Back Channel Utah

Geoffrey Landward, Utah’s commissioner of higher education, explains what “ROI” should actually mean for college degrees and post-secondary certificates, and why the value of higher ed goes beyond wages alone. He discusses Utah’s upcoming enrollment peak, what the national “enrollment cliff” could mean for public institutions, and why Utah’s system structure is an advantage if leaders plan strateg...

Ray Conley, founder and CEO of Creekstone Energy, breaks down why the AI era is becoming a land rush for power, fiber, and the physical footprint needed to train frontier models. Conley explains why Delta is unusually advantaged, how Utah’s “golden spike” infrastructure history shaped modern fiber routes, and why “behind the meter” power generation is essential if AI infrastructure is going to sca...

Dustin Lipson, president of Primary Children’s Hospital, explains why healthcare is so difficult to reform, and what it takes to run a children’s hospital built on deep community trust. He shares how Primary has climbed into the top tier of U.S. News and World Report rankings, why “the child first and always” is designed to be an operational standard, and how pediatric care must support families,...

Rob Bishop served nine terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and previously held the gavel as Speaker of the Utah House. After retiring from Congress, he returned to the Utah House of Representatives to serve his local district, bringing decades of legislative experience full circle. In this episode, he offers a clear look at how Congress operates behind closed doors, why standard textbooks f...

Utah State Senator Todd Weiler joins Back Channel for a candid look at his fourteen-year career in the legislature and his new role as President and CEO of the Sutherland Institute. Growing up as the son of a custodian in the Chicago suburbs, Weiler learned early how to negotiate, work hard, and speak directly. In this episode, he breaks down the inner workings of the Utah Senate, why the state bu...

Back Channel is taking a short break for Labor Day — but this is a great weekend to catch up. Listen to last week’s conversation with Utah Attorney General Derek Brown or go back through the full catalog wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube. We’ll be back September 11 with Utah Senator Todd Weiler, the new president of the Sutherland Institute, for a candid conversation about the evolution...

Utah Attorney General Derek Brown details the major legal battles facing the state's largest law firm. Brown explains his office's push against the "addiction economy," the recent court victory against prediction market platform Kalshi, protecting consumer genetic data in the 23andMe bankruptcy, and leading a 50-state coalition against automated robocalls. He also reflects on h...

Brad Wilson, CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games and former Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives, discusses what it takes to prepare for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games while balancing one of the largest organizational efforts in state history. He shares how his background in business and public service prepared him for the role, why Utah is uniquely positio...

Rep. Ariel Defay represents Utah House District 15 after joining the Legislature through a 2023 appointment. Drawing on experience in government, political campaigns, and her family's small business, she has quickly become a leading voice on education and technology policy. She discusses artificial intelligence in schools, classroom technology, early literacy, child protection, and how lawmak...

Curtis Blair, President and CEO of the Utah Valley Chamber, discusses why Utah County has become one of the fastest-growing business communities in the country and what it will take to sustain that momentum. In this episode, he shares how the Chamber is helping shape conversations around housing, transportation, infrastructure, workforce development, and economic growth. Blair also reflects on lea...

Kirk Cullimore, Utah Senate Majority Leader, shares the unexpected journey that took him from a career in music to one of Utah's top legislative leadership positions. He reflects on the lessons he learned through music, law, and public service, and how those experiences continue to shape his approach to leadership. The conversation explores Utah's rapid growth, housing affordability, eco...

Mike Mower has spent decades serving Utah through multiple gubernatorial administrations, but ask him what has mattered most and the answer is simple: people. From growing up in Ferron to working alongside Governors Jon Huntsman Jr., Gary Herbert, and Spencer Cox, Mike reflects on the relationships that have shaped his career and his life. He shares stories about public service, personal loss, rur...

In Episode 10 of Back Channel, Marty Carpenter sits down with Howard Headlee, President and CEO of the Utah Bankers Association, to talk about how deposits fuel lending, what stablecoins change, what the GENIUS Act is trying to solve, and how AI is reshaping banking. 🎙️ Watch and subscribe to stay up to date. New episode every Friday. Off Script. On Record.

Between interviews, Marty shares a quick bonus take. Utah’s primary results delivered a clear takeaway: political fallout isn’t always about the policy — it’s often about how the controversy is handled. The Stratos data center backlash in Box Elder County illustrates how timing, process, and communication failures stack up quickly.  🎙️ Watch and subscribe to stay up to date. New episode every Frid...

Derek Miller — President & CEO of the Utah Chamber and former Chief of Staff to Governor Gary Herbert — joins Back Channel to talk about what it takes to keep Utah strong as the state grows. The conversation covers the fundamentals that never go away, the “issue of the day” pressures like water and global uncertainty, and the deeper challenge underneath it all: protecting collaboration and tru...

Congresswoman Celeste Maloy joins Back Channel for a candid conversation about the behind-the-scenes work that actually makes the job possible: building a congressional office from scratch, assembling a team, and learning the parts of the role you can’t understand until you’re the one doing it. 🎙️ Watch and subscribe to stay up to date. New episode every Friday. Off Script. On Record.

Education policy does not move through a single decision-maker. It moves through a system. In Episode 7 of Back Channel , Marty Carpenter talks with Karen Peterson about what most people misunderstand about how education policy gets made in Utah, why it can feel impossible for families to navigate, and how decisions actually move when parents, school boards, districts, the State Board of Education...

Johnny Ferry is President and CEO of the Utah Manufacturers Association. Manufacturing matters more in Utah than most people realize, and Johnny breaks down why.  Manufacturing is the whole process, from R&D and supply chain to quality, maintenance, delivery, and the workforce behind it. Utah’s advanced manufacturing strengths show up in aerospace and defense, and stability and predictability...

Utah just came through its worst winter for water in recorded history. What happens next — and who decides? Utah River Commissioner Gene Shawcroft breaks down Lake Powell’s “3,500-foot line,” the storage and infrastructure Utah relies on, and the seven-state negotiations that could reset Colorado River rules after 2026. We talk drought whiplash, why the states missed key deadlines, and what Utahns...

Utah is growing fast. Can our infrastructure and institutions keep up? In this episode of Back Channel , Rep. Cal Roberts breaks down how Utah politics works when you zoom in on budgets, incentives, and the unglamorous mechanics that decide what gets built and what does not. We talk gas tax politics, housing affordability, and why infrastructure is often the bottleneck. 🎙️ Watch and subscribe to s...

Utah's state homeless coordinator Tyler Clancy joins Back Channel for a conversation about the experiences that shaped him before public office. From growing up in South Carolina and playing lacrosse at BYU to working in homelessness services, law enforcement, and the Utah Legislature, Episode 3 focuses on the path behind the title. 🎙️ Watch and subscribe to stay up to date. New episode every...

Francis Gibson joins Back Channel for a candid conversation on leadership, healthcare, public service, and personal discipline. The President and CEO of the Utah Hospital Association and former Majority Leader of the Utah House reflects on his path from Texas to BYU football, his years in legislative leadership and the personal transformation that reshaped his health and perspective. 🎙️ Watch and...

Episode one is live. Abby Osborne, Chief of Staff for the Utah House of Representatives, joins *Back Channel* for a candid, one-on-one conversation on the people and decisions shaping the state. No scripts. No spin. Just real perspective. 🎙️ Watch and subscribe to stay up to date. New episode every Friday. Off Script. On Record.