Gov. Spencer Cox Presents Governor’s Award for Excellence to State Employees

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Gov. Spencer Cox presented 25 state employees with the Governor’s Award for Excellence at an awards ceremony held at the Governor’s Mansion on Oct 21st. The awards are an annual event designed to recognize the contributions of state employees in the categories of innovation and efficiency, energy and environment, heroism, leadership and outstanding public service. The award recipients were selected as examples of distinguished service and dedication to the citizens of Utah.

“Utah is fortunate to have truly dedicated public servants who love this state and the people they serve.” said Gov. Cox. “These state employees represent the best of the best and contribute to Utah’s success. I could not be more proud or grateful for their efforts.”

The Governor’s Award for Excellence was created in 2007 as a way to recognize the outstanding work of state employees and honor their achievements.

Learn more about the 2024 Governor’s Award for Excellence recipients here:

Shelly Jackson, Lt. Governor’s Office

Shelly’s exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and its staff, coupled with her dedication to the state of Utah as the Deputy Director of Elections are truly remarkable. Shelly played a pivotal role in reshaping the 2023 election calendar to combine the municipal primary election with the special congressional election. This unprecedented endeavor required extensive collaboration with the legislature, the governor’s office, and numerous stakeholders. Shelly’s expertise in election law and her meticulous attention to detail were instrumental in ensuring that the proposed election schedule fully complied with state statutes and the constitution. Shelly consistently demonstrated grace and patience while proposing innovative solutions to challenges. Her commitment to accessibility, approachability, and security in voting for all Utah communities exemplifies her dedication to making Utah’s elections successful.

Collin Tanner, Lt. Governor’s Office

Collin’s exceptional ability to drive innovation, solve complex problems, and optimize resource utilization exemplifies the spirit of creativity and dedication to service improvement. Throughout his tenure at the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, Collin has consistently demonstrated an extraordinary aptitude for fostering innovation and promoting creative thinking. As the Public Records Specialist, he continually identifies opportunities to enhance processes and functions that benefit not only his role but the entire office. His contributions span from streamlining the notary application and registration process to modernizing and implementing GRAMA request submission procedures and policies. Collin’s commitment to embracing innovation is further evidenced by his active participation in initiatives that seamlessly integrate cutting-edge technology into everyday office operations. Due to his dedication, creativity, and unwavering commitment to excellence, Collin will continue to drive innovation and inspire his colleagues through his exceptional work.

John Fryer, Department of Workforce Services

The Disability Determination Services (DDS) determines medical eligibility for Social Security disability benefits. During the pandemic, the Social Security Administration paused processing claims for a variety of reasons. During federal year 2022, Utah experienced an increase in new reviews resulting in a 300 percent increase in our backlog of disability hearings. In October 2023, DDS had 382 pending hearings with 50 percent of them older than 360 days. To expedite the processing of these cases, John worked with our federal partners to ensure they had appropriate system access, training on case level policies/procedures, and system functionality. John’s leadership of this effort helped reduce their backlog from 382 to 51 in FY23, their percentage of aged hearings from 50.5% to 7.8%, and cleared 512 hearings. As of May 2024, the backlog remains low and the percentage of aged cases is at 0 percent. John’s innovative approach was recognized by SSA as an effective model and is now used to help other states throughout the nation.

Camie Escobar, Board of Pardons and Parole

Camie has been instrumental in the development of a new pardon application system at the Board of Pardons and Parole. This new electronic system allows applicants and their representatives to complete the pardon process through a more efficient electronic process while allowing for real-time updates to participants on the progress of their application. Camie has embraced innovation as she has looked for ways to make the pardon process more accessible and streamlined while maintaining the rigorous standards required to obtain a pardon. Camie has brought technical expertise to the development of this new system and taken on new and advanced roles to help manage the new system. Her efforts have enabled the Board of Pardons and Parole to be more responsive to the needs of stakeholders and provide innovative system improvements.

Heather Sarin, Department of Health and Human Services

Though Heather’s work and dedication impact the health of Utah women and newborns, it’s her leadership that really stands out. Four of her staff independently nominated her for this award. Heather invites individuals to draw upon their own leadership skills to bring our vision to life. Heather left the corporate world to bring her abilities to cultivate and motivate staff as an incredible mentor, dedicating her time and attention to each employee, making everyone feel important, heard, and inspired to help move the work forward. Heather is the rare individual who fosters hope among her team members so they can continue serving Utah. Team members continually express their gratitude that Heather creates times where the team can come together to celebrate significant events, which encourages an atmosphere of helping out and strong collaboration within the team.

