WASHINGTON — Several women in local government are returning to Utah after a prestigious visit to the White House. The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs invited six Utah Mayors to participate in the Women Mayors of America White House Conference on Thursday, Sept. 20, which focused on discussing issues of concern in cities across the nation.
Mayors Jenney Rees/Cedar Hills, Emily Niehaus/Moab, Dawn Ramsey/South Jordan, Julie Fullmer/Vineyard, Maile Wilson-Edwards/Cedar City, and Ann Leppanen/Bluff were invited attend. The mayors were among 98 mayors from 27 states selected to participate in the event.
They spent Thursday morning with a White House tour and spent the afternoon hearing from Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen Pence, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Assistant to the President Kellyanne Conway, and other key U.S. administrators.
The topics of discussion included:
- Tax incentives to encourage long term investment in low-income and rural communities.
- Career opportunities for military spouses, economic recover following a natural disaster.
- Supporting education for non-traditional students.
- Fighting the opioid epidemic.
The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs serves as the primary liaison between the White House and state, county, local, and tribal governments. The office focuses on building and maintaining relationships with state and local officials.