Utah Women & Leadership Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Susan Madsen examines key findings from the newly released snapshot " Utah Women and Skilled Trades ." This research brief explores national and statewide demand for skilled‑trades jobs, trends in women’s participation, and how employment and wages compare across occupations in Utah and the U.S. The conversation also highlights education and training pathways—particu...

In this episode, Dr. Susan Madsen explores key findings from the newly released 2025 white paper “ Home, Health, Community, & Allyship 2025: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes. ” Drawing on insights from an 83‑item survey of more than 5,200 Utahns, this conversation focuses specifically on male allyship: how men perceive their role in supporting women and girls, and how those atti...

In this episode, Dr. Susan Madsen explores findings from the newly released 2025 white paper “ Home, Health, Community, & Allyship 2025: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes. ” This conversation focuses on Political and Civic Representation, examining how perceptions and experiences have shifted for Utah women and girls over the past three years. Drawing on data from an 83‑item surv...

In this episode, Dr. Susan Madsen explores findings from the newly released 2025 white paper “ Home, Health, Community, & Allyship 2025: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes. ” This conversation focuses specifically on Health Across the Lifespan, examining how perceptions, experiences, and challenges have shifted for Utah women and girls over the past three years. Drawing on data fr...

In this episode, Dr. Susan Madsen explores two major areas from newly released 2025 white papers titled “ Women, Finance, & Education 2025: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes ” and “ Home, Health, Community, & Allyship 2025: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes. ” Drawing on findings from an 83‑item survey of more than 5,200 Utahns, this conversation highlights how...

In this episode, we discuss two elements of a recently released white paper titled “ Women, Finance, & Education 2025 Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes. ” The two we’ll be talking about today will be Higher Education Attainment and K-12 Initiatives.  Based on an 83-item survey conducted in October and November of 2025, this study collected data from more than 5,200 Utahns across...

In this episode, we discuss a recently released white paper titled “ Women’s Safety & Security 2025: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes ,” specifically focusing on poverty, homelessness, and domestic violence.  Based on an 83-item survey conducted in October and November of 2025, this study collected data from more than 5,200 Utahns across both representative and convenience sampl...

In this episode, we discuss our white paper titled “ Utah Women in the Workplace: Entrepreneurship, Workforce Development, STEM Fields, and Leadership Development ,” specifically two elements of the report: STEM Fields and Leadership Development.  Based on an 83-item survey conducted from October 1 through November 19, 2025, the study includes insights from more than 5,200 Utahns across both repre...

In this episode, we discuss our recently released snapshot titled “ Homelessness Among Utah Women: A 2025 Update .” This snapshot examines national and Utah trends in homelessness over the past several years, including demographic characteristics of Utah women experiencing homelessness, contributing factors, and state spending. It also highlights current efforts and opportunities for Utahns to hel...

In this episode, we take a closer look at two key topics—child sexual abuse and sexual assault—from the newly released white paper “ Women’s Safety & Security 2025: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes .” Based on an 83-item survey conducted in October and November of 2025, this study collected data from more than 5,200 Utahns across both representative and convenience samples. This...

In this episode, we discuss two elements of a recently released white paper titled “ Women in the Workplace in 2025: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes .” The two we’ll be talking about today will be the gender pay gap and sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination.  Based on an 83-item survey conducted in October and November of 2025, this study collected data from more than 5...

In this episode, we discuss two elements of a recently released white paper titled “ Utah Women in the Workplace: Entrepreneurship, Workforce Development, STEM Fields, and Leadership Development .” The two we’ll be talking about today are entrepreneurship and workforce development.  Based on an 83-item survey conducted from October 1 through November 19, 2025, the study includes insights from more...

In this episode, we discuss two areas of focus within a recently released white paper titled “Women in the Workplace in 2025: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes.” This comprehensive report explores the realities facing Utah women and girls across four critical areas, but we’ll just focus on two of them: Childcare/Pre-K Programs and Organizational Strategies & Workplace Culture . B...

