First Lady & Friends

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Dr. Anthony Godfrey on setting up Jordan School District educators and students for success Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, is joined by Dr. Anthony Godfrey (12th superintendent of Jordan School District) to talk about Dr. Godfrey's passion for education, the benefits of the dual immersion program within the state, and why recent emergencies have led to the rise of virtual learning.

We also talk about how the past year has been such a difficult year for our educators, what we can do in the state to help ease the stress and support teacher wellness, and our upcoming Show Up for Teachers Conference on July 12th.

Then we dive into Jordan District's work with unified sports, the enthusiastic support that the program has had throughout the district, and the special bonds that have been created through Unified Sports.

You can learn more about Unified Sports in Utah by visiting https://www.showuputah.org/

You can also learn more about Jordan School District by visiting their website here: https://jordandistrict.org/

To donate to the Jordan Education Foundation, you can visit their website here: https://www.jordaneducationfoundation.org/

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Advocating for survivors of sexual exploitation with Elizabeth Smart Jun 23, 2022

Show notes

Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, is joined by Elizabeth Smart (Advocate & Founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation) to talk about Elizabeth's foundation, her work in prevention, recovery, and advocacy for the end of victimization of sexual assault and abuse, and joining the Malouf Foundation to make a bigger impact in the world of prevention and advocacy.

Elizabeth also opens up about how the support she received throughout the years following her abduction has helped her grow as a person, how we can support others who have experienced similar life-altering trauma, and her work with legislation to prevent such disasters from happening again.

We also talk about the importance of educating ourselves about potential red flags that could lead to dangerous situations, how we can use that information to educate and protect our children from such situations, and why having a strong relationship with our children is important in order to have tough conversations that can help protect them in the future.

To learn more about Elizabeth and the work her foundation is doing in the world of advocacy, you can visit their website here: https://www.elizabethsmartfoundation.org/

You can also learn more about the Malouf Foundation here: https://malouffoundation.org/

Elizabeth's podcast can also be found at: https://www.elizabethsmartfoundation.org/smart-talks

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More than just a drink with Swig Founder — Nicole Tanner Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

In this week's episode of First Lady and Friends, Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, is joined by Nicole Tanner (Founder of Swig) to talk about how growing up on a farm in Teton Valley, Idaho, helped her develop the skills to be effective in the restaurant business, how Nicole and her husband found the inspiration for Swig, and why you need to trust your heart if you feel that you have a great idea for a business.

We also dive into the reality of starting your own business without financial support, how Swig has been able to expand to over 40 different locations, and the growing trend of "Dirty Soda".

Nicole also opens up about her battle with breast cancer and raising over $300,000 in the past two years through Swig's "Save the Cups" program that helps pay for life-saving procedures for women battling breast cancer.

To learn more about Swig and Save the Cups, you can visit their website here: https://www.swignsweets.com/savethecups/

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Roots is redefining what a healthy and productive education can be with Tyler Bastian and Dan Caffee Jun 02, 2022

Show notes

In this week's episode of First Lady and Friends, Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, is joined by Tyler Bastian (Principal/Director and Founder of Roots Charter High School) and Dan Caffee (Governing Board Chair of Roots Charter High School) to talk about the inspiration behind Roots Charter High School, Utah's first farm-based charter high school, the moment they realized that the farm could become a transformational pillar in the community, and why Roots is introducing a new culture to our youth.

Then Tyler and Dan talk about the importance of creating an atmosphere of love and community for the students, who are deemed "at-risk", developing an environment that can bolster personal growth, and how their "243" approach has become a framework for Roots.

We also dive into how Roots graduates transition into the real world, some of the hurdles that they might face due to different educational and workplace settings, and how the idea of radical kindness can change the world.

To learn more about Roots Charter High School, you can visit their website here: https://www.rootshigh.org/

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Recapping our “Show Up” Initiatives from the past year with Kirsten Rappleye May 19, 2022

Show notes

In this week's episode of First Lady and Friends, Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, speaks with Kirsten Rappleye (Director of the First Lady’s Initiatives) to recap the past year of the First Lady's “Show Up” Initiatives, building deep connections with communities in need throughout Utah, and how "Care Communities" can make a significant impact in the foster care community.

We also dive into the fantastic unified sports events that we've participated in the past year, the upcoming Special Olympics Utah Summer Games hosted by Granger High School in West Valley City on May 21st, and how excited we are for Tooele High & Wasatch High Unified Teams to represent Utah in the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games at Disneyland this year.

Then we talk about the recent Month of the Military Child event at Air Hill Force Base, the excellent service projects started through the One Utah Summit, and our Kick Off the Summer event on June 24th at Thanksgiving Point that will give Utahns a great opportunity to easily sign up for service projects.

