Governing Group Leadership

FOUNDER AND BOARD MEMBER

Becky Edwards is a lifelong Utahn and an unabashed champion of women’s civic engagement and political involvement. She served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives for ten years, representing Davis County from 2008 to 2019. Her legislative work focused on issues related to strengthening Utah’s economy, improving air quality, enhancing education, and helping families achieve economic stability. Most recently, Becky was a candidate for the U.S. Senate and House, representing Utah.

In late 2023, Becky founded the Governing Group, a political action committee that supports solution-oriented candidates with the financial and organizational resources they need to win and change Utah’s political dynamics. 

Becky graduated with an MSW and an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from BYU. Her involvement in politics is a natural extension of her long-standing commitment to community involvement at a grassroots level. 

Becky grew up in Provo and currently lives in North Salt Lake with her husband, John Edwards. She has four children and a dozen grandchildren. Becky has volunteered and served on boards for various local nonprofits. From May 2019 to January 2021, she served with her husband in Samoa as a humanitarian mental health missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Edwards currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Utah Debate Commission.

SENIOR ADVISOR

Gary R. Herbert served as the 17th governor of Utah from 2009 to 2021 and served as Lieutenant Governor from 2005 to 2009. During his tenure, his focus was on economic development, education, energy, and efficiency in government. As a result, Utah is recognized as a premier business destination and a great place to live and raise families with an unsurpassed quality of life.

Herbert was born and raised in Utah County, where he served as a county commissioner for 14 years. He attended Brigham Young University, served six years in the Utah National Guard from 1970 to 1976 and earned the rank of staff sergeant. 

He started a successful real estate brokerage and development company, Herbert and Associates, Inc. While running a successful business, served as the president of the Utah Association of Realtors and the president of the Utah Association of Counties. Herbert also served as chair of both the Western Governors’ Association and National Governors Association and was the president of the Council of State Governments. 

Herbert has long been a strong advocate for excellence in public and higher education in Utah. He is currently dedicating his time and resources to benefit the students at Utah Valley University (UVU), founding UVU’s Gary R. Herbert Institute for Public Policy. The Institute develops future policy leaders, informs the community, and promotes public involvement in government operations and policymaking.

Herbert and his wife, Jeanette, live in Orem and are the proud parents of six children and seventeen grandchildren.

BOARD MEMBER

Amanda Bollinger is a dedicated mom, career-long teacher, and a candidate for the Utah State Board of Education. She brings a strong passion for education, good public policy, and community building. 

Amanda served as a Special Education Teacher, Resource Teacher, Assistant Principal, Principal, and Principal in Salt Lake County Schools. She also has brought her skills to high school athletics as the Head Soccer & Basketball Coach at Cottonwood High School. 

In 2024, Amanda decided to run for the Utah State Board of Education with the goal of elevating education in Utah. Her campaign received local, state, and national coverage and was praised for its commitment to tackling difficult issues, utilizing volunteers in creative ways, and fostering collaborative relationships throughout her district. She won the Republican nomination at the Salt Lake County Convention and will appear on the November general election ballot. 

Amanda gives back to her community as a proud volunteer, with time spent serving on local community councils, as a Jr. Jazz basketball coach, and a USA Soccer Team Manager. She remains committed to thoughtful discussions and elevating community members dedicated to civility who are running for office throughout Utah.

BOARD MEMBER

Mia Love is a former U.S. Representative for Utah’s 4th Congressional District, serving from 2015 to 2019, and is celebrated as the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress. During her tenure, Love focused on fiscal responsibility, reducing burdensome regulations, and immigration reform. She also served on the House Financial Services Committee, addressing issues related to national financial institutions and terrorism financing.

Before entering Congress, Love served as a member of the Saratoga Springs City Council. She was later elected mayor, where she demonstrated her commitment to community development and governance. During her time on the City Council, she worked to reduce the city’s budget shortfall from $3.5 million to $779,000. Her leadership extended beyond local government, as she was an active voice on national platforms, including her role as a speaker at the 2012 Republican National Convention.

In addition to her elected positions, she also served as the National Outreach Director for the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University, where she led national coalition-building efforts in areas like immigration and technology. Love is currently a political commentator for CNN, where she provides insightful perspectives on national issues.

Love’s journey reflects her dedication to public service and her ongoing influence in political discourse. She and her husband,  Jason Love, are the proud parents of three children.

