First Lady & Friends
125 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 33 ratingsJoin Utah’s First Lady Abby Cox and her friends for timely and candid conversations with fascinating people with unique perspectives in an effort to unite us all through our common humanity. Each week, Abby dives into discussions on topics ranging from education to motherhood to mental health and beyond.
Abby is an outspoken advocate for “getting proximate” with people who have different viewpoints, and using her platform as Utah’s First Lady to combat the empathy crisis our country is facing.
Come along with us as we journey to bring courage, compassion and connection back into our homes and communities... and have a lot of fun along the way! THANK YOU for being our friend.
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Episodes
Mayor Jenny Wilson on bipartisanship in Utah, connection within communities, and women in politics
September 16, 2021 06:00 - 40 minutes - 18.1 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Mayor Jenny Wilson (Salt Lake County) to talk about the state of partisanship in Utah right now, why the division between parties is hurting the state, and how being proximate is essential in bringing us all together. Then we dive into the First Lady's Show Up initiatives, the impact that leaders in our communities can have in positively changing the state, Mayor Wilson's path to becoming mayor of Salt Lak...
LaDawn Stoddard on Utah's volunteerism and available projects for this years' September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance
September 09, 2021 06:00 - 39 minutes - 17.5 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by LaDawn Stoddard (Director of UServeUtah, the Utah Commission on Service and Volunteerism) to talk about starting her family at an early age, UServeUtah's impact on volunteerism in the state, and some of the great projects that are available for this upcoming September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Then we talk about how important service is to the community, not only for the state but for ours...
The lifechanging impact of reunification within foster care with Megan and Vanessa
September 02, 2021 06:00 - 39 minutes - 17.4 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Megan Carter to talk about how substance abuse impacted her during her teenage years, how her two boys were taken away after she began to spiral deeper into her addiction, and the steps that she had to take in order to find sobriety. Then Megan opens up about meeting Vanessa Knickerbocker after she became a foster parent with her husband to Megan's boys, how the two created a special bond over time, and how...
Marc Brackett on the impact that emotional intelligence can have in education
August 26, 2021 06:00 - 36 minutes - 16 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Marc Brackett (Author of Permission To Feel, Director of Yale's Center for Emotional Intelligence, and Yale Child Study Center professor) to talk about how childhood trauma shaped his emotional journey, some of the ways that the pandemic has impacted our emotions, and why we can use it as an opportunity to learn how to positively regulate our emotions. Then we talk about what parents can do to help prepare ...
We're live from the Utah Charter Network Symposium to talk about how the pandemic has affected our teachers and counselors
August 19, 2021 06:00 - 48 minutes - 21.7 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Kirsten Rappleye (Director of First Lady’s Initiatives), Krystal Anderson (Karl G. Maeser Prep Academy Counselor), and Michelle Love-Day (Founder of RISE Virtual Academy) to talk about the First Lady's initiatives, teaching and counseling through the pandemic, and what teachers are doing to take care of themselves. See our website for privacy information.
Syd Dickson talks about the ever-evolving state of education in Utah
August 12, 2021 06:00 - 37 minutes - 16.6 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Syd Dickson (Utah State Superintendent of Public Instruction) to talk about growing up in Antimony, what influenced her to begin pursuing higher education, and how her grandmother was such a monumental figure for her growing up. Then we talk about what makes education in Utah so unique, why it's so impactful to share and learn from each other within the state, and some of the different ways the state is ada...
Diving into Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett — Our first book club episode!
August 05, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 27.6 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Kirsten Rappleye (Director of First Lady’s Initiatives) and Shelly Smith (Director of Boards and Commissions) to dive into Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett Ph.D., how Marc is making an amazing impact on the emotional intelligence within our youth, and how we can all apply RULER to better understand our own emotional intelligence. Then we talk about the struggles of addressing our emotions due to the lack...
Dr. Susan Madsen on the importance of developing leadership skills in young girls
July 30, 2021 06:00 - 52 minutes - 23.5 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Dr. Susan Madsen (Founder and Director, Utah Women & Leadership Project and Inaugural Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership) to talk about how her childhood helped get her to where she is today, why it's so important to find your voice at an early age, and different ways we can teach young women and girls to develop leadership skills. Then we talk about how influential a great teacher can be...