To learn more about the First Lady's "Show Up" Initiatives, you can visit our website here: https://www.showuputah.org/

You can also find more information and events going on with Special Olympics Utah at their website here: https://www.sout.org/

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Nikki MacKay & Amanda Walker help bring awareness to foster care in Utah May 12, 2022

Show notes

May is National Foster Care Awareness Month and in this week's episode, Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, is joined by Nikki MacKay (Director of Retention Services) & Amanda Walker (Brand & Marketing Manager) with Utah Foster Care to talk about what influenced them to work in foster care, some of the challenges that they face on any given day, and the various considerations that determine whether a child should be removed from a home.

Then we talk about the need to identify and understand signs of trauma, some of the most significant needs within the foster care community, and why it's imperative to support underrepresented groups during such difficult moments in their lives.

We also dive into the differences between Utah Foster Care and the Division of Child and Family Services and how a healthy and loving family can have on a foster child.

To learn more about becoming a foster parent or get more information from Utah Foster Care, you can visit their website (https://utahfostercare.org/) or call 1(877) 505-5437.

You can also learn more about the Division of Child and Family Services you can visit their website here https://dcfs.utah.gov/ and if you suspect child abuse or neglect is occurring please call the DCFS 24/7 hotline at 1-855-323-3237.

For more information on National Foster Care Month, you can also visit: https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/

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Lisa Clark on her passion for improv, The Lisa Show, and remembering her late husband — Chris Clark Apr 21, 2022

Show notes

Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, is joined by Chris Yadon (Executive Director) and Lisa Clark (The Lisa Show podcast, writer, actor, producer) to talk about what inspired her to pursue improv comedy, the origins of Studio C and Divine Comedy at BYU, and how she met her late husband, Chris, at BYU.

Then Lisa opens up about how becoming a parent helped bring structure to following her passions for long-form improvisation, the success of Once I Was a Beehive, and empowering parents through The Lisa Show.

We also dive into the complications that come with parenting adult children, her late husband's battle with ALS, and how the family was able to navigate such a life-altering diagnosis through laughter and banding together.

To learn more about Lisa, you can find her podcast by following the link: https://www.byuradio.org/lisa. You can also follow Lisa on Twitter @TheLisaShow_BYU

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Chris Yadon and Betsy Kanorawski on raising awareness around child sexual abuse Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Child Abuse Prevention month and in today's episode, Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, is joined by Chris Yadon (Executive Director) and Betsy Kanorawski(Chief Program Officer) from Saprea to talk about their Utah roots, the origins of Saprea, and different ways that we can all fight against child sexual abuse.

We also dive into the importance of empowering parents to learn and proactively apply research-based best practices that can reduce the risk of sexual abuse happening and why defending innocence is not defending ignorance.

Then we talk about how the awareness surrounding child sexual abuse has evolved over the years, how teachers can play a role in detecting signs of abuse, and the different ways that members of the community can help survivors of abuse.

To learn more about Chris and Betsy and the work they're doing at Saprea, you can visit the Saprea website: https://saprea.org/

You can also find more information about protecting the welfare of our children at: https://www.childwelfare.gov/

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Mike and Liz Mower on bridging Utah communities through faith and service Apr 07, 2022

Show notes

In this week's episode of First Lady and Friends, Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, is joined by Mike Mower (Senior Advisor of Community Outreach and Intergovernmental Relations) and Liz Mower (Community Activist) to talk about the beginnings of their relationship, what life was like raising a blended family, and some great tips when it comes to blending families together.

Then we dive into their work with the local refugee communities in the state, some of the amazing opportunities that are available for all Utahns to help with refugees coming into the state, and why connecting to others is such an integral part of our state.

We also talk about their passion for bringing people of different faiths together within the state, how former guest, Pamela Atkinson, has helped paved the way to bridge all of Utah's religious communities, and some of the amazing stories that have come from the 123 Challenge and #ShowUpForService.

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SUU Interim President Mindy Benson on the necessity of investing in our youth Apr 01, 2022

Show notes

Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, is joined by Mindy Benson (Interim President of Southern Utah University) to talk about growing up in Cedar City, the ways her family's legacy is intertwined with SUU, and how planning high-profile events helped her prepare for her current position at SUU.

We also dive into the various ways that SUU is addressing students' mental health, how digital personas and relationships are impacting real-life social engagement between students, and different ways that we can help prepare young women to become leaders.

Then we talk about SUU's Founders Week events as the university celebrates its 125th anniversary, having Dr. Condoleezza Rice, the 66th United States Secretary of State, serving as the university’s 2022 commencement speaker, and why it's so important to invest in our children to make a better tomorrow.

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