You're More Qualified Than You Think: A Journey into Local Leadership

What does it take for women to see themselves as qualified political leaders? For Brynn Heather Johnson, it required a PowerPoint presentation from her husband during what was supposed to be a relaxing hotel getaway. Despite years of community service, PTA leadership, and passionate advocacy for her city, Brynn never imagined herself on Draper City Council until someone else recognized her potential.

This eye-opening conversation explores how women's everyday leadership experiences—managing PTA budgets, coordinating volunteers, advocating for school safety—translate perfectly into public service, though women rarely make this connection themselves. Brynn's candid account of her reluctant entry into politics reveals both the challenges (fundraising discomfort, negative campaign comments, knowledge gaps) and the unexpected joys of serving her community at this level.

As a Welsh-named woman who once dreaded the first day of school because teachers would mispronounce her name, Brynn brings a unique perspective to preserving Draper's farming heritage while guiding its future development. Her passion for creating community gathering spaces, maintaining historical sites, and ensuring every resident feels heard exemplifies the difference women's leadership makes in local governance.

Most revealing is the statistical evidence that when women run for office, they win at higher rates than men—the challenge isn't electability but convincing qualified women to put their names forward. Brynn's message to women hesitating at the edge of public service resonates deeply: "You absolutely do deserve to be there, your voice matters, and you are absolutely qualified."

Whether you're considering public office or simply want to understand the inner workings of city government, this conversation offers both practical insights and inspirational encouragement. The path to more representative leadership doesn't require extraordinary qualifications—just the courage to recognize that your everyday experiences have prepared you more than you realize.

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Transcript

Meeting Bryn Heather Johnson

Speaker 1 0:05

Welcome to the Elevate podcast. Belinda Gates has said when women are in leadership, the whole world benefits. Today's conversation showcases the truth of that statement. Hello and welcome to another episode of Elevate, a Women's Leadership Institute podcast. We have Bryn Heather Johnson here with us today. We have Bryn Heather Johnson here with us today. We met Bryn at the send-off of the Martha Hughes Cannon statue and she's been on my list to follow through with because she has an interesting story, and so I'm excited to have you here today. Thank you for coming, bryn. You bet I'm excited to be here. Thanks for having me. Good, so Bryn is a current city council member of Draper, she is the local high school PTA secretary and she is a part-time college student. So I will give that to you to kind of flesh out for us, as well as tell us something, some personal tidbit about you. It could be like your favorite game, what you're binge watching on Netflix, you know, maybe you love to dance, whatever that might be.

Speaker 2 1:05

Okay, well, I'll start with something unique about me. So Hughes is actually my maiden name. My dad was 100% Welsh and so I love all things British. You know, I the British humor, everything British. I wish I were in a Jane Austen novel, but I always tell myself that I would be the scullery maid. I would not be the heroine of the story. You know, that is just my demographic. I was not raised in an affluent household you know.

Speaker 1 1:33

But you will catch the eye of the man of the matter, the scullery maid.

Speaker 2 1:38

I don't know. We were coal miners through and through, right. That's what I came from, but just that. My dad just loved everything about his heritage and so that was passed on to me. Bryn is a Welsh name it's actually a male's name in Wales and so it was something to have this uniqueness about me that had pros and cons. When I was growing up it wasn't a common name. People mispronounced it. They still do. I was growing up people.

Speaker 2 2:05

It wasn't a common name. People mispronounced it, they still do, and so it was something that was hard a little bit to have something that was so different about you that you, you know, I dreaded the first day of school because I knew they weren't the teachers weren't going to pronounce it. My name, right, so you kind of. So what do they say? I get Brian all the time Because it's B-Y-R-N-N, b. I get Brian all the time because it's B-Y-R-N-N, b-r-y-n, yeah, b-r-y-n. Or I get Bern or Byron.

Speaker 2 2:31

So it was something, and that's why I put Heather, that's why I use my middle name because it helps people know that I'm a woman not a man Right. And so it was something that I had to work hard at, to be proud of and to to enjoy and to like. And I finally got to go to Wales a few years ago and I it was.

Speaker 2 2:53

I finally felt like I that there that's where I was supposed to be, because there was my name and my last name is Welsh as well, and so to be in that land of where my father came from was a great experience for me, so everyone pronounced my name right.

