Leading with Compassion: A Conversation with Utah’s First Lady Abby Cox

The Utah Women & Leadership Project invites you step into a world of inspiration and empowerment by joining our 2026 seven-part webinar “Women in Leadership Executive Speaker Series.” This series is a celebration of dynamic and influential women who have shattered the glass ceiling landscape in Utah.

Join us for an inspiring webinar in the Women’s Executive Speaker Series featuring Abby Cox, First Lady of Utah, in conversation with Dr. Susan R. Madsen, Founding Director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project. This engaging dialogue will explore Abby Cox’s unique leadership journey—one shaped not by traditional pathways, but by her commitment to service, empathy, and building bridges across communities.

Together, they will discuss her vision for inspiring Utahns to break down barriers that prevent people from treating one another as equals, and how leadership rooted in compassion can transform lives. Abby Cox will share personal insights into becoming a leader in unexpected ways, offering lessons on resilience, authenticity, and the power of human connection.

This webinar is designed to spark reflection and action, encouraging participants to embrace inclusive leadership and foster environments where every voice is valued. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from a remarkable leader dedicated to unity and progress.

Sponsors: Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University & Utah State University Extension

Panelist

As Utah’s first lady, Abby Palmer Cox hopes to inspire Utahns to break down the barriers that separate people from treating one another as equals. She is an outspoken advocate for “getting proximate,” connecting through our differences, and combating the empathy crisis our country is facing.

Born and raised in the small rural town of Mt. Pleasant, Utah, Abby grew up on the Palmer family ranch where the values of hard work and grit were a way of life. She enjoyed a close-knit family with loving parents, two brothers, and seven sisters. Both she and Spencer graduated from North Sanpete High School and Snow College. He followed her to Utah State University where she earned her degree in Special Education with a dual emphasis in Early Childhood and Severe Disabilities.

After law school in Virginia, Abby and Spencer returned to Utah to raise their family in Fairview, a town of about 1,200 residents, located two hours south of Utah’s capital. Throughout the seven years Spencer Cox served as lieutenant governor, the family lived in and commuted from Fairview. They now primarily reside in Salt Lake City at the Utah Governor’s Mansion, but connections to their rural community remain strong and a priority for the family.

Abby has always been active in her community through PTA involvement, church youth groups and service to the homeless. Abby enjoys riding horses, reading great books, music, hiking, running and family outdoor activities. She and Governor Cox, her high school sweetheart, are the proud parents of four children — Gavin, Kaleb, Adam and Emma Kate.

Abby’s initiative as first lady is called “Show Up” because you can pretend to care but you can’t pretend to Show Up! She uses this platform to champion projects related to educator wellness, foster care awareness and support, expanded access to Special Olympics Unified Sports programs in schools across Utah, and statewide service.

Moderator

Dr. Susan R. Madsen is considered one of the top global scholars and thought leaders on the topic of women’s leadership, has authored or edited nine books, and has published hundreds of articles, chapters, and reports. Her research has been cited in the U.S. News and World Report, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Parenting Magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, and The Washington Post. She is also a regular contributor to Forbes and other local and state newspapers. Professor Madsen is the Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University and serves on many nonprofit and community boards. She is also the Founding Director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project, the visionary behind Utah’s A Bolder Way Forward, and her passion is to strengthen the impact of girls and women in Utah and worldwide.