Sydney Jorgensen, Office of the Governor

Sydney joined the Governor’s Office as a fellow in 2022 and has worked her way up to Director of Correspondence, a demanding and critical position in the office. She has demonstrated that there is no substitute for hard work and dedication. There is no challenge that Sydney does not rise to, whether it is a condolence letter for the family of a fallen officer, a letter highlighting the importance of protecting our youth from social media, or a declaration for a handbell concert. There is no task too big or too small for Sydney and she is always prepared to lend a helping hand when her peers need support. She frequently photographs events, supports event setup, and helps staff the governor even though it is not her primary responsibility. She embraces the fast pace that comes along with working in the Governor’s Office and is frequently asked to write challenging communiques on tight turnarounds and deadlines. If something is on Sydney’s plate, it will not slip through the cracks.

Carrie Trujillo, Department of Financial Institutions

Carrie’s efforts ensure that the citizens of Utah have reliable access to safe and sound financial services, thereby promoting stability, confidence, and fairness in the financial lives of Utah consumers. Carrie started her career with the Department in 2009. Her expertise in the capital markets has been highly valued and has bolstered the Department’s supervision of several complex institutions. Carrie capably plans and leads examinations, regardless of the institution’s size, complexity, or business model. She is also a kind and supportive teammate who generously imparts her wisdom and experience to others. In recent years, Carrie has served as the dedicated Examiner-in-Charge at the largest industrial bank subject to the Department’s jurisdiction, which is also one of the largest state-chartered banks in the country. Through well-earned respect and collaborative relationships with our federal counterparts, Carrie always ensures the state is an equal partner in any exam event. Her thorough work is respected by her peers and bankers alike.

Kara Hetrick, Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice

Kara has been instrumental in launching Utah’s first Safe at Home Program. This program is meant to help survivors of abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, stalking, human trafficking, and sexual assault who are afraid that they will be in physical danger if their perpetrator knows where they live. Kara was proactive in forging new working relationships with state agencies such as the Lieutenant Governor’s Office for voter registration, the Tax Commission, the Division of Motor Vehicles, and the Division of Technology Services. Her collaborative nature and creative thinking allowed an easy translation of what was required in statute to practical solutions for agencies to adopt. In particular, Kara demonstrated prudent use of state resources when designing the backend database to allow streamlining of data sharing which increases efficiency of government operations while reducing the burden on survivors. Kara has traveled across the state to help educate, increase awareness, answer questions, and train individuals who may be working or interact with survivors.

Kelly Christensen, Department of Insurance

Kelly’s record is full of examples of activity that goes above and beyond and duties substantially beyond those normally assigned. Kelly continually takes insurance courses and earns certifications offered by the insurance industry and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. She often does this on her own time. With the implementation of pay for performance, Kelly spent hours, most on her own time developing a tracking system, and as a result, we have a precise method of measuring performance that helped all of her team earn exceptional ratings. Kelly positively contributes to the team dynamic while inspiring others to excel. She has mastered the best practices for quality investigations and freely shares her deep knowledge and understanding of complicated insurance laws. Kelly created a training program for new Division employees. It assures that everyone follows a consistent process in handling consumer complaints and investigations while allowing them to bring their best selves to the job.

Steve Myer, Department of Public Safety

Trooper Steve Myer has served as a Utah State Trooper for over 32 years. When hard things need to be done, Trooper Steve Myer has been on the frontline of those efforts. On the morning of Tuesday, February 13, 2024, Trooper Myer was working a special assignment as part of the Utah Highway Patrol’s support of the DPS Homeless Outreach effort in Salt Lake County. As part of this effort, he was also involved in a multi-agency narcotics suppression operation. Shortly after 10:00 am, troopers became aware that a suspect had fled in a vehicle, and Trooper Myer quickly coordinated with other officers to move into a position to intercept the suspect. Trooper Myer positioned himself between the walls of the railroad overpass prior to I-80, where he utilized his patrol vehicle to block the southbound lane. Trooper Myer worked to move tire spikes in front of the suspect vehicle while simultaneously moving to avoid being struck by the suspect vehicle. As he was doing so, Trooper Myer moved backward away from the path of the suspect vehicle and, in doing so, fell from the overpass onto the road below. A fall of over 38 feet. This incident is one example of times when Trooper Myer, through self-initiated actions, has put himself in harm’s way to end an immediate threat to the safety of others. He has previously received serious and life-threatening duty-related injuries, still, on that day, Trooper Myer once again placed himself in an extremely dangerous position because hard things needed to be done to Keep Utah Safe!