Speaker 1 3:09

Claiming your cultural heritage. And you know, for many people it is something that they have to like, claim right, if they don't like it when they're growing up, maybe later?

Discovering and Preserving Draper's Charm

Speaker 2 3:19

So yeah, so, yes, everything British that's me. So I am wearing my Princess Diana ring today. Oh, I got it in Wales and so you know, very cool I love that.

Speaker 1 3:33

Okay, so tell us, you lived in Washington DC before you came here and you just fell in love with Draper. You have said what did you love about Draper, like what drew you to it? And now, as a city council member, what are the things that you love about it? You want to keep? What are, like the things that you're like we'd love to see this happen in Draper.

Speaker 2 3:54

I'd love to hear that story. Yeah, so when my family moved back from Washington DC area to Draper, obviously we were looking around and all the different cities. We had some friends who had recently moved to Draper so they did a lot of legwork for us, which is always nice when you don't have to do that, but Draper just felt different to us. There was a sense of community and a sense of charm, and I think Draper was trying to retain its heritage.

Speaker 2 4:19

Draper was, you know this is stuff I'm learning about, a little bit more as I've been on City Council. But you know, draper was a farming community and so they have, I think, been really trying to hold on to some of that heritage. When I first became involved in the city not too long ago, I saw an ad on Facebook. I guess it wasn't an ad, but you know the city posted that they had an opening on the Historic Preservation Commission.

Speaker 2 4:44

But, um, you know, the city posted that they had an opening on the historic preservation commission, and because I grew up in an area where history was everywhere, that was something that I was really excited about so I applied and the I met with the mayor and the mayor appointed me to be part of that commission and so, as a city council member, after I, you know, ran for city council, that is something that I am really passionate about is maintaining Draper's sense of charm, its history, because even though it's obviously Utah's a lot you know newer of a environment and a city and a state.

Speaker 2 5:17

There is a lot of history here that we need to still preserve and maintain, and sometimes there's one story that's been told from one group, but I think it's important. There's so many stories that are here and we need to make sure that they're all being told. I love that.

Speaker 1 5:33

The richness of it and I love the idea that you felt community and they want to preserve that, because going down I-15, I don't want every stop to be a McDonald's and an Arby's and a gas station, right, I would love the field to be different, for me to be able to distinguish Draper from Riverton from everything else.

Speaker 2 5:53

So I'd love that, yeah, and I think there's a lot of potential with the point. Obviously that's a state project, so Draper doesn't have a lot of say into that. But we just approved a station area plan for town center and you know part of it is a is a community gathering place. So I'm hoping that we can really get working on that so that the residents have a place to gather. We would like to hopefully have a museum there, you know that's. We'll see if that happens. But you know Draper has a lot of history, interesting history, and you know at one point they were producing eggs for basically the whole country. So that's stuff that people.

Speaker 1 6:35

we just don't know, People don't know that I need a big egg over there when I drive by Draper right.

Speaker 2 6:40

Something, so there's a lot of potential.

Speaker 1 6:52

I think that you know we could do to let people know about how great Draper is and the things that it used to do and provide for the country. So, yeah, I think that's a really sweet spot when you can preserve heritage and the things that made people great and the city great, while also embracing change, right and growth, and learning how to meld those two together can be tricky.

Speaker 2 7:07

It can be a tricky place and right now I'm reading there's the Historical Society produced a three-volume set of Draper's History and I've been reading that and just to hear the different voices that are within those books and to say, oh, you know, we need to broadcast that, that needs to be part of the greater history because you know, our residents don't know that.

Speaker 1 7:29

The greater community doesn't know that about.

Speaker 2 7:31

Draper Right so.

Speaker 1 7:32

Because if you move in, you're probably as just a move in. You're not going to read the three volume history. No, but you as a history lover and that's something you love about it is something to advocate for. Yeah, it's even like so the point. That's an interesting discussion. Is that like a space adjacent to the point, is that inside the point you want to have that community space?

Understanding City Council Responsibilities

Speaker 2 7:55

So the town center station area plan is not part of the point. So that's by our city city hall and the track center that's across the street from that. So that's different. You know the point may do its own thing. You know they just approved a um an event center that will be a great community gathering space. So that's one of the first things I think that will go in there, but that'll be, like I said, separate from some of the things that Draper City itself wants to do.

