Annual Training

Save the date for March 15, 2025

This exciting and dynamic day is geared towards helping women who want to become more engaged in politics gather the toolkits they will need. Experts will provide valuable insights on the nuts and bolts of how to run a successful campaign, engage in policy advocacy, or become a more informed voter. Gain expert insights and invaluable networks from the female leaders who have done it before and those who are excited to dive in!

Below are details from last year’s Annual Training. Stay tuned for more information on 2025.

2024 Schedule

click to expand

  • Presenter - Susan Madsen

  • Representative Celeste Maloy

  • Moderator: Becky Edwards

    Panelists: Stacy Bernal, Sarah Reale, Eva Lopez

  • Signature Gathering for Candidates and Ballot Measures, and Party Convention Selection - Lt. Governor’s Staff

  • Successful Campaign Planning with Heidi Franco

    Effective Advocacy with Mary Catherine Perry and Kilo Zamora

  • Campaign Finance and Fundraising with Liv Moffat

    Getting Started on Boards and Commissions with Brooke Scheffler

  • Moderator: Nicole Carpenter

  • Public Relations for Candidates and Advocates with Holly Richardson

  • Tools and Resources for Candidates and Advocates with Becki Wright

Hinckley Institute - Gardner Commons, rm 2018
260 S Central Campus Dr. SLC, UT 84112

 

2024 Mentors, Panelists, & Presenters

  • Liv Moffat has worked in Republican Party politics for more than 20 years. She has worked with Governor Gary R. Herbert on his campaigns and non-profit efforts for the last 13 years. She has also worked with rising Republican star Congressman Blake Moore. Liv is married, has four children, and lives in Murray.

  • Eva López Chávez is the eldest daughter of a working-class Mexican immigrant family. She was raised to respect her elders, always lend a helping hand, and above all else, la familia es siempre primero. Family is always first. She is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and currently serves as a local consultant to businesses and organizers.

    Born in Salt Lake City and raised in Southern Idaho, Eva has witnessed firsthand the unique challenges and opportunities the city faces for about a decade. Her upbringing instilled in her a strong sense of civic duty and a drive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of her fellow residents. After attending the University of Utah and studying political science, Eva honed her political organizing skills to tackle the pressing issues affecting Salt Lake City, such as civil enforcement, community engagement, public process, and more.

    Eva is a dedicated and passionate leader running for public office to serve the vibrant community of Salt Lake City. With a deep commitment to the city's residents and an appetite to bring productive change, Eva brings a fresh perspective and a track record of community-driven action.

    Eva's campaign platform revolves around three core principles: inclusivity, sustainability, and community. She firmly believes that Salt Lake City thrives when every voice is heard, and every resident feels valued. With a commitment to inclusivity, Eva aims to ensure that diverse perspectives are represented in decision-making processes and that all community members have equal access to resources and opportunities.

    Eva has been actively involved in grassroots organizing and community engagement efforts throughout her career. Her ability to connect with residents, listen to their concerns, and work collaboratively has earned her a reputation as a trusted advocate. Eva is committed to building partnerships and fostering transparent and accountable governance, ensuring that the voices of District 4 residents are heard and their interests are protected.

    Eva's campaign represents a fresh, inclusive, and forward-thinking approach to leadership in Salt Lake City. With her dedication, experience, and deep roots in the community, she is ready to champion the needs and aspirations of the city's residents. Together, with the support of the community, Eva aims to connect communities together and to have resident voices included in the public process.

    Eva has a deep commitment to social justice and has dedicated her life to advocating for marginalized communities. As a City Council member, Eva will bring this same passion and dedication to her work, fighting for policies that prioritize the well-being of District 4 and all Salt Lake City residents.

  • Holly Richardson is the editor of Utah Policy where she scours the news and curates the most essentials stories for a daily newsletter. She is also a regular columnist for the Deseret News. A former Utah legislator, she holds a master’s degree in professional communication and a PhD in political science, where she focused on Public Administration/Nonprofit Management and International Relations. She and her husband, Greg, are the parents of a large and unique family.

  • Mary Catherine Perry is the Director of Policy and Government Affairs at The Policy Project where she has worked on the team’s most recent effort, the Period Project. Mary Catherine helped draft, advocate for, and implement legislation that requires all of Utah’s public and charter schools to offer free period products to K-12 students. Mary Catherine received a B.A. in English and a Master of Public Administration from Brigham Young University where she developed a love of advocacy and sound policy. Mary Catherine began her career with the Utah Legislature at the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel where she worked analyzing policy, conducting research, and drafting legislation.

  • Sarah Reale is a Salt Lake native with a passion for advocacy, education, and a focus on action-oriented student-first strategies to help students reach their academic and career goals.