Tech Sgt. Taylor Hymas, Utah Army National Guard

As a distinguished leader in the Air Force, Tech Sgt Hymas has achieved many milestones. In the ever-changing realm of national security, he played a pivotal role in advancing critical mission initiatives for his team, making key contributions to the establishment of a squadron foothold in forward leaning operations. He has exhibited exceptional leadership by forging partnerships with external national agencies, and delineating strategic lines of effort to enhance mission coordination. This collaboration significantly augmented the organization’s capacity to analyze critical information, ensuring timely and informed decision- making at the highest levels of leadership. Although details can’t be discussed, their specific type of work was lauded at a recent strategic Air Force wide intelligence conference. Furthermore, Tech Sgt Hymas leads by example through his community engagement, volunteering for base-wide recruiting events, and supporting the Air National Guard’s recruitment initiatives. His dedication to representing the 169th Intelligence Squadron underscores his commitment to fostering the next generation of Air Force professionals.

Tara Connolly, Department of Government Operations

Tara is the personification of peer leadership in DGO and her impact is felt by her peers across all state agencies. Tara took on heavy leadership responsibilities with the rollout of HB104 (performance management/Pay for Performance). Though not part of her job description, she thrived in this capacity without complaint. Tara’s workload as an internal consultant exploded when one of her team members left the agency and again when another colleague went on maternity leave. In both instances Tara did not hesitate to volunteer to pick up their responsibilities and she did so adroitly. Tara regularly volunteers for assignments and is always looking for ways to help her teammates excel. Tara has a knack for building relationships and helping all people feel included and valued. Tara is a “force multiplier” on the Learning and Organizational Development Team because she offers assistance, help, and resources to her colleagues and regularly leads out on collaborative efforts to help develop leaders in the state.

Katie Corak, Department of Commerce

Katie fosters a positive and collaborative work environment through her willingness to help others and share her knowledge. She proactively supports new team members, contributing to their professional growth and success. Katie is willing to accept tasks outside of her typical role to provide support for her team. She shows kindness and empathy that lifts up both fellow employees and customers. Consistently exceeding customer expectations, Katie is known for her efficient and thorough responses, ensuring a positive experience for individuals interacting with her division. She goes above and beyond her assigned duties to assist others, demonstrating a dedication to public service and a deep understanding of the impact of her work. As one customer wrote: “Woah!! Katie! You ROCK.” Katie embodies the core values of the Department of Commerce through her exceptional work ethic, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to teamwork. Her contributions have significantly impacted the Division of Professional Licensing’s effectiveness and reputation.

Eric Cropper, Utah State Tax Commission

Eric’s innovative thinking has produced significant efficiencies at the Tax Commission. He provides economic forecasting, addresses the fiscal impacts of legislation, and collaborates with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst in issuing consensus forecasts for the state of Utah. Recently, Eric has written programs to facilitate the efficient tracking of legislation and workflow. Through Eric’s work, the Tax Commission is better able to timely identify issues in legislation, which facilitates a more efficient resolution of these issues. His programs have also automated more of our processes, which eases the heavy workflow experienced during the legislative session. Eric approaches issues creatively and is always forward thinking in his efforts to improve Tax Commission processes. Best of all, his positive attitude motivates those around him to strive for excellence in the work they do. Eric Cropper leads by example, through his outstanding work, positivity, and determination.

Rebecca Dilg, Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity

Rebecca is an exceptional public servant through her leadership and commitment to bridging the digital divide in Utah. As the director of the Utah Broadband Center, Rebecca has transformed the state’s broadband landscape. Her tenure to the broadband office, beginning in 2021, has been marked by groundbreaking initiatives, including the launch of Utah’s first broadband grant program and the development of a comprehensive five-year Digital Connectivity Plan. These efforts have helped the state prepare for BEAD and Digital Equity Act funding programs. Rebecca has a genuine passion for her work and her community. Her background in county government and rural economic development shows a deep-rooted commitment to public service. Rebecca’s dedication and contributions make her a standout public servant, driving positive change and technological advancement in Utah.