Speaker 1 8:32

Yeah. So I think this is a good time to kind of dive into what the city council does, because when we bring women into our political development series or I'm talking with women it is, you know, they want to solve world hunger and they're running for city council and I'm like wait, those are not. Like, city council is pothole, potholes, it's roads, it's, you know, infrastructure. So could you tell us a little bit about your duties on the city council and maybe what a meeting is like?

Speaker 2 9:04

Yeah, the one thing that I love about city council is that it's different from week to week and month to month, and even over the course of the year and a half that I've been there. Something is different every time. So in a sense it's nice because I feel like I don't have to know every single thing at every single time because something new is going to happen. But overall, like what you said, it's roads, it's sewer, it's infrastructure, but it's not all infrastructure, because the state owns and maintains some roads, so it's select roads that we have.

Speaker 2 9:40

But the other really nice thing is that each city is going to have staff, that they're the experts who do all of that, so you rely on them as a council person Absolutely.

Speaker 2 9:52

But I would say that what has helped me is to meet with the directors so that I have an understanding of what the goals are for Draper and what the priorities are for Draper, and so I would encourage people who are thinking about running for city council is to reach out to people you know the staff within their own city to find out what their city's needs are. Concerns are for their own city because it's different for each city. But yeah, obviously you know, and for Utah, our city doesn't have support services like mental health or you know those kinds of things with support services for residents, so it really is just structural things.

Speaker 2 10:35

Land use is a big thing for you know what businesses and development might want to use land for. So that's something to talk with. You know the planning department about, you know so parks, I know in our city parks is under the city and developing them.

Speaker 1 10:56

And right, because I got involved, because I'm like look, you can't have a park if there's not a bathroom. Please don't do that to the, to the parent that is taking them to the park, you know.

Speaker 2 11:05

Right and Draper has an amazing parks and rec department. We have like over 100 trails, 100 miles of trails. We have like over a hundred trails, a hundred miles of trails. We have 44 parks, and so that's a huge part of our city that we have a huge emphasis on. But I don't feel like to run that you need to have a knowledge of all of those different areas, because you can learn that as you go. As an issue comes on the table. You should be able to meet with your city manager beforehand and if you have questions, then direct those to the people within the city who have more knowledge than you do.

Speaker 2 11:43

Yeah, and that's all that can be, that's learn, learn as you go, you know.

Speaker 1 11:47

So, so tell me about your journey into politics, into running for city council, did you ever have a moment of like no, I don't know enough or I don't want to do that. What, what, what does that?

Speaker 2 12:02

journey look like. So I never had a goal to be on city council. It wasn't ever something that you know wasn't part of my five year plan. I wasn't as a little kid thinking oh, this is something I want to do. I was. You know, my husband had run for office a few years ago, so he's been the one who's really been into politics and he could you know name all of the key players?

Speaker 1 12:29

Yeah, and did you help on his campaign I did.

Speaker 2 12:32

I did more of the you know visual aspects of it. I wasn't really someone who was getting out there and knocking doors. No, I'm not doing that.

Speaker 1 12:43

At least you're honest.

Speaker 2 12:44

Yeah, I'm not into that, but it was, you know, a few weeks before the opening, the opening of, you know, the the race, and we had this free night and a hotel, and it was, I think, a couple of weeks before my daughter was getting married, so I was planning a wedding and he's like let's go away for you know a night and I was like, great, so I was looking forward to get some takeout watching Netflix, all these kinds of things.

Speaker 2 13:09

So we get to the hotel, he's like okay, I need to have a conversation with you first, okay, and you're like wait a minute.

Speaker 2 13:15

I have no idea what this is about. So he opens his laptop, he has this PowerPoint presentation of all of the reasons why I should run for city council. And I and you had no idea, no idea, and I was like you're insane. What are you talking about? I'm, I was on the executive board for the PTA at the high school. I went, I'm going to school, you know, I'm getting a second bachelor's degree. I was planning a wedding for my daughter, who was out of state at the time, getting married in Utah, and I was like there is no way I can do this. And but he sat down and he said look, you've been so involved in the community, you've been involved in the schools. I had, several years before, worked with a neighbor to get a stop, a stop signal like a light installed at an intersection, that I was really concerned about there were elementary school kids crossing it on a pretty busy road.

Speaker 2 14:04

So he said you are a great candidate to run for city council. And I just, you know, just laughed at him I said, no, that's not something I want to do.

