Marty

Back Channel Utah

News EN ↓ 11 episodes

Back Channel is a Utah politics, policy, and business podcast hosted by Marty Carpenter. Every episode is a one-on-one conversation with someone who matters in Utah — an executive, a policymaker, a lobbyist, a community leader. Someone who's in the room when things happen. The conversation has four parts: who they are before they're a title, the issue they're closest to right now, their read on what's happening in Utah, and a few lighter questions at the end. It's candid, it moves fast, and it doesn't sound like a press release. Marty's been the one in the room too — as a governor's spokesman,...

Author

Marty

Episodes

Stablecoins, AI, and Utah’s Banking Boom with Howard Headlee 10.07.2026 51:52

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.

BONUS: Lessons from Utah's Primary: When a Data Center Becomes a Political Crisis 02.07.2026 3:54

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...

Collaboration, Economy, and Utah’s Secret Sauce with Derek Miller 26.06.2026 42:15

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...

Redistricting, Rural Utah, and Playing the Long Game on Water with Celeste Maloy 19.06.2026 42:49

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, COVID decision-making, and coalition-building with Karen Peterson. 12.06.2026 43:08

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...

Lime rickey, digital twins, and a quiet giant with Johnny Ferry 05.06.2026 38:26

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...

One River, Seven States, No Snow. Water update with Gene Shawcroft 29.05.2026 48:38

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...

Wall Street, Capitol Hill, and How Utah Builds with Rep. Cal Roberts 22.05.2026 45:39

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...

Diet Coke, Tackling Homelessness, and the Art of a Lacrosse Faceoff with Tyler Clancy 15.05.2026 41:40

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...

The Power of Streaks, Cold Plunges, and Candor with Francis Gibson 08.05.2026 51:17

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...

Power, Policy, and the People Behind Utah’s Decisions with Abby Osborne 04.05.2026 1:00:05

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.