First Lady & Friends KSL Podcasts

Aimee Winder Newton (Senior Advisor to Governor Cox and Director of the Office of Families) joins Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox to talk about becoming the first director for the new Office of Families, the Office of Families’ emphasis on strengthening families so children have better outcomes, and Aimee’s efforts in protecting our youth from the harmful effects of social media.

Then we dive into the positive trends that we’ve been seeing from parents when limiting social media and some tips that you can use to help your child avoid addictive social media behaviors.

Related Links

Utah Office of Families: https://governor.utah.gov/families/

Utah Department of Health and Human Services | Social Harms: https://socialharms.utah.gov/

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt: https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/book

Teaching is one of the noblest professions, and the well-being of teachers is a critical component of student learning and overall community advancement. During this special podcast episode recorded at SXSW EDU 2024, hosts Dr. Stacey Ludwig Johnson and Abby Cox are joined by National University President & CEO Dr. Mark Milliron, and Rady Children’s Hospital Senior Director Domonique Hensler, to continue the conversation on the importance of teacher well-being. During this episode, the expert panel examines the key positive strategies to implement to sustain educator well-being in the context of teacher preparation programs and K-12 schools, and concrete actions that should occur to keep educators well, despite elements that can exist beyond their control.

About Dr. Mark Milliron

Dr. Mark Milliron is an award-winning leader, author, speaker, and consultant, who works with universities, community colleges, K-12 schools, foundations, corporations, associations, and government agencies across the country and around the world. He serves as President & CEO of National University (NU), one of the largest private, nonprofit universities in the United States. NU is designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and has a 50-year history of innovating around the needs of military, working, and other nontraditional students.

About Domonique Hensler

Domonique Hensler is the Senior Director for Care Redesign Planning and Mental Health Integration for Rady Children’s Hospital – San Diego and Rady Children’s Health Network. Her experience includes positions as a Fellow and Analyst at Sutter Health; a Network Manager for TRICARE Southwest at Health Net, formerly Foundation Health; and Executive Director of the Community and Family Network. Since joining Rady Children’s in 1998, Domonique has served in various leadership, strategic implementation, and project management roles in healthcare administration.

Related links:

WGU: https://www.wgu.edu/about/governance/education/educator-well-being-from-principles-to-practice-podcast.html

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlwjT_YKfmk

Aubree Oliverson (Violinist) joins Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox to share her earliest memories of growing up playing violin, some of her favorite teachers who made an impact on Aubree’s success, and moving away to Los Angeles at fifteen years old to pursue violon.

Aubree also talks about being one of this year’s Governor’s Mansion Artist Award recipients, some of her fondest memories of attending the Colburn Conservatory of Music, and her decision to make Berlin, Germany her home base to continue pursuing her career as a violinist.

We also talk about Aubree’s goals of working with the best orchestras and conductors at the highest level as she continues to excel in her career.

Related Links

Aubree Oliverson: https://www.aubreeoliverson.com/

Instagram: @olversonaubree

Deborah Moench: https://giftedmusicschool.org/faculty/deborah-moench

Eugene Watanabe: https://www.giftedmusicschool.org/faculty/eugene-watanabe

Robert Lipsett: https://www.giftedmusicschool.org/event/2012/robert-lipsett-masterclass

The original version of this episode can be found at https://stand4kind.podbean.com/. 

In this in-depth exchange, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox, Candy Olandt, and Maggon Osmond discuss the essence and urgency of education. Abby Cox, a pillar for educators and a special education background holder, gives riveting insights into the discernment needed at various institutional levels, building meaningful relationships, and the mastery of effective communication.

The conversation focuses on the significance of educators' links with the key policymakers in their communities and how their voices and influence can create waves of change. Abby further delves into the benefits of educators forming connections with legislators, resulting in a more seamless educational policy process.

Discussion progresses to the topic of 'Disagree Better,' an initiative aimed at promoting healthier dialogues, particularly within the educational sector. The philosophy stresses the importance of engaging in difficult conversations, understanding differing views, and acknowledging disagreements as opportunities for growth. The phrase, "Tell me more about why you think that," symbolizes a tool for navigating these tricky exchanges.

Further into the conversation, the significance of emotional intelligence in fostering strong relationships in the education arena is emphasized. The potency of the 'Disagree Better' campaign is shown along with the transformation that occurs in classrooms where amicable discourse takes place. The focus shifts to the vital role of educators in fostering future leaders who possess not just academic proficiency, but also important life skills such as critical thinking.

The discussion concludes by acknowledging the worldwide network of teachers and their extraordinary mission of shaping future generations. Join the lively conversation and get a glimpse of educational transformation in action.

Related links:

The S4K Talks podcast can be found on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Meikel Reece (Emotional & Relational Intelligence Consultant & Utah Influencer), joins Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox to talk about how social justice was a fundamental aspect of her home growing up in Provo, UT., her desire to fit in with a predominantly white community when she was younger while being biracial, and how she learned to belong and feel at home with who she is.

Then we talk about Meikel’s passion for teaching emotional intelligence, learning to understand and process the emotions that we experience, and some strategies for acknowledging our triggers and taking control of them.

Lastly, we dive into the concerns surrounding trigger behaviors that negatively influence us, and why emotional intelligence can help communities disagree better.

Related Links

Instagram: @meikelreece

Permission to Feel by Mark Bracket

Vanessa Quigley (Cofounder of Chatbooks and Host of The MomForce Podcast), joins Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox to talk about moving back to Utah with her husband, Nate, to help build Chatbooks, how chasing her dreams of becoming an International opera singer shifted once Chatbooks started to take off, and the first viral video that helped put Chatbooks on the map.

Vanessa also opens up about the impact that Chatbooks has had on strengthening her relationship with her husband, how the family has helped contribute to the company over the years, and what’s next for Chatbooks.

Then we talk about Vanessa being named Miss Utah USA despite not being from Utah and some of the challenges that are not often talked about with adult parenting.

Related Links

Chatbooks: https://chatbooks.com/

The MomForce Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-momforce-podcast-hosted-by-chatbooks/id1464755075