BOARD MEMBER

Dr. Susan R. Madsen is the Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. She is also the Founding Director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project, which focuses on strengthening the impact of Utah girls and women. Through the years, Professor Madsen has written a host of Utah research and policy briefs and snapshots, reports, and editorials. She is also leading a statewide societal change movement titled “A Bolder Way Forward.” 

Madsen is also a well-known global scholar, publishing nine books and hundreds of articles, chapters, and reports. Madsen’s research has been featured in the U.S. News and World Report, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Parenting Magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, The Washington Post, and she is a regular contributor to Forbes. She speaks globally, and in recent years has done keynotes in Ireland, Costa Rica, the United Arab Emirates, England, Lithuania, Germany, Denmark, and other countries. She serves on or advises many nonprofit, community, and education boards and committees, including the Utah Governor’s strategic initiatives, Envision Utah, South Davis Communities that Care, Utah Financial Empowerment Coalition, Women’s Work Utah, and others. 

Madsen received a bachelor’s degree from BYU, master’s from Portland State University, and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota.

BOARD MEMBER

Kristan Norton is a lifelong southern Utahn who is currently in her 29th year as an elementary teacher in the Washington County School District. She has utilized her time as an educator to serve the people of Utah as a member of the Utah State Board of Education (USBE). 

As a member of the USBE, Kristan is a leading voice for rural schools and students. She initially was selected by the USBE leadership to serve as the Vice Chair of the Finance Committee, then later selected as the Chair. During her time on the Finance Committee, she has worked closely with the legislature to stabilize education funding during years of revenue decline. She also currently serves as a board member on the Utah Rural School Boards Association.

Prior to her time on the USBE, she was included on the state science core writing team, due to her work as a facilitator for math and science professional development throughout Utah. Kristan was also the a committee lead for the development of the STEM professional endorsement curriculum in Utah.

Kristan is a lifelong Republican who served for the last four years as a member of the Washington County Republican Party Executive Committee, twice being elected by the county delegates in House District 75 as their legislative chair. She is committed to ensuring that optimistic, solutions-oriented conservatism remains in Utah.

BOARD MEMBER

Tami Pyfer is the Chief of Staff and VP of External Affairs for UNITE, a national organization dedicated to bridging divisions across political and cultural differences. She is also the co-creator of the Dignity Index, an innovative eight-point scale that evaluates the level of dignity or contempt in the language used during disagreements. Pyfer seeks to promote respectful dialogue and understanding in contentious discussions through this initiative.

Prior to her work with UNITE, Tami served for seven years as the Education Policy Advisor to former Utah Governor Gary Herbert. In this role, she was pivotal in shaping state-level education policy, building coalitions, and engaging with key stakeholders to enhance education in Utah. Tami’s public service extends further, with 12 years of experience in elected office—eight years on the Logan City Council and four years on the Utah State Board of Education.

Tami’s academic background is in Special Education, and before joining Governor Herbert’s executive team, she served as a faculty member at Utah State University. There, she prepared future educators to work with students with disabilities, a cause she remains passionate about.

Tami and her husband Aaron are proud parents of five children and grandparents to 15. They currently reside in the Salt Lake Valley, where they remain active in their community.

BOARD MEMBER

Lowry Snow obtained his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and his Juris Doctorate from Gonzaga University. He currently practices in St. George, Utah at the law firm Snow Jensen & Reece.  

Snow began serving in the Utah legislature in 2012 as a member of the House of Representatives where he served for 11 years until retiring at the end of 2022. While serving in the House, he chaired the House Public Education committee and was a member of the Judiciary Standing Committee. While serving in the legislature he successfully sponsored significant legislation in the areas of criminal justice reform, education, protection of children and victims of abuse, water law, and protections for military veterans and the elderly.  

He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority which oversees the planning and development of the state project known as the Point and located on the recently vacated prison site in Draper. He is a past chair of Utah’s Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, past president of the Utah State Bar and past Chair of Utah’s Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee. 

He remains engaged in and committed to public service. He continues his service as:  Board member of the national non-profit Human Rights for Kids, a bi-partisan entity dedicated to the protection of vulnerable children, board member of the Utah Bar Foundation, Chair of the Central Utah Red Cross Advisory Board, Chair of the Southern Utah Performing Arts Foundation, and member of the Utah Crime Victims Council.