We HEAR Her

Kristin Andrus is a social media and marketing-savvy mother of six, a community champion for women, children, and refugees, and a Youtube Fitness personality with a supernatural ability to get things done! Devoted to making an impact in the world, she is working on an initiative to end period poverty by providing menstrual products for free to schools, shelters, and foster care facilities througho...

Yasmin Khan, the founder and CEO of the luxury skincare brand Khalm ® Skincare, is honoring her Pakistani culture by bringing Oud to her skincare products. Oud is an essential agarwood oil popular in the Middle East that regenerates new healthy skin and reduces wrinkles. Through the brand's work, Yasmin hopes more young women find inspiration and purpose to go after whatever future they desir...

Jennie Tanner, the owner of Tanner Glass & Hardware, successfully shows that the construction industry is for women too. Jennie has worked in the finish hardware aspect of construction for 25 years. When she is not managing her company, Jennie dedicates her time to supporting and advocating for women currently working in construction. Together with other women professionals, Jennie helped buil...

Gabriela Benitez, the Executive Benefits Consultant at Diversified Insurance Group, is a talented, native Spanish-speaking Latina driven by a passion for shaping the future of healthcare. With over 20 years of healthcare experience, Gabriela has become a respected agent in both Latinx and mainstream communities. Listen in to hear how Gabriela's tenacious leadership and perseverance brought he...

Sheridan Mordue, the owner of the women's lifestyle boutique Hip & Humble, envisioned herself as a small business owner from an early age. Over the last 23 years, she made her vision into a reality by building her own successful business. Sheridan's boutique is known as the "go-to" gift shop. It showcases a fun and color-driven collection of clothing, home accessories, and...

Chiao-ih Hui, Director of Global Operations at Arcserve, is doing a remarkable job as a young, rising start in the technology sphere and a proud mom of two. Chiao-ih's unique background in technology and business has allowed her to participate in research with small R&D firms and work in large organizations such as the Central Intelligence Agency. Despite her impressive career, Chiao-ih&a...

Becky Edwards, former Member of the Utah House of Representatives and current candidate for the United States Senate, dedicated her career to making life better for Utah families. As a social worker and counselor, Becky got a deep understanding of unrepresented community issues and the need to show the power of individual voices in Utah politics. In an effort to expand her service as an advocate f...

Dr. Deneece Huftalin, the president of Salt Lake Community College, shares how her husband Tim took on a full-time parent role and enabled her to focus on her career goals. Before she became SLCC president in 2014, Deneece served at SLCC for nearly three decades. Due to her tireless efforts to strengthen overall completion rates, transfer pathways, workforce responsiveness, and equality of student...

Davis Smith, founder & CEO of Cotopaxi, spent most of his childhood in Latin America, where his spirit for adventure and heart for humanitarian work was born. Being exposed to a variety of cultures, Davis gained a unique appreciation for diversity and that, coupled with his entrepreneurial vision, has become the outdoor gear brand that we know and love! Cotopaxi believes the products that get...

Madi Limansky, video, photo, and event producer and COO at ShePlace, shares her unique 17-year entrepreneurial background in fashion and production. Together with her degree in Gender Studies, Madi discovered her calling for breaking down old patriarchal structures that prevent women+ from living in their bodies and the world. As a COO of  ShePlace, a community and an online platform, Madi is work...

Melissa Ballard, politician, pianist, and Advisory Board member extraordinaire, has embraced life with an adventurous spirit and committed early on to be a part of the solution.  For Melissa, this means using her voice as Utah House Representative to speak up for Utah and speak out for her constituents, often on the national level on issues such as education funding transparency, water usage, and...

Sui Lang Panoke, Zions Bank Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and founder of Rethink International, Rethink Tank, and Women Politics Media, was born and raised in Utah but took the leap early in her career to intentionally immerse herself in what she did not see here – adequate representation of women that shared her perspective. And, as it turns out, she found what she was...

Shima Baradaran Baughman, Associate Dean of Faculty Research & Development and Professor of Law, had to learn her important life lessons in the hardest of ways. Growing up in worn-torn Iran, the daughter of a neurosurgeon who single-parented while their mother was an imprisoned political activist, Shima saw the example that sacrifice, hard work, and advocacy would lead her to success. Listen i...