Speaker 1 14:14

But the okay. So let me pause there because of your time or because you're like, I don't see myself as city council material.

Speaker 2 14:20

I think it was both. You know, I think probably the biggest thing was I. I have no qualifications to be on city council, but the thing that he said that stuck out with me is he said most women need someone else to encourage them to run for office.

Speaker 1 14:34

Yes, that is so true.

Speaker 2 14:37

And so as I drove around the city over the next couple of days, that thought just kept running through my mind is that I would never think that I was good enough or qualified to be on city council. But as I drove around my city I kept thinking, oh my gosh, I you know. These are the things that are really important to me about the city. One was traffic Cause. I thought, oh my gosh, what can we do? Could we do things you know better in the city for traffic? I thought about kids and how. You know I was so passionate about the safety of the kids that I worked with the city to get this light installed. And then just sustainability. You know I'm very passionate about the environment.

Speaker 2 15:12

So how can we as a city you know be better at, you know, water conservation and things like that. And so I thought if I could come up with those things that quickly, then, you know, maybe I should try this, maybe I see what happens. And so, a little bit to just pacify my husband, because I knew if I didn't at least put my name in the in the you know, that he would just keep bugging me until I did it. Um, but a little bit just to say let's see what happens. Yeah, I love that. So I did.

Speaker 2 15:42

I went to city hall and I Was your heart racing. Well, I thought I would just put my name on the list of you know, here's the five or six people. But you know, you sat, I sat down with the city recorder and it, you know, I got this big binder, and so it was a little bit more intense than I thought. But I I really thought there's no way there will be someone who's you know more qualified. And and at that time I didn't know that the um, current city council woman was going to step down. I didn't know, but she stepped down and didn't run again, and so I think that really opened the door for me to have a true shot at this, and so that is how I ended up being on Draper City Council.

From Skeptic to Candidate: Running Story

Speaker 1 16:29

I love that story because sometimes when we talk about running for office, we don't get into like the nitty gritty. I loved how you said well, I considered it. I drove around my city and realized there are things that I care about. I do have an opinion about this. You know I have been talking in PTA about this and you believed him. That's another part, right. You believed him, we're like well, let's try this out. That's another part. Right, you believed him, we're like well let's try this out.

Speaker 2 16:53

That's really cool when I think of what he said is that you know most women need some encouragement. That was really the key statement is that I and everything that he said was true I had been so involved in the in the schools and to me that that wasn't good enough. Wasn't good enough. But when you look at it, over so many years and as I worked with my team to help get me elected, that was enough for the residents. They were like great, you have been involved in the schools. That is important to us. So if you've been involved in the schools and you've been committed to the schools, then you're also going to be committed to us as residents and to the city.

Speaker 2 17:34

So it translated, I think very well into being on city council.

Speaker 1 17:39

Yeah. So then did he help you with your campaign? He absolutely did. He absolutely did. Yes.

Speaker 2 17:47

You know, and he helped knock doors. He, you know, hung flyers whatever needed to happen. Yeah, Was that a?

Speaker 1 17:55

process for you, because it sounds like you were still convincing yourself that this was a good thing. Was it a process to be able to claim that and say no, I can be an expert here, or I can at least know how to give in these areas.

Speaker 2 18:14

It was, and I think too, I mean it was a long campaign because it was, you know, from June to the end of November. It was that special one where they they delayed it a little bit. So it was. It was long and drawn out. But I think one thing I think that was was hard for me was to find those strengths about myself and to put it to transfer that into a campaign, because I've been a stay at home mom, you know, I've been volunteering in the schools, but how?

Speaker 2 18:33

does that translate into serving your community, serving your city? Because you know, like you said, these issues about. You know road maintenance and sewer and land use. There's nothing like that in PTA, right, right. So how do I stand in front of the residents and say you should vote for me because?

Speaker 2 18:55

you know of my volunteer work, but I had to really dive in and look and say, well, actually I was the treasurer for two years at the high school and so I do know how to look at a budget and say, you know, not to the same scale as a city, sure, sure. It's quite, quite different, but you know I could take some of that experience and say this will translate really well into a city because of these volunteer things that I've done throughout. You know my children's educational pathway.