In this episode, we discuss a recently released research brief titled “100 Companies Championing Women in 2025: Best Practices for Utah Companies.” State leaders frequently emphasize Utah’s reputation as a hub of innovation and economic opportunity. Yet, for the 11th consecutive year, WalletHub ranked Utah as the worst state for women’s equality, placing it last in “workplace environment,” includi...

In this episode, we discuss a recently released white paper titled “ Belonging in Utah: Findings from Community Conversations with Women of Color. ” The white paper draws from seven focus groups with Women of Color along the Wasatch Front to identify shared and community-specific themes related to their experiences. The findings reveal both interconnected challenges and those unique to specific ra...

In this episode, we discuss a recently released research snapshot titled, “ Substance Use Disorders Among Utah Women: A 2025 Update. ” This snapshot examines how substance use disorders (SUDs) affect women in Utah and across the United States. Using state and national data, the report explores whether Utah’s patterns align with or diverge from national trends. The analysis highlights three key are...

In this episode, we discuss a recently released research brief titled “ What Utah College Students Think about Teaching as a Career: An Analysis by Gender . ” Using data collected by Envision Utah, a nonprofit organization that engages Utahns in collaborative, bottom-up decision-making, this brief explores the perceptions of Utah college students as they consider and prepare for their careers. The...

In this episode, we discuss a recently released research snapshot titled “ Utah Gender Pay Gap: A 2025 Update . ” The snapshot provides an update to the 2017 and 2021 reports, offering an overview of the gender pay gap. It defines what the gender pay gap is, its components, and why it matters. It also examines the unique economic, cultural, and structural factors that contribute to Utah’s especial...

In this episode we discuss a recently released research snapshot titled “ Cosmetic Surgery and Body Image Among Utah Women: A 2025 Update. ” This snapshot examines how cultural, social, religious, and personal factors influence body image, perceptions of cosmetic surgery and beauty standards in Utah. Using state and national data, the report explores whether Utah’s reputation for high rates of ele...

In this episode, we discuss a recently released research snapshot titled “Utah Women and Fertility: Trends and Changes from 1970–2023.” This snapshot examines how cultural, social, economic, religious, and personal factors have shaped childbearing decisions in Utah over time. Using state and national data, the report explores whether Utah’s fertility trends align with or diverge from national patt...

In this episode we discuss a recently released policy brief titled “The Status of Women and Entrepreneurship in Utah: A 2025 Update.” This report builds on earlier studies from 2016 and 2020, offering fresh insights into the progress women entrepreneurs have made in Utah’s booming economy, as well as the challenges that still remain. Drawing from recent data, national trends, and expert perspectiv...

In this episode we discussed a recently released research snapshot titled “ Utah Women and Mental Health: A 2025 Update .” This research provides an updated overview of women’s mental health in Utah, drawing on recent statewide data and analysis to better understand current rates, contributing factors, and efforts to improve well-being for girls, women, and their families. Findings show that Utah...

In this episode we discussed a recently released research and policy brief titled “Utah Women in STEM Education: A 2025 Update.” The good news is that Utah women’s participation in the STEM workforce has grown, from 17.1% in 2015, to 24.0% in 2023. Yet, there is still a huge gap. Importantly, you cannot get more women in STEM unless more women get college degrees in STEM areas, which means there i...

In this episode we discuss a research report released in May titled “Women and Finances - What Utahns Need to Know: A 2025 Update.” In Utah through the years, many women have not dealt with money as that was considered a task for men, but Utah women are more involved than ever in the workforce, are more likely to be single, are bearing fewer children, and are older during major life events involvi...

In this episode, Dr. Susan R. Madsen and guests discussed a recently released research whitepaper titled “What Utahns Can Do to Strengthen Girls & Women: Findings from Community Conversations Across Utah.” This research is grounded in a statewide research effort that brought together voices from 28 county-level “think tank” discussions (2 counties were held together) held between 2022 and 2024...