Judy Hut, Cultural and Community Engagement

Through her outstanding commitment to advancing service and volunteerism in Utah, along with her exceptional leadership within the UServe Utah Community Engagement Team, Judy has consistently exhibited extraordinary dedication. She has spearheaded a myriad of initiatives geared towards empowering individuals to effect positive change in their communities. Notably, her leadership has led to the development of innovative volunteer management training programs, high school and college community engagement councils, community engagement grants, and many positive changes to the Active Engagement Retreat. What truly sets Judy apart is her commitment to embodying the values she advocates. Judy actively volunteers her time and expertise with Special Olympics Utah Unified Sports by coaching many teams, providing education on Capitol Hill, and seeking philanthropic donations. Her direct involvement in these endeavors serves as a compelling example for others to follow. Her efforts have not only enriched the lives of numerous individuals in Utah but have also strengthened the social fabric of our communities.

Laurie O’Connor, Labor Commission

Laurie is a compliance officer with the Utah Occupational Safety and Health. She is responsible for ensuring Utah’s workers are protected on the job and work in an environment free from workplace hazards. Laurie consistently goes above and beyond in her role, demonstrating unparalleled dedication and commitment to excellence. Regardless of the task at hand, Laurie tackles it with unwavering determination and a drive for success that is truly inspiring. Her exceptional work ethic serves as an example to her colleagues, motivating them to strive for excellence in their own work. Her willingness to step up and take on additional responsibilities not only demonstrates her strong leadership potential but also showcases her selflessness and dedication to the success of the team. Her relentless pursuit of excellence sets her apart as a role model for her peers, and her contributions significantly contribute to the overall success of the team. More importantly, her dedication helps improve workplace safety in Utah and benefits thousands of Utah workers each year.

Lesa Bulloch, Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services

On Friday, March 1, 2024 a customer collapsed while shopping at the Cedar City store. An employee, Lesa Bulloch, checked to see if he was ok. She thought he was choking so rolled him on his side and while assessing him noticed he was not breathing and did not have a pulse. She sprang into action and began CPR. Another employee quickly called 911. Lesa performed chest compressions for approximately 5 minutes, at which point another customer assisted her until paramedics arrived. Paramedics were able to shock the customer and get a pulse back. The team did an amazing job keeping the customers and each other calm. Because of Lesa’s quick actions, she was instrumental in saving the customer’s life. We are so very proud of Lesa and the entire team for giving the customer the best care possible.

Mark Taylor, Utah Department of Transportation

With 25 years of experience, Mark has implemented numerous traffic and safety technology efforts that strengthened UDOT’s reputation as a national leader. Mark’s team developed Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures, an open source software that was first deployed in Utah and is now used nationally to monitor and collect data from signalized intersections. Mark also led the team to develop Accessible Pedestrian Buttons, which allow users to interface with signalized pedestrian crossings hands free. When UDOT made the transition from incandescent signal lights to LED lights, snow was accumulating in the signal heads because the new lights didn’t generate heat to melt the snow. Mark’s team came up with the idea to use heat tape that could be turned on and off from the control box to melt the snow safely and efficiently. In June 2024 UDOT went live with the first fully functioning LiDAR intersection in the nation. Mark has been working with multiple sources to develop this leading-edge technology which can more accurately capture all movement at an intersection, including pedestrians and bicyclists.

Sandi Archibald, Capitol Preservation Board

Sandi is the Visitor Center Manager for the Utah State Capitol—a crucial role that connects thousands of visitors to the Capitol through docent-led tours, school group tours visiting with their legislators, Capitol social media, and community events. Sandi’s efforts create a welcoming experience for our guests but also tends to the needs of the volunteer docents who give freely of their time to the Capitol. Sandi looks for better ways to recruit volunteers including how to make the docent team even stronger and how to create the best experience for the Capitol visitor. Sandi has also created an environment for the docents that brings them together and lets them know they are important to us all and we appreciate them. She listens, and cares about them from her heart. And when there is need, Sandi is there, helping with anything, from hanging artwork, to leading an unexpected tour to hanging patriotic bunting in the Capitol’s rotunda. Sandi can pivot as needed and inspires others to do the same, and always with a smile.