Speaker 1 19:26

I love that. Thank you for sharing that and showcasing that there is value and transferable skills Right. Sometimes I think we have to leave all these skills we've done at home or wherever else we are to come into the business world or to come into politics, and really we just need to couch them in a different way, yeah, and I think we don't see it a lot of times.

Speaker 2 19:49

You know, it's hard for us to look at our strengths and see you know, oh, which is why we need tapped on the shoulder. Yes, exactly Because sometimes other people see it and us and we don't see it. And that's been, that's been something that I've needed sometimes from you know, my coworkers now at the city is for them to say, well, we appreciate that you've done this and you've done these things, and I think, oh, I didn't realize those were strengths, that's just who I am. Yeah, you know, they are valuable.

Speaker 1 20:20

I love that. So I want to touch on your PTA, because you touched on that in your story. You have a long history of service in the PTA, both locally and nationally. So we've touched on it a little bit about, like the transferable skills, but why PTA, both locally and nationally? So we've touched on it a little bit about like the transferable skills, but why PTA? What leadership skills did you find? Like, was there a high moment or a low moment in your PTA service? Tell us a little bit about that, because so many women are involved in their kids' schools.

Speaker 2 20:47

Yeah, and I don't have national PTA experience, I've just done within my children's schools. I think that's something that when our kids start out in elementary school, I think we're all pretty much inclined to volunteer in some sort of way, you know, be a room mom or be the PTA president at the elementary school, and you know I did some of those things, but I continued to be involved as they went into secondary school, middle school, Because it changes for sure.

Speaker 2 21:17

It definitely changes and I think a lot of the perception is PTA is no longer needed when they get older and what I have found is that it definitely changes in the classroom as much, but that there's still an important value in PTA within those older school years and what we do is, I think we look at it more as a holistic approach to their education.

Speaker 2 21:44

So we're looking at, you know, their physical safety, their emotional health, how they're doing socially. Those are kind of the values that PTA can bring to your child's educational system. And so you know, we have some art programs that we do, but we also there's a club that the students themselves can join, a PTA club. And so they're bringing service opportunities to the school themselves, and so we're supporting.

Speaker 1 22:12

Yeah, breeding leaders out of them too. Right, right.

Speaker 2 22:14

We're supporting the administration, we're supporting the teachers as a PTA and just being there to say what can we do? How can we help you provide a better experience for our students?

Speaker 1 22:25

I love that you touched on the value of PTA, because I know that this is my first year serving in PTA. I don't even know what my thing is, but she's like you, let's do it. I said okay Cause I usually serve on community councils. Right the land, use the money. So do tell me I'd want to dig into PTA a little bit more, because as women transition in back into the workforce or to politics, many of them have experience in the schools. So tell me about the value of PTA from your lens. What are some moments or memories or experiences that you felt really showcase that?

Speaker 2 23:05

Well, I think again, it's providing leadership skills to women who, you know, maybe they're having a difficult time finding a place within their community. Sometimes they're stay-at-home moms, sometimes they're working, sometimes they're working part-time, sometimes they're working full-time, but they want a connection to their child's school and to the other women or you know, we'd love to have more dads right To have the connection to other people within their children's school community and so that gives an opportunity for them to be there.

Speaker 2 23:34

The one thing that I have loved about being part of the PTA is that I understand more about, like I said, what my child is doing within the school and their and their community. I understand you know what the teachers are going through, because I think sometimes you don't, especially when your child gets older. You know, and they have six or seven teachers.

Speaker 1 23:55

It's hard to really get to know them all?

Speaker 2 23:57

Yes, absolutely, and so to have a teacher representative on the PTA who can say these are the issues that our teachers are having, this is what they're struggling with, or our teachers are doing. Great, you know, we appreciate the support that the parents are giving our teachers. So I really like having that kind of pulse on what's going on in the school so that, I think, has been a real value to PTA to me.

Speaker 1 24:20

Yeah, I love that. Thank you for sharing that. Okay, so Back to your political run. Sometimes running for office is not for the faint of heart, especially for women. So what did you feel during your running? I'd love to know some high lows, like the journey of it. What can people expect as they run for office? And of course, everyone's experience is different right, every city is different. But just kind of paint a picture for what that looks like. And then also, now that you've won, is being on city council what you thought it was? And if not, like what is it?