Tammy Pearson on the state of ranching, being the first women commissioner in Beaver County, and free-roaming horses
July 22, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 28.1 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Tammy Pearson (Beaver County Commissioner) to talk about growing up in the ranching and farming lifestyle in Hinckley, UT, the best qualities that come along with rural living, and how ranching has been affected by COVID-19 and one of the worst droughts in recent memory. Then Tammy talks about the events in her life that led her to become the first women commissioner in Beaver County, how free-roaming horse...
We're starting a book club on the podcast! And updates on our "Show Up" initiative with Kirsten Rappleye
July 08, 2021 06:00 - 38 minutes - 17.2 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Kirsten Rappleye (Director of First Lady’s Initiatives) to announce our new book club segment for the show that will drop on August 5th, why we picked "Permission to Feel" by Marc Brackett Ph.D. to be our first book, and some of the ways that you can be a part of the episode! Then we talk about some of the updates from our "Show Up" initiative that includes the amazing things we're working on in Social-emot...
Michelle Love-Day on RISE, finding her passion as an educator, and empathy's place in understanding each other
July 01, 2021 06:00 - 37 minutes - 16.6 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Michelle Love-Day (Founder of RISE Virtual Academy) to talk about growing up in Lorain, OH, and how the culture helped her developed a sense of pride in her hometown. She also talks about finding her passion for being an educator at a young age and how her family's history helped shape who she has become today. Then Michelle opens up about giving people the benefit of the doubt, always checking our blind sp...
Becky Pickle on her work as an entrepreneur, being a foster parent, and her amazing work in the community
June 25, 2021 19:32 - 56 minutes - 24.9 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Becky Pickle (Chick-fil-A Franchisee, President-Elect on the Board of Trustees for the Road Home) to talk about her journey as an entrepreneur, owning and operating Chick-fil-A restaurants, and all of the different ways she's able to help throughout the community. Becky also opens up about how the pandemic has impacted the restaurant industry, how it forced the industry to innovate, and some of the best th...
Pamela Atkinson on being Utah's Mother Teresa, the state's homeless communities, and the importance of service to those in need
June 17, 2021 06:00 - 52 minutes - 23.3 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Pamela Atkinson (Advisor to the Governor) to talk about growing up in Kent, England, how seeing families with wealth inspired her to focus on her education to get out of impoverished conditions, and how she feels about being "Utah's Mother Teresa". Then Pamela opens up about the misconceptions about Utah's homeless community, her passion for helping others, and some of her fondest memories while working wit...
Getting proximate with Utah's LGBTQ+ community
June 10, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 33.2 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Brian Garrett and Rob Matheny to talk about the moment they knew that they were not like everyone else in Utah, the fear they originally felt for coming, the work that the military is doing to support the LGBTQ+ community. Then we talk about the increased suicide rates within the LGBTQ+ community, all of the various ways that Encircle is helping give support to the community, positive ways that we can all p...
Richard Ostler on his advocacy for Utah's LGBTQ+ community and why Utahns need to be more compassionate
June 03, 2021 06:00 - 51 minutes - 22.8 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Richard Ostler to talk about how Utah has been so influential in his life both growing up and as an adult, his advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, and understanding the issues that are affecting Utahns by learning to listen. Then Richard talks about gender dysphoria, the dangers of shaming others who are experiencing gender dysphoria, and why we need to be there for all Utahns no matter their gender or ident...
Emilee Pehrson opens up about living with cystic fibrosis and the special bond that she shares with Abby
May 27, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 33.4 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Emilee Pehrson to talk about what her childhood was like growing up in Fairview with cystic fibrosis, the support she received from her family, including her older brother and Utah Governor, Spencer Cox, and how her relationship with hospitals has evolved throughout the years. Emilee then talks about what a day in her life looks like for someone with CF, how the pandemic affected her life, and how scientific breakthroughs have ...
Tim Shriver on the Special Olympics, "The Call to Unite", and the importance of SEL in education
May 20, 2021 06:00 - 40 minutes - 18.7 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Tim Shriver (CEO of Unite, Chairman of Special Olympics International, and CASEL Cofounder) to talk about his background in education, the first Special Olympics that took place in Chicago in 1968, and the concept behind the book, "The Call to Unite: Voices of Hope and Awakening." Then we talk about how Covid-19 has affected our children, how we can use the pandemic as an opportunity for growth both locally and on a national le...
Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson on what we've learned from the pandemic and her non-traditional educational journey
May 13, 2021 06:00 - 40 minutes - 18.6 MBIn this week's episode, First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson to talk about her amazing family, the Second Gentleman, Gabe, her traumatizing experience with Covid-19 last year, and why empathizing with others might be one of the most important lessons we've learned from the pandemic. We also talk about Deidre's non-traditional educational journey, putting priorities on the back burner when she became a parent, and how we need to reevaluate the ways we approach qual...
Tackling racism and unconscious bias in Utah with Aundrea DeMille
May 04, 2021 06:00 - 37 minutes - 17.3 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, is joined by Aundrea DeMille (International Keynote Speaker and host of The Wake Up Stories podcast) to talk about her experience falling in love with the state of Utah, meeting Abby and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox for the first time, and why we need to value empathy as a state in order to create an inclusive environment for all Utahns. Then Aundrea opens up about the racial divide amongst people in Georgia when she was growing up, her experien...
Breaking down our new statewide initiative — Show Up Utah!
April 29, 2021 06:30 - 1 hour - 34 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Kirsten Rappleye (Director of First Lady’s Initiatives) to talk about her new initiative Show Up Utah, her four areas of focus including social and emotional learning (SEL), foster care, Unified sports, and service projects, and why community relationships can bring a bigger voice to the work that communities are doing for the state of Utah. Then the First Lady speaks with Melissa Hart (Utah's State Director for America's Kids ...
Dr. Angela Dunn on overcoming the challenges that COVID-19 has brought to Utah
April 22, 2021 06:00 - 51 minutes - 23.6 MBIn this week's episode, Utah First Lady Abby Cox is joined by Dr. Angela Dunn, Utah's State Epidemiologist, to talk about her decision to pursue medical school, the advice that her mother gave her that led Dr. Dunn to focus on helping others, and some of the hardest challenges that we've had to face as a state due to COVID-19. Then she opens up about some of the harassment that has come from the past year, how we've banded together as a state to tackle COVID-19 head-on, and how she was able...
The friends get together to interview Utah's First Lady
April 19, 2021 20:48 - 48 minutes - 22.3 MBIn this week's episode, Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, is joined by all of the friends again but this time the tables are turned and all of the friends are interviewing Abby to learn more about Utah's First Lady! We talk with Kirsten Rappley on what getting proximate really means, how traveling the state helped Abby get proximate with so many different people, and what growing up looked like for the First Lady. Then we're joined by Jeannette Bennett to learn more about Abby's decision to bec...
Meeting the other friends — Dawn Ramsey and Shelly Smith
April 19, 2021 20:47 - 49 minutes - 22.8 MBIn the second introductory episode of First Lady and Friends, the First Lady speaks with her friend, Dawn Ramsey (the Mayor of South Jordan and fellow cohost), on when they first met, Dawn's unique education journey, and her decision to run for office. Then we dive into why running for local politics can be so vulnerable, what Dawn has been reading lately, and what brings her the most joy. The First Lady is then joined by Shelly Smith (Director of Boards and Commissions and fellow cohost...
Getting to know Kirsten Rappleye and Jeanette Bennett
April 19, 2021 08:45 - 48 minutes - 22 MBIn the first episode of First Lady and Friends, Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, speaks with her friend, Kirsten Rappleye (Director of the First Lady’s Initiatives), about how they first met, how Kirsten first became then Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox's Chief of Staff, and what it was like growing up in a political family. We also dive into being vulnerable, what people often get wrong about the working mom, The Queen's Gambit, and our favorite concerts we've ever been to. The First Lady is then joine...
Introducing "First Lady and Friends"
April 12, 2021 20:40 - 1 minute - 639 KBJoin Utah’s First Lady Abby Cox and her friends for timely and candid conversations with fascinating people with unique perspectives in an effort to unite us all through our common humanity. Each week, Abby dives into discussions on topics ranging from education to motherhood to mental health and beyond. Abby is an outspoken advocate for “getting proximate” with people who have different viewpoints and using her platform as Utah’s First Lady to combat the empathy crisis our country is faci...