Business Elevated

Season 5 Episode 18: This episode features conversations with recipients of the Utah Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology. The three medal winners are Lora Gibbons (K-12 education), Dr. Julie Valentine, Ph.D., RN, SANE-A, FAAN (Academic/Research), and Dr. David Bearss (Industry). Listen as Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, interviews the award winners as they discuss their background, experience, and what it means to be recognized this year by Gov. Cox with the Governor’s Science Medal. Gibbons informs listeners about how she became involved in STEM education in elementary schools and her experiences helping students assemble science fair projects. She also elaborates on how the gender gap in STEM has narrowed, how more women are earning degrees than men, and what receiving the 2023 Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology in the K-12 education category means to her.  Next, Valentine tells listeners how her experience as a nurse and her groundbreaking research on sexual assault is influencing statewide improvements to address sexual violence and shares what changes she has seen in Utah due to her research. She also discusses how Utah compares to other states regarding sexual assault and what being recognized with Gov. Cox’s Medal for Science and Technology in the academic and research category means to her. Bearss explains how he became involved in researching and developing new therapeutics that enhance lives and what area of his research has been most impactful. He also tells listeners what lessons he learned from participating in clinical studies, details his work with the Huntsman Cancer Institute, and shares what receiving the Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology in the industry category means to him.  

Season 5 Episode 17: This episode features a conversation with Paul Allen, founder and CEO of Soar, and Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. In this episode, we talk with Paul Allen about his success with Ancestry.com as one of its co-founders. Instead of looking to the past, his latest venture as founder and CEO of Soar is future-focused. It's about artificial intelligence, and Allen has assembled a world-class team of technologists to ensure that humans can self-determine their relationship with AI. Allen tells listeners how his bachelor's degree in Russian from Brigham Young University, and his passion for learning, led him to found successful technology companies. He talks about his positive experiences and lessons learned at Ancestry.com and elaborates on his experiences as a strengths finder coach helping individuals live their best lives. He shares details about the mission of his current company, Soar, to realize the scope of potential that is unique to everyone and its opportunity to help shape the deployment of AI in positive ways, and much more.

Season 5 Episode 16: This episode features a conversation with Jill Koziol, co-founder and CEO of Motherly, and Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. In 2022, Motherly was named an Inc. 5,000 Fastest Growing Private Company and a Parity.org Best Company for Women to Advance. It engages over 40 million readers and viewers monthly with on-demand parent education classes, Webby-award-winning videos, podcasts, essays, and articles.  Koziol tells listeners how having a master's degree from Georgetown University prepared her for the role as CEO of the all-in-one parenting platform, the inspiration for founding Motherly, and how the company supports working mothers. She also talks about her experience raising $5.4 million in Series A funding in 2020 and what she hopes readers take away from the two books she authored. Koziol also mentions the platforms and advertising partners Motherly works with, her advice for other entrepreneurs, and much more.

Season 5 Episode 15: This episode features a conversation with Trina Limpert, co-founder of Tech-Moms, and Alecia Hart, strategic initiatives program director with the Utah Small Business Credit Initiative at the Economic Opportunity office. As part of the office’s Inspire In Utah campaign, Tech-Moms recently received the designation as one of the 100 Utah Companies Championing Women. Listen as the duo discusses the company’s efforts to champion women in the workforce. Since launching the first group of cohorts in September 2020, Tech-Moms has helped hundreds of women to recognize that you can have a rewarding career and still make it to your kids’ soccer games. It has provided hope and inspiration to many women who couldn’t see a path forward by giving women confidence in their abilities through education, professional development, and a supportive network. Limpert discusses what led her to start the nonprofit company, the distinction that tech jobs are mom jobs, and how COVID-19 redefined flexible work schedules. She talks about how the company offers graduates a job when they complete the program and how Tech-Moms views productivity for work-from-home moms. Limpert also explains the benefits the company realizes from student placement work, how there is a fit for anyone in technology regardless of their background or education level, and much more. 

Season 5 Episode 14: This episode features a conversation with Kori Ann Edwards, managing director of strategic initiatives, and Kyle Palmer, director of the Unified Economic Opportunity Commission, about the economic development outcomes from Utah’s 2023 legislative session. Utah’s 2023 legislative session recently concluded, and the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity represented Gov. Cox’s charge to foster and encourage economic opportunities for all Utahns. This year, the Legislature passed a record number of bills totaling 575 that addressed various issues. Edwards discusses her responsibility overseeing the strategic initiatives team, what economic development planning looks like in Utah, why the Economic Opportunity office engages with the Legislature, and its role in the legislative ecosystem. She also highlights the impacts Utah businesses can expect from the recent legislative session and looks forward to the office’s priorities for the 2024 legislative session. Palmer elaborates on the Unified Economic Opportunity Commission’s role, its impacts on Utah residents, and how stakeholder feedback is incorporated throughout the session. He also discusses policy initiatives that resulted in new legislation and how working with stakeholders creates economic opportunities throughout the year.