Speaker 2 25:01

Yeah, so running was obviously like nothing I'd ever experienced before, and I think I am somebody who I don't like to take risks. I only like to do things that I'm pretty sure that I'm going to do well. So it was a huge step out of my comfort zone for me. I was surprised at kind of just so many different experiences where some people were really excited for me, some people were very indifferent, like if you want to run, that's your thing, I'm not really going to be involved in it.

Speaker 1 25:32

Did that surprise you sometimes?

Speaker 2 25:34

The people who said that, yeah, cause, there were some people who were like I don't want to get involved in politics, like if you want to do this, you do it, but I'm not going to get involved in this. And then some people not not anybody who I knew personally, but how many people were, um, very, you know, negative about it and would attack me without even knowing who.

Speaker 1 25:52

I was.

Speaker 2 25:52

And I'm like I genuinely, I genuinely I'm trying to do this because I care about our city, and so why are you attacking me for trying to do something good? So that was right. So you have to have a thick skin, which I don't, and so you have to say, you know, like they don't know who I am, they're just attacking me. You know, I don't know, they have nothing better to do, or you know, I don't know. And so I think you have to have your eyes open when you go into it and say you're going to have all those different experiences and you can't take it personally, because they don't know you Because it's not personal.

Speaker 1 26:24

Yes, yeah.

Speaker 2 26:25

It's. You know, maybe they're upset about a certain issue and they're afraid you're going to, you know, vote a certain way about a certain issue. I don't know. So I think you just have to have your eyes open and, I think, having a good support system for when it does get hard, because it will be hard and you know you are going to feel bad sometimes- yeah, well, of course Some people love you and some people don't, and that's just given, yeah.

Speaker 2 27:02

And I'm like this is just local politics, right. I'm like this is again, we're just, you know, trying to fix traffic or we're trying this isn't. You know, we're not really changing. The are saying I'm so glad that you're doing this, you know I support you, so that can be really validating when you hear that kind of support. Um and, and I would also say too that I am a very independent person, so I didn't look for help and I think I probably should have reached out to more people and said can you help me with this? There were a lot of people who came to me and said you know, if you need, help.

Speaker 2 27:34

I'm here, you know but I think I should have reached out to more people because there were things that I didn't know how to do and what to do. Sure, and I think we need that community of support to lift us and build us, because it does take. It takes a village right and it takes. It takes a lot of people to help you win a campaign. You can't just do it on your own.

Speaker 1 27:54

So I like that and I love that. You said I'm capable, I'm pretty independent. I thought I'd just do this and then I realized that it might have been easier if I would have asked other people. Sometimes we just put our head down and like get it done, yes.

Speaker 2 28:11

That is very much my personality. I got this. I can do this with pretty much everything I do. I'm like I'm fine, I can do this.

Speaker 1 28:17

So if you were to ask for help from other people, if you run again or, as you would, mentor other people who are running, what would you tell them? Like, what are the important positions to have in place to support?

Speaker 2 28:28

Well, I think you know publicity is a huge thing. You've got to get your message out, because you can't assume that someone's going to kind of do their own research and look it up themselves. You know that people are going to. You know, maybe just go if they like the way your name looks or something.

Speaker 1 28:44

I don't know, I honestly don't know. And it could be all the above right People who totally research and people are like, yeah, that sounds like a pretty name, let's do her.

Campaign Challenges and Seeking Help

Speaker 2 28:53

Yeah, or you know, and sometimes it's you know. You are just given a number of where you are on the ballot right. So it's just look at the draw where you are, and sometimes it's just you know, maybe the top three just one, two, three, I don't, you know it's just so you really want to get your message out.

Speaker 2 29:09

What's your message, what's important to you, what are your values, and make sure people know what those are. Yeah, because people who are invested in the community are going to look at it and see what do you stand for, and I think that is why I won is because I was very clear on what my values were and that I was active in the community.

Speaker 1 29:30

Yeah, I already had a track record of being involved.

Speaker 2 29:33

I can see that and so people knew, okay, she's been involved, she's going to continue to be involved, she cares about this, and so I think that's whatever it is. If you're passionate about the environment, if you're passionate about kids, if you're passionate, you know, whatever it is, I think, if people know that, I think they're going to get behind you.

Speaker 1 29:53

So publicity is one. Is there another one that you'd say, like, looking back, I probably should have asked someone to help me with that? Like I've heard people say, I had someone read all the comments because I didn't want to read the comments, like they would just take them down so that probably would have been a good one, because I read the comments and then it was like why?