Emily Willis, Governor’s Office of Planning & Budget

Emily is an anchor in GOPB. She tackles all projects assigned to her with tenacity, grace, and excitement. Not only does she have an impressive work ethic, but her empathy and insightfulness make her a great peer leader and creates an environment where people feel welcome, heard, and supported.

Emily plays a crucial, versatile, and important role as the Senior Budget and Policy and Medicaid Coordinator. Emily also has other responsibilities and assignments that she excels at such as being the budget analyst for the Department of Workforce Services, a member of the social services budget team, working closely with the Office of Homeless Services with various projects, and is consistently helping out with housing initiatives and joining in those coordinating conversations (including meetings for the Commission on Housing Affordability). Other analysts and fellows alike will come to Emily with questions or dilemmas that they have and she is always willing to sit down and figure it out together without any judgment or arrogance. She is so proactive in her work and takes advantage of every opportunity to learn new skills, ideas, and processes.

Dylan Martinez, Department of Environmental Quality

Dylan knows there is no safe level of lead in drinking water. That is why he has worked tirelessly to ensure every tap at every private and public school in the state has been sampled for lead to reduce Utah students’ exposure to lead in their drinking water. In 2022, the Drinking Water Board passed a rule requiring approximately 1,300 schools to sample for lead and take measures to mitigate exposure to children. Dylan took the lead in supporting schools in taking on this requirement. To date, over 43,000 samples have been taken from 1,124 schools and 100 percent of Utah public schools have complied with the requirement. This level of compliance has only been achieved through Dylan’s commitment to effectively coordinate with all stakeholders. He made sure to answer all questions and spent time reassuring schools that grant funding would cover sampling and mitigation costs. Dylan’s efforts have safeguarded Utah’s students from the harmful and lasting effects of lead exposure in school drinking water.

Hannah Freeze, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food

Previous to her work in Water Optimization, Hannah was the Program Manager for the Agricultural Voluntary Incentive Program. Her passion for building positive relationships with farmers and ranchers has always been evident, as she helped them to maximize their crop yields while complying with state water quality standards. In her current role, Hannah has kept that momentum going. She and her team work tirelessly with producers to help them use their water more efficiently, especially during the drought season, which includes implementing best practices with water metering and better water conservation. Hannah is particularly skilled at generating excitement for the program and has gained the respect of the agriculture producers she works with. She works well with co-workers to efficiently manage contracts and stay up to date with the needs of this rapidly growing program.

James Kirkland, Department of Natural Resources

When Jim was just 5 years old, he received a set of dinosaur figurines. These small replicas triggered a lifelong fascination and a career spanning almost 50 years, including the past 20 years as Utah’s state paleontologist. Because of Jim’s tireless efforts to understand Utah’s Mesozoic geology, it has become a mecca for researchers from all over the world. Jim has authored and co-authored close to 100 scientific papers. He has named 23 new dinosaur species (including the Utahraptor). For several decades, he has been featured as a paleontological expert through documentaries, such as PaleoWorld, When Dinosaurs Roamed America, and Dirty Jobs. Jim has played a key role in protecting Utah’s paleontological sites. He aided in the establishment of Utahraptor State Park near Moab. His advocacy has driven key policies to conserve Utah’s paleontological treasures. Collaborating with government, local communities, and land management, he has ensured these resources are preserved for future generations.

Alec Langton, Department of Corrections

Alec has not only exemplified the mission, vision and values of the Utah Department of Corrections; he has helped build them. He has been instrumental in providing the tools and facilitating meetings necessary to gain the voice, feedback, and ultimately the buy-in of the entire agency behind a new set of guiding principles and goals which is critical for a 2,300-person agency. He has helped people feel more connected, fulfilled, and excited. Alec has researched and used innovative tools to show how we move people’s ideas and feedback into language for a mission, vision and values. He has provided department and division level leadership tools to meet with personnel and document their thoughts or opinions – then see clearly how those ideas translated into higher level efforts. Alec has also helped drive UDC’s customer experience projects in a way that shows the public and families of our clientele that we care and want to hear their experiences – and that we want to work proactively to make those experiences better.