HomeWoman of the Year

WOMAN OF THE YEAR
This award is given to recognize the outstanding contributions of women to democratic policies and principles in Utah.

2025

Representative Carol Spackman Moss

Representative Carol Spackman Moss serves in House District 34, representing most of Holladay and parts of Millcreek and Murray. First elected in 2000, she recently completed her 26th General Session, making her the longest-serving woman legislator in Utah history. A University of Utah graduate, she spent 33 years teaching English and student government at Olympus High School before entering public service. In the Legislature, she has championed policies expanding access to driver’s licenses for refugees, strengthening mental health treatment in jails, increasing access to Naloxone, and advancing Good Samaritan laws that have saved lives, along with efforts to prevent bullying and hazing and support student health education. Beyond the Capitol, she continues to serve on the Utah Opioid Task Force and the Holladay Arts Council, and has long been a leader within Democratic caucus leadership.

2024

Natalie Pinkney

Natalie Pinkney made history in November 2024 by becoming the first Black woman elected to a countywide office in Utah’s most populous county. Before her council role, she served on the South Salt Lake City Council and organized the “Bans Off Our Beehive” rally in 2022 in response to the Supreme Court's leaked draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. Pinkney is committed to advocating for housing affordability, homelessness solutions, financial empowerment, and transparent governance. “Our community must do better thanking and caring for those who have dedicated their lives to our safety. Even with a pension from his career in law enforcement, my dad struggles to find stable housing. They need true support for their health and wellness, both mentally and physically. ”

2023

Brandy Farmer

For over 30 years, Brandy Farmer was the forefront of issues pertaining to women. A tireless advocate for abused women, she worked to promote women's rights and women's equality through her involvement in several organizations including the Utah Women's Lobby, YWCA, Women's State Legislative Council, Domestic Violence Program Director at the Utah Attorney General's office, she developed and taught domestic violence classes throughout Utah. Her relentless efforts, dedication, and inspiration resulted in additional support, services, and funding for domestic violence victims. “Everyone has the right to live a safe and peaceful life... reach out and get help or just tell someone... there are many advocates out there.”

2022

Sherri Swenson

Sherri Swenson served eight terms as the Salt Lake County Clerk. When she graduated from Murray High School, class of '66, she graduated straight into the workforce. A succession of office and real estate jobs led quite by happenstance to a secretarial position with the Utah Democratic Party. In the 1992 election, the first major election of her clerkship, the number of registered voters increased dramatically. She promoted a permanent vote-by-mail registry that was so successful the Utah Legislature followed suit and made mail-in voting a statewide option starting in 2015. Identifying the highs of her job was easy: watching people vote and "To see the pride in people when their voices are heard."

2020

Margarita Satini

A tireless advocate for social justice, Margarita Satini was a woman who loved her community as deeply as she loved her family. She led multiple non-profits and chaired the Utah Pacific Islander Civic Engagement Coalition. She also worked for the Sierra Club seeking to save the environment for future generations and let the charge getting her Polynesian community engaged in the 2020 Census. She was met with opposition both within her political party and outside of it. When collaborating on an energy efficient project for Utah's vulnerable communities, she was conscious of every detail, even down to the labels. "I don't want to just call them 'low-income.' They're vulnerable communities that need help and shouldn't be defined solely by their financial situation." For those who knew her, they knew her commitment to getting women and especially women of color elected to office.

2019

Karen Kwan

When Karen Kwan was elected in 2016, she became the first-ever Chinese American to serve in the Utah Legislature. She earned a B.A. in psychology, both from Pepperdine University and an Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah. When Karen first moved to Utah she began working for the Refugee and Immigration Center. Afterwards, she was a student advisor for the University of Utah Center for Ethnic Affairs and a member of the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association. Kwan ran for the office as a way to make changes and represent the often unheard voices in our community. "I want my community members to know that they can be here, that they belong here in the Capitol", she said. "This is their house. The Utah state government is not exclusive to one or another group, it's open to all of us and all our voices are important."

2018

Rosie Rivera

Sheriff Rosie Rivera was the first female Sheriff elected in the State of Utah. She served in many capacities in law enforcement including patrol, community policing, gang detective, investigations, narcotics, administration, public information and as department spokesperson. She also served on the Salt Lake County Opioid Task Force, Salt Lake County Advisory Board for the Family Justice Center. Salt Lake Area Gang Project Governing Board, Metro Narcotics Task Force Advisory Board and is past Chair of the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee for Salt Lake County. Rivera said, "We need you to get involved. We need you to carry this on, because justice for all will happen, but we have to do it as a whole community, we can't do it by ourselves."