Speaker 1 30:10

are you being so mean to me? Yes, it can be brutal. It can be brutal, yeah. What about finances? Sometimes that's something for women to figure out how to run, how to open a bank account, all those kinds of things.

Speaker 2 30:23

Yeah, I was able to do that, but I think what was really hard for me was asking for money. I didn't want to ask for money. Oh, like fundraising, yes, fundraising was so hard because I was like I just I wasn't. Well, we'll just pay for it.

Speaker 1 30:36

Let's just pay for it, and you know, and it's expensive.

Speaker 2 30:40

It's so expensive because if you want to put, get flyers out, those are, those are crazy expensive. And yard signs, which I don't, not a whole lot of people used my yard signs. I don't think I that's not maybe the best place to put your money, but it's expensive to run a campaign and there are people who are willing to put money into it, especially if they agree with your platform and what you stand for, and they're probably just happy you're running and not them.

Speaker 2 31:05

Yes, or or that you're running and okay, let's. We don't want the other guy to win right, it just depends on who's running. You know it just depends on what the temperature is out there.

Speaker 1 31:16

Did that get easier the longer your campaign went in asking for money? No, not at all.

Speaker 2 31:22

I'm hoping, if I choose to run again, that I can say look at these things that I did. Don't you want me to do it again?

Speaker 1 31:30

So you're already thinking your PR spin.

Speaker 2 31:32

I don't know. You know it's just it's hard. I think you know people work hard for their money and so you want to make sure that they feel comfortable in putting it towards a good cause. So you know that was hard because then, especially if you're like I don't know if I'm going to win, so you know it's that risk. Yeah, it's a risk. You don't want them to waste their money on something that is not fruitful.

Speaker 1 31:54

So yeah, Well, and I think that that's also appreciative right that you don't. You're like I want to take your money. No, like you want it to tell somebody.

Speaker 2 32:11

this is what I'm using it for and this is why I think this particular item is beneficial for my campaign. So if you're going to use social media, say this is what I'm trying to use this money for. I think that's helpful too. So people say, oh yeah, I can get behind that.

Speaker 1 32:29

Okay, so you, the day of elections, are you nervous Like? Do you watch it? Do you not Like someone else tell you yes?

Speaker 2 32:41

And I. We pretty much knew where I was, where I was in the in the election, so we had a pretty good idea that I was going to come out ahead. My husband is a huge nerd and so he was like you know, she means that in all the best ways.

Speaker 2 33:01

So I should say like statistically right. So he was like the numbers guy right. So you know, okay, refreshing, refreshing, and it took a while. You know we were waiting and we were waiting and we were waiting. But, yes, we were refreshing the feed all the time and because it's local, it wasn't one of those things where you know there was any polling done or anything, so we had to wait for it, for all of the results.

Speaker 1 33:25

And then, when you got on the city council and you had your first meeting, or your first several meetings, was it what you thought, or what like? How does that? How do you make decisions on the council? How do you figure that out? What does that look like?

Speaker 2 33:38

Well, and I will say, I started, you know the election cycle you know in in June. I started going to city council meetings, I think in July or August, just so I would have some kind of idea you know of what they did. What they did and um, I met with the city manager, you know, starting in December, so he could kind of start briefing me on. This is what it looks like. Um, and I had gone to a couple of city council meetings, just as a resident because, there were some issues that you know I wanted to address.

Speaker 2 34:11

I had emailed the city council before, so I had a little idea, a general idea of what was going to happen. But you know, like I said, there's just random stuff that comes up and and my city has been so incredible and so patient with me. As I say, you know, sometimes the first few months I would get an email and I would say I don't know what any of those words in that email are. Yeah, because you know, sometimes the first few months I would get an email and I would say I don't know what any of those words in that email are yeah.

Speaker 2 34:35

Because you know there are so many acronyms and you know.

Speaker 1 34:38

All the jargon that comes along with it.

Speaker 2 34:40

And you're like, okay, and they've been so kind to. I've met with you know, all of the city directors multiple times and they will explain. You know just how Draper City does things, explain. You know just how Draper.

Speaker 1 34:55

City does things.