Season 5 Episode 13: This episode is part two of conversations featuring the partners presenting Gov. Cox's Spring One Utah Summit at the Davis Conference Center in Layton on May 1-2, 2023. In this episode, listen to Linda Cabrales, director of the Utah Innovation Center at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber, and Greg Todd, executive director of the Utah Office of Energy Development. Cabrales informs listeners of the summit’s entrepreneur startup pitch competition featuring Utah's best and brightest, how it helps support Utah's startup ecosystem and why entrepreneurs should participate. She also describes how the Utah Innovation Center works with Brad Bonham, the state's first Entrepreneur-in-Residence. Next, Miller tells listeners about the Salt Lake Chamber's history with the Economic Opportunity office's annual economic summit and why it is vital to the Chamber, what it means to businesses in northern Utah for the summit to be held in Davis County, and his thoughts about the 2023 legislative session. Todd shares how Utah's economic well-being is intertwined with the work of the Utah Office of Energy Development, the energy-related topics that will be discussed at this year's summit, initiatives aimed at diversifying Utah's energy portfolio, and how vital rural Utah is to the state's energy supply. Join podcast host Pete Codella and leaders from these partner organizations to learn more about what's planned for #1UTspring and why business and civic leaders should participate.

Season 5 Episode 12: Gov. Cox's spring One Utah Summit is coming up May 1-2, 2023, at the Davis Conference Center in Layton. The One Utah Summit is a biannual conference that brings together the state's top leaders in the public and private sectors. The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity partners with the Salt Lake Chamber, Utah Office of Energy Development, and World Trade Center Utah to present the summit. In this episode, listen to Ryan Starks, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, Miles Hansen, chief executive officer and president of World Trade Center Utah, and Utah’s first lady, Abby Cox.  Starks describes how the One Utah Summit is a meaningful event for public and private business leaders and the reason for moving the location outside of the Salt Lake Valley. He details his experience on how the biannual summits changed over time and what he hopes the 2023 summit will accomplish.   Next, Hansen explains why the summit is important to World Trade Center Utah, highlights global trade aspects that will be discussed on May 2, and discusses upcoming 2023 trade missions. Cox shares why she created Show Up Utah and how it will be part of this year’s summit programming with opportunities for summit attendees to participate in service projects. The discussion includes Utah's reputation as the most charitable state in the nation and the annual Show Up For Teachers conference organized by her office. Join podcast host Pete Codella and leaders from these partner organizations to learn more about what’s planned for #1UTspring and why business and civic leaders should participate.

Season 5 Episode 11: This episode features a conversation with Vicki Varela, the Utah Office of Tourism (UOT) managing director, and Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity.  Varela oversees the state’s national and international strategy to create a quality and responsible tourism economy and expand film production in Utah. Her team is responsible for leading Utah’s Red Emerald tourism strategy. She has received numerous awards, including the 2022 ATHENA Leadership Award from the Salt Lake Chamber, being named the U.S. Tourism Director of the Year in 2016, and many other honors.  She describes the career path that ultimately led her to the opportunity to tell Utah's story as the director of the Utah office of tourism, explains what being recognized with the 2022 ATHENA Leadership Award meant to her, and outlines the office's mission. Varela also describes the UOT's wildly successful Mighty 5 marketing campaign responsible for making Utah a bucket list destination, what the research done by her office shows about the state's tourism industry and how that guides marketing campaigns, the balance between bringing economic benefits of tourism to Utah and preserving the quality of life for its residents, and much more.

Season 5 Episode 10: This episode features a conversation with Arianna Fuller, managing director of FICC and Equities operational risk at Goldman Sachs, and Alecia Hart, Utah Small Business Credit Initiative director, at the Economic Opportunity office.  In Utah, Goldman Sachs, and partners from the public and private sectors, has committed over $1.3 billion since 2009. These investments have resulted in over 7,800 affordable housing units, 600,000 square feet of retail, industrial, commercial, and community facility space, 2,100 more students receiving early education, and small businesses receiving financing that helps to create jobs in Utah.  As part of the Economic Opportunity office’s Inspire In Utah campaign, Goldman Sachs recently received the designation as one of the 100 Utah Companies Championing Women. Listen as the duo discusses the company’s efforts to champion women in the workforce. Fuller discusses her background in the financial industry, details the programs and initiatives at Goldman Sachs that support women in business throughout their lifetimes, and highlights the company's returnship program. She also examines the value of having diversity of thought, her advice to other organizations considering implementing programs similar to those at Goldman Sachs, shares stories of employees that benefited from the company’s programs, and much more.

Season 5 Episode 9: This episode features a conversation with Robyn Cohen, founder and CEO of W Collective, and Alecia Hart, Strategic Initiatives program manager with the Innovation Center at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity.  W Collective is an events production and culture consultancy company focused on event activation, curated experiences, and educational workshops that elevate the representation of women with the support of male allyship. As part of the Economic Opportunity office’s Inspire In Utah campaign, W Collective recently received the designation as one of the 100 Utah Companies Championing Women. Listen as the duo discusses the company’s efforts to champion women in the workforce. Cohen informs listeners of some of the company’s noteworthy content and events, gives examples from the organization’s “Hustle” featuring startup stories and female founders, and why women's advocacy in Utah is important. She also shares stories about women that benefited from the organization’s initiatives, the challenges she sees for female business owners in Utah, and much more.