    She holds a master’s degree in political science from Utah State University and has spent almost two decades working in higher education, including teaching. Sarah is currently the Director of Digital Marketing at Salt Lake Community College, where she manages the institution’s digital (web, video, social, email, etc.) communications. She is also an adjunct professor of political science at SLCC.

    Sarah has a decade of research and volunteer-based experience advocating for communities and developing creative and effective solutions that support Utahns. She serves on the SLC Library Board, SL County Open Spaces Board, SL County Mountainous Planning District Planning Commission, Ballpark Community Council, and Chi Omega Advisory Board at the University of Utah.

    Sarah comes from a family of educators; her mom and sister are currently both k12 public educators in Utah. In her free time, Sarah can be found on her bike exploring the incredible Wasatch Mountains with her girlfriend, Emilee, or with her two dogs, Franklin and Eva.

  • Brody Bailey is an Elections Coordinator in the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and is responsible for overseeing statewide initiatives/referendums and political party formation. Prior to joining the Lieutenant Governor’s team, he attended Syracuse University and received his master’s degree in public administration. He completed his undergraduate studies at Weber State, where he graduated summa cum laude and as valedictorian of his college with a bachelor’s in political science.

  • Becky Edwards is a lifelong Utahn and an unabashed champion of women’s civic engagement and political involvement. She served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives for ten years, representing Davis County from 2008-2019. Her legislative work focused on issues related to strengthening Utah’s economy, air quality, education, and helping families achieve economic stability. Most recently Becky was a candidate for the U.S. Senate, representing Utah.

    While in the legislature, Becky served as Chair of the Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee, and Co-Chair of both the Women in the Economy Commission and the Clean Air Caucus. Additionally, she served on the Governor’s Education Excellence Commission, the Utah Commission on Service and Volunteerism, and on the Organizing Committee for Real Women Run, now Utah Women Run.

    Becky graduated with a MSW, and an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from BYU and has worked as a Trauma Social Worker, Inpatient Substance Abuse Therapist, and as an Outpatient Family Therapist.

    Becky’s involvement in politics is a natural outgrowth of her long standing commitment to community involvement on a grassroots level. During her time as a stay at home mom raising four children, Becky served as a school and community volunteer, PTA president and Community Council member, and 4-H leader.

    Becky has volunteered and served on boards for various local non-profits including Utah Clean Energy, Action Utah, Utah Women Run, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, Days of ’47, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), Head Start, Safe Harbor Crisis Center, and the Salt Lake County Jail. For 17 years she was a volunteer pianist at the LDS Conference Center and Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

    Becky grew up in Provo, and currently lives in North Salt Lake with her husband John Edwards. She has four children and eleven grandchildren. From May 2019-January 2021 Becky served with her husband in Samoa as a humanitarian missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

  • Becki Wright is the Founder and CEO of Proximity, based in Utah and launching this spring. She is passionate about removing barriers to entry into political leadership, improving election

    literacy, and solving campaign inefficiencies. Her comprehensive software levels the playing

    field—providing visual campaign metrics to guide informed tactical decisions every day of the

    election. Good leaders can be great candidates with Proximity tech solutions for political

    Campaigns.

    Becki has worked as a political consultant, campaign manager, and fundraiser on several

    campaigns—large and small—across Utah. Most recently she worked as Finance Director for

    Becky Edwards’ 2022 Senate run, where she was responsible for all fundraising plans,

    resources, personnel, and events—raising $1.6M from over 4,000 individuals, resulting in more than 2xs the amount raised in-state than the incumbent.

    Becki has an English Language degree from Brigham Young University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Utah. She was recently elected to Community Council, serves as Vice Chair of the Centerville Planning Commission, and just joined as co-leader of the Political and Civic Engagement initiative in Susan Madsen’s Bolder Way Forward framework.

    Becki champions the mission and efforts of Utah Women Run, is a past participant herself of a

    Spring Training conference, and is pleased to present this session on Campaign Finance today.

  • Dr. Susan R. Madsen is the Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. She is also the Founding Director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project, leading a statewide social change movement titled A Bolder Way Forward. Professor Madsen and her team have written many Utah research and policy briefs and white papers, research snapshots, partnered reports, newspaper editorials, and other resources. They host many events each year to support the mission of their work.