Speaker 2 34:55

And there's a Utah League of City and Towns that they do a little training for new city council members. So you know I can't speak for every city, but my city was very supportive. I'd been the first newly elected official in you know a really long time six years and so they hadn't really had to train anybody for a while but they were very willing to sit down and answer any questions that I had and I think I think that's been a a big thing too, that I think they're grateful that I'm willing to ask questions 100% and not just say, okay, what you know, whatever but to make it up or pretend, like you don't know or Right, but to say and and to do my own research, and I'll say well, I looked into this and you know this is what I understand about this particular issue.

Speaker 2 35:40

So I think that they appreciate that I'm inquisitive and you know, I want to learn as much as I can about, you know, a particular topic, and so I think they appreciate that that's cool.

Speaker 1 35:52

I love. I don't think that I realized that you could go to, like the city manager, the directors, but it makes sense, right, because new council members come on. It could be every time there's an election if someone's going off, so it's nice to have that consistency.

Speaker 2 36:06

Yeah, and I can't obviously can't speak for every single city. I would hope that every city would be that way.

Learning the Ropes as a New Councilmember

Speaker 2 36:19

And I also think that it doesn't matter what your background is. You're never going to know all of the different areas for a city. So you could have a, you know a degree in finance and you know a background in finance or law or whatever, but there's still going to be some areas of the city you're not going to understand. So I think you can't expect to say, oh, I have all of the knowledge that I need to know about being a city council or any kind of elected official.

Speaker 1 36:37

And that's OK yeah. You know, because that all of that can be learned, yeah, and that's what the community is for too, right, absolutely. To come and say, hey, did you know about this issue? This is what I've learned, or this is my experience. That way it makes it more community oriented, like we all need each other, even though we're in all different positions.

Speaker 2 36:57

Yeah, and I think too, as a member of city council, we don't know all of the issues. You know, we all live in a different part of the city and we all have our you know different scope that we, you know, are involved in Like I'm involved in the schools and someone else might be involved in business and so we need the community to come and tell us, you know, hey, this is an issue that I'm seeing in my neighborhood, or things like that.

Speaker 1 37:20

Yeah, um, so as far as, like, we're in a pretty political divisive time, um, and it's been that way before, but we are in it now what advice do you have for people, or how have you maneuvered through that yourself? Because sometimes innocuous conversations are like oh, I didn't mean to say that, or people get offended, or we're so divided at the moment that even things we could come together on it seems like we're having a harder time. What are your thoughts or tips? What do you see in them?

Speaker 2 37:55

Well, I think people just want to be heard, and so I think, if you take the time to just meet with people and let them talk and not feel like you always have to be the one that's speaking, or your voice has to be heard as well. You know, we have had some council meetings where we're not all on the same page. You know, some of us are voting one way and some of us are voting another way, and I've been impressed that no one's taking it personally, we're not storming off.

Speaker 2 38:22

We're just saying that I feel strongly about this issue on this way, and someone else says I feel strongly about it another way and we can, you know, vote the way that we feel best and then respect each other at the end of the day. And you know, I've even texted someone and I've said I understand your point of view, this is why I felt this way.

Speaker 2 38:43

And they've said great, I you know and so I think, I think to empathize with people and validating how they feel is really important, because then they're more likely to do the same for you. And if you come at the end of the decision saying I can't believe you didn't support me, you're you know, you're just making it worse.

Building Community Through Listening

Speaker 1 39:01

Yeah, I love that. Your first lead was to listen, because it's sometimes. It's not about persuading, it's not about you know any of that, it's just about I hear you, I see you. I might not agree, but let's see what we can do together, right, yeah?

Speaker 2 39:19

Yeah, and I think that too, with with the citizens, I try to say I'm always open, please come and let's have a talk, and there've been several times where we haven't been able to do what the citizen would like us to do. But I hope they feel like I listened and I tried to find out. You know, is there a way that we can do what they wanted to do and then when we've said no, I've said, well, this is why we couldn't do it, but I hope that they at least felt heard.

Speaker 1 39:46

Yeah, and I love that you said I give them the reasons, because there's oftentimes a lot. I'm sure that you know that the citizens don't know right so giving them some context for it, um, I think goes a long way in building community right, I do too, because I think people just want to know that you at least tried.

Speaker 2 40:02

You know it wasn't you even hear me, yeah it wasn't just no, we don't want to do that, we're not, but it. Well, I looked into it and this is why we