Kristen Cox
Governor’s Office of Management & Budget
Kristen Cox is the executive director of the Utah Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB). Appointed to the position by Gov. Gary Herbert in 2012, she has worked diligently to integrate operational excellence with the state’s management and budgeting practices.
The mission of GOMB is to create more value for every tax dollar invested. Under Kris’ leadership, Utah improved government performance by more than 27 percent prior to January 2017, exceeding the 25 percent goal set by Gov. Herbert. The work to improve government is never over and Utah’s state agencies continue to set new targets in an effort to continually improve performance.
Prior to her time at GOMB, Kris served as the executive director of the Department of Workforce Services (DWS). Kris led the DWS effort to reduce eligibility costs by nearly 40 percent while simultaneously improving quality for the customer. This occurred during a time of significant caseload growth of almost 60 percent due to the 2008 economic recession.
Kris has also worked as the secretary of the Maryland Department of Disabilities, was appointed to a position with the Department of Education by Pres. George W. Bush and held numerous positions with the National Federation of the Blind. She ran as the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Maryland during the 2006 general election.
In December 2016, Kris was selected as one of Governing Magazine’s public officials of the year. She has also been honored by the Utah Community Foundation as an Enlightened 50 (2016), Utah Business Magazine as one of the 30 Women to Watch (2012) and by Days of ’47 with the Pioneers of Progress Award for Business and Enterprise (2012).
Kris received her Bachelor of Science in Educational Psychology from Brigham Young University. She served an LDS mission in Brazil and treasures any opportunity to speak Portuguese. Kris is an avid reader and loves being active. Kris and her family love the outdoors, especially hiking Utah’s mountains and trails. Her greatest outdoor adventures have been skydiving, paragliding, snow and water skiing and hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim.
Kris recently co-authored the book Stop Decorating the Fish. The book is a business fable that teaches an important lesson about how to effect positive change in the workplace. The authors analyze how organizations can overlook the core issue when trying to solve problems. At the age of 11, Kris began to lose her vision due to a rare genetic eye disorder. All of Kris’ proceeds from the book will benefit the National Federation of the Blind.
Dr. Donna Milavetz
OnSite Care Clinics
After 20 years of practicing internal medicine, Dr. Donna Milavetz recognized how truly broken our healthcare system was. The traditional fee-for-service model of healthcare was driving up costs, reducing the quality of care and leaving both patients and doctors dissatisfied.
Dr. Milavetz knew she could do better. She knew she could generate better health outcomes for patients with greater savings for employers using a model that places real value on primary care. She looked for a place to devote her skills to generating better health outcomes and greater savings. She found it in the employer market and, almost without intending to, started OnSite Care, a company that places focus on primary care and provides patients the care they deserve.
Dr. Milavetz holds a master’s degree in public health from the prestigious University of Minnesota, where she also completed her internal medicine residency. She trained at one of Harvard’s training hospitals and has worked at the Mayo Clinic.
Katie Holland
Illuminate
After spending a decade with Corporate Alliance committed to helping Utah’s business leaders connect, Katie Holland now applies her experience and expertise to a flourishing women’s group called Illuminate, which she founded. Utah business is booming, and Utah’s female workforce is ready, willing and able to embrace leadership and success. Katie knows business, she knows leadership — and Katie knows women. Marrying corporate success with the challenges of being a working mom, wife, sister, daughter and friend is no small thing. It can be amplified and simplified through strong, women-based training and a mentor-driven network. Illuminate exists to help women succeed — period.
Prior to Corporate Alliance, Katie spent 19 years with Innovations Consulting, an international training organization committed to leadership, diversity and empowerment with a Fortune 200 clientele. Katie has the experience, network and know-how to create a win-win between companies and the women who help make them successful.
Hollie Pettersson
Cicero Group
Hollie Pettersson, Ph.D., is a partner with the Cicero Group/Ed Direction, where her team works extensively with K-12 schools across the country to improve learning outcomes for students and invest in the professional development of educators. Dr. Pettersson draws on lessons learned as a classroom teacher, school psychologist, university instructor, and through administrative roles at the state, district and school levels to inform her work. As a licensed psychologist, she tries to ensure that students are afforded equitable access to evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) and trauma-informed care as part of a comprehensive education.
Dr. Pettersson is a first-generation college graduate, working mother and grateful recipient of mentoring at key stages in her career. She believes in paying it forward to increase educational and employment opportunities for individuals in underserved communities. In 2015, she and Melissa Grant started Women of Cicero, a group focused on amplifying one another’s voices, supporting the career development of women, and giving back to the Greater Salt Lake community. Currently, she serves as a trustee for the Utah Association of School Psychologists and a member of the board for the American Cancer Society Utah.
Amanda Smith
Holland & Hart
Amanda Smith is an attorney at Holland & Hart LLP specializing in environmental law and government affairs. She has more than 20 years of experience working on complex issues that span government, industry, private land owners and environmental groups.
Amanda counsels clients on how to operate in compliance with complex environmental regulations and in an ever-changing environmental policy landscape at both the state and federal levels. She has successfully represented clients through challenging permitting processes as well as compliance issues and penalty negotiations. Additionally, Amanda works with clients to proactively address issues at the Legislature by assisting with strategy, drafting legislation and lobbying on their behalf. While serving as the energy policy advisor to Gov. Gary R. Herbert, she developed the Utah Energy Initiative, a 10-year strategic energy plan. Prior to joining Holland & Hart, Amanda served as the executive director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, where she led the organization by working proactively with individuals, community groups and organizations in the environmental industry.
Amanda was the recipient of the Governor’s Science and Technology Medal in 2011, along with Lawyer of the Year award by the Utah State Bar Energy, Natural Resource & Environmental Law Section in 2012. Utah Business Magazine recognized Amanda as one of the Utah Legal Elite: Environmental for 2017 and 2018. Amanda has also recently been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for Environmental Law from 2018-2019 and Environmental Litigation for 2019.
Emily Wright
doTERRA International
Emily Wright has nearly 20 years of experience in the essential oil industry, having served in executive level positions for the past 13 years. Her extensive experience in all aspects of the essential oils market and leadership over the sales and marketing efforts for the United States and Canada have allowed her to combine her two loves: essential oils and people. Emily has an innate ability to see what is possible and puts her heart and soul into accomplishing the task at hand. Her belief in humanity and ability to see the individual worth of every person she meets is one of her greatest qualities.
Emily’s expertise and passion lies in sourcing the world’s purest and most potent essential oils, educating individuals about their powerful benefits and in developing people. She recognizes that when good people with pure hearts come together for a common cause, the possibilities are limitless. Emily’s greatest accomplishment is being the mother of four beautiful children and the wife of a humble cowboy.