices. If you’ve never been a single mom who has to decide between using a vacation day or leaving her sick 11 year old at home alone, consider yourself lucky.

Care.com reported on child care costs in the U.S., showing the average family

It Takes a Village

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

spends 27% of their income on child care with the majority spending around $18,000 each year. Utah’s costs are a bit lower than the national average but we make up for that by having one bajillion children.

There are always people who say, “Women should be home raising their children. Problem solved.” Guess what? Problem not solved because most families need two incomes to get by, even adding in the cost of child care. When women choose to stay home, it takes a big bite out of the household income.

To combat this, parents work multiple jobs, alternate work schedules with a spouse or partner, rely on family members to babysit and hope their toddler becomes a child star to cover living expenses.

Employers, do you know how often moms worry about asking for time off to take kids to dentist appointments, doctor visits, parent-teacher conferences, lobot-

omies, etc.? It’s constant. There’ve been times when I was shamed by my boss because I needed to deal with a situation at home. That should never happen.

Women and families need child care support and it’s about damn time to get

creative.

Let’s start with free (or low-cost) onsite child care. Let’s throw in flexible and remote schedules that allow parents to be home after school. Let’s address the stupid 40-hour work week that’s not only a waste of time, but a drain on families.

Kim Kardashian pays each of her nannies (she has at least four on call 24/7) nearly $100,000 per year. She got it right. That’s what women should be paid for watching children because it’s mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting. But the average family can’t afford ONE nanny for even half that price.

And, yes, sometimes it’s the father who stays home with the kids (and they struggle, too) but the majority of child care responsibility is placed on mothers.

Mothers are expected to work competently at a full-time job and turn into Mary Poppins/Mrs. Doubtfire/Amelia Bedelia the minute they get home. We’re tired of shapeshifting. It’s making us cranky.

If employers want to hire shapeshifters, they’d better be prepared to offer flexibility, creativity and full value for that skill or we’ll take our talents and go home. And then nobody wins.

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DECKS

PERMANENT

“Dozens of doctors told me that there was nothing more that they could do to expect to be in a wheel chair. I went from the top 1% in the army Special Forces to being in so much pain that I could not tie my shoe or hold my new daughter. I did physical therapy and pain killers for years, but nothing worked. Finally, I went to Dr. Smith and I improved exactly as he told me I would. I couldn’t believe it! My wife cried, “I have my husband back.”

—Steve M., Army Special Forces

CSCS Chiropractic Physician