Salt Lake County Health Department, State Epidemiology, Brown University, Women in Leadership   Dr. Angela Dunn, Executive Director & Medical Director for the Salt Lake County Health Department and former State Epidemiologist, has been a dedicated servant leader in Utah’s fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. A collegiate athlete and graduate of Brown University, Angela often leverages the work...

Emily Bell McCormick, an editor for KSL Studio 5’s “Smarter” series and founder of The Policy Project, is the voice that Utah is listening to when it comes to women’s issues and social equity. With a love of words and a colorful experience in communications, Emily has leveraged her skill and passion to serve as a changemaker for period poverty. First lobbying to successfully eliminate our state sa...

Neylan McBaine, Owner of Duet Partner and women’s activist, grew up in New York City the daughter of a professional opera singer and Wall Street lawyer. It is this unique upbringing, coupled with the influence of several dynamic female role models, that inspired Neylan to take on Better Days 2020, a four-year project to unearth and celebrate the stellar leadership that Utah women provided in the q...

Karen Rodriguez La Paz, Director of DEI at NBCU Telemundo and Founder of Code in Color, is a Utah transplant from New York City, and it did not take long for her to call this home! Karen originally fell in love with the kindness and sense of community that she found in Utahns and has parlayed these qualities with her talent in communications and her passion for Latina activation to cultivate and r...

Scott Anderson, President and CEO of Zions Bank, and Sui Lang Panoke, Zions Senior VP Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are two powerhouses that ARE the change Utah is ready to embrace! They share several common threads – championing inclusivity and a passion for building equitable partnerships – and together they are serving as our examples of how men and women work together to create space and le...

Salt Lake Community College, Higher Education, Religion, Social Justice   Gina Alfred, Salt Lake Community College Coordinator of Student Affairs and President of the Staff Association, has truly found her purpose and home in Utah. Also ordained as a Pastor, Gina first found her place in religion, and later her voice for people; specifically, for those that are underrepresented and marginalized –...

Education, Love Day Consulting, Woman of Color  Michelle Love-Day, Founder of RISE Academy and Love-Day Educational Consulting and Jordan School District Language & Culture Department Consultant, has been a student since she was growing up in Ohio as the daughter of a teacher and coach.  Education is what was valued, what gave her opportunity, and what was ultimately the springboard to her car...

Sarah Sherer, Chief Human Resources Officer at University of Utah Health, lives by her “people first” mantra which recently landed her and her team on the shortlist of 2021 HR Achievement Award winners in Utah Business Magazine.  She is a wife, mother, colleague, and leader - a natural caretaker who has also learned the importance of taking care of herself.  Listen in to hear how Sarah models self...

Analise Wilson, General Counsel for Ivory Homes, is full of grit and tenacity thanks to her father reminding her at a young age that their family “knows how to suffer”! They also know how to finish what they started, make the most out of every opportunity and keep education a top priority. Listen in to hear how these principles have helped write Annie’s story as a successful attorney, wife & m...

Astrid Tuminez, President of Utah Valley University, is leading the largest public university in the state of Utah by welcoming a record 41,000+ students to campus this year. Although there is never a dull moment in her day, Astrid has found a way to successfully balance donor relations, community champions, industry leaders, and government affairs that come together to make UVU the progressive an...

Laura Peifer, VP and Employee Benefits Consultant at GBS, is a native Utahn with a heart to connect and serve.  Not only is she a competent leader in the healthcare industry, but she has also been a longtime volunteer champion with the Boys & Girls Club of Murray.  Listen in to hear how Laura maintains her confidence in a male-dominated business, tackles tough conversations with her colleagues...

Alyssha Dairsow, Founder and Executive Director of Curly Me! saw a need and ​knew she could be a part of the solution. Moving to Utah from her native New ​Jersey home, Alyssha was determined to find her purpose and voiceworking in ​her new community. Listen in to hear how hernon-profit came to life and the ​unique ways she is using what she is paid to do to fuel what she is purposed ​to do.