Utah will need 840,000 new homes in the next 30 years. The future of the Great Salt Lake hangs in the balance. And education remains central to long-term opportunity. In this special episode, Amy Upchurch interviews Envision Utah’s newly appointed CEO, Jason Brown. After more than a decade leading key initiatives, Jason shares his journey, the philosophy behind the “Envision Utah process,” and why he believes the future of our state is one big group project. The future...

In this episode, we're joined by Alysia Ducuara, Executive Director of Get Healthy Utah, to explore the organization’s mission and the statewide partnerships that make their work so impactful. Together, they dive into how Get Healthy Utah is helping families, schools, workplaces, and communities integrate healthier choices into everyday life — and why this matters for Utah’s future. From rural towns to urban centers, Get Healthy Utah is driving measurable change across the state. Did you know...

In this episode of Common Good Awards Spotlights, host Amy Upchurch sits down with James Yapias, Senior Director of the Salt Lake Education Foundation, and Dr. Kim Hansen, Assistant Professor of General Pediatrics at University of Utah Health and Medical Director of the West High School Clinic—one of this year’s Common Good Award recipients. Together, they share the story of how an old football locker room was transformed into a modern, fully functioning clinic serving students across the Sal...

In this season-opening episode of Common Good Awards Spotlights, host Amy Upchurch sits down with representatives of the Great Salt Lake Collaborative—one of this year’s Common Good Award recipients—to explore their work documenting and protecting one of Utah’s most critical natural resources. Heather May, Ben Winslow, and Anna McEntire share insights from more than 1,000 journalist stories on the Great Salt Lake, the catastrophic consequences Utah faces if the lake dries up, and the latest r...

The first five years of a child’s life shape the foundation for a lifetime of learning. In the final episode of our four-part education series, we explore the science of early brain development and why simple, everyday interactions—like talking, reading, and playing—are so powerful. Join experts Dr. Quang-Tuyen Nguyen, Dr. Neal Davis, Maria Soter, and Kelly Noorda as we uncover how brain-building experiences during early childhood impact everything from school readiness to lifelong health and...

In this episode of Common Good Award Spotlights, we sit down with Zach, a dedicated "Friend" (mentor) from Friends of the Children–Utah, to explore the incredible impact of this groundbreaking mentoring program. Friends of the Children is reshaping the future by pairing youth facing the greatest challenges with professional mentors who stick by their from the preschool years to high school. From nurturing diverse talents to empowering informed decisions, they’re changing lives and breaking cy...

In this episode of Common Good Award Spotlights, we’re honored to feature the Stella H. Oaks Foundation, recipient of the 2024 Common Good Award! Discover how this incredible organization is empowering single mothers to overcome challenges, achieve their educational dreams, and create lasting change for their families and communities. Through scholarships and support, the Stella H. Oaks Foundation has transformed the lives of over 700 women, providing over $2.5 million in scholarship aw...

Welcome to our newest podcast series, Common Good Award Spotlights, where we celebrate the remarkable individuals and organizations honored at our annual Common Good Award ceremony. In this inaugural episode, host Amy Upchurch sits down with members of the Utah Shakespeare Festival to explore their impactful work. From innovative community engagement initiatives to making Shakespeare resonate in 2025, discover how this award-winning organization continues to leave its legacy and make a mark o...

Tune in for Part 3 in our series on education in Utah, which is all about higher education! In today's episode, we're exploring the top challenges facing high school graduates who are contemplating whether or not to pursue higher education. We sit down with Utah’s higher ed leaders and others at the forefront of helping high schoolers pursue higher education. They share valuable insights on the current landscape, strategies to inspire students, and the barriers they face in shaping the next g...

Tune in for Part 2 in our series on education in Utah, which is all about teachers! In today's episode, we're doing a deep dive into one of the top challenges facing the teaching profession today—Utah’s teacher shortage. We sit down with the experts to talk about what the teacher shortage actually looks like, its' impacts across the profession, and a few of the other top challenges teachers in Utah are facing today. Then we look at the Vision for Teacher Excellence: a detailed analysis ...