    Susan is also a well-known global scholar, authoring or editing nine books and publishing hundreds of articles, chapters, and reports. Madsen’s research has been featured in the U.S. News and World Report, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Parenting Magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, The Washington Post, and she is a regular contributor to Forbes. She is a well-known speaker in local, national, and international settings. For example, she has presented at the New York Times, Argentina Parliament Palace, House of Commons in England, Lithuania President’s Palace, Costa Rica Parliament, and NGO sessions at the United Nations. She serves on or advises many nonprofit, community, and education boards and committees, including the Utah Governor’s strategic initiatives, Envision Utah, South Davis Communities that Care, Utah Financial Empowerment Coalition, Women’s Work Utah, and more. Dr. Madsen received a bachelor’s degree from BYU, a master’s from Portland State, and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota. She and her husband, Greg are the proud parents of four adult children and six grandchildren.

  • After decades of living in small-town southern Utah, Celeste Maloy is uniquely aware of the issues facing the Second Congressional District. She is known for being a passionate defender of land rights and ownership after spending time in the district surrounded by its rich natural resources and public lands.

    Celeste was born in Cedar City and raised in small-town Hiko, Nevada with her five siblings before attending Southern Utah University and earning a degree in agriculture.

    Celeste began her public service career as a soil conservationist for ten years before going on to earn her law degree from Brigham Young University and becoming a deputy Washington County attorney. She also served as a public lands attorney for the Utah Association of Counties and a staff attorney for the Washington County Water Conservancy District. Most recently, she served as Chief Legal Counsel to former Representative Chris Stewart.

    Celeste joined Congress in 2023 and serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as well as the House Committee on Small Business. She is also proud to serve on several caucuses, including the Colorado River Basin Caucus and Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus, where she can address issues directly impacting the West.

    Congresswoman Maloy is honored to represent Utah’s Second Congressional District and is dedicated to solving the challenges facing the district and state, from federal overreach of Utah’s public lands to out of control government spending.

  • Heidi Franco graduated from BYU with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. She also received a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Utah and has taught government courses for over sixteen years at three universities. She’s served as a Zoning Judge and worked on the County’s Open Space Committee. She is currently the Mayor of Heber City.

  • Kilo is known for his skills to create learning environments for groups to develop themselves and transform their communities. Kilo applies his talents as a community engagement consultant and a teacher in the College of Cultural & Transformation, University of Utah. Recently he served on Mayor Mendenhall’s transition team and as the past chair of the Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission. Before his career at the univerity he served as the Executive Director for the Inclusion Center. His awards including the University of Utah’s faculty recognition award, School of Social Work’s Teacher of the Year, Pete Suazo Social Justice Award, Equality Utah Award, Utah Education Association Award, Utah Martin Luther King Award, Southern Utah University Humanitarian Award, and University of Utah’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Some of his recent successes are conulting Intermoutain Health Care in developing their equity plan, transforming PENN State Univesity's Athletic Department's DEI strategy, developing Weber School District's and Park City's first equity plans, lead University Neighborhood Partners strategic plan process, and is active in passing multiple state and local policies to protect marginalized people.

  • Brooke Taylor is an Elections Coordinator in the Lieutenant Governor's Office. She graduated with her Bachelor's degree from BYU last year in Experience Design and Management through the Marriott School of Business. Her interest in public policy, local government, and elections grew while volunteering for various campaigns in Utah, interning for the public policy arm of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation in Washington DC, and interning for Senator Romney in his Salt Lake City office. She started working for the Lieutenant Governor's Office in the Fall of 2023 and has become passionate about the voter and candidate experience in Utah.

  • Brooke Scheffler is the Director of Board and Commissions for the Office of Governor Spencer J. Cox. Before she was appointed director, she worked as the special assistant for Lieutenant Governor Deidre M. Henderson. Brooke previously served in the Herbert administration, working multiple positions on the communications team, and prior to that, she worked in the Office of the Utah Attorney General. She graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in communications. She was born and raised in Salt Lake City and graduated from West High School. She now resides in Layton, Utah, with her husband and two kids, Scottlynn, who is almost three, and Beckham, who is four months. She enjoys being a new mother and cares passionately about her career and helping make a difference.”

  • Stacy Bernal is a passionate and empathetic leader with a proven track record in the Ogden community and beyond. In 2018, she founded Awesome Autistic Ogden, an annual event celebrating neurodiversity and disability in northern Utah. In 2022, she partnered with the Ogden Police Department to implement an opt-in autism registry database to help ensure the safety of both neurodiverse individuals and law enforcement officers. She currently serves as an elected member of the Ogden School Board and enjoys meaningful work in her role within the sports entertainment industry.

Event Partners

Presenting Sponsor

Gold Sponsor

2023 - “Spring Event” Annual Training

On April 15th, 2023, Utah Women Run hosted a training event to help current and aspiring candidates learn the nuts and bolts of how to run a successful campaign. With workshops and panels led by the pros who have done it all before, this event was a great way to build networks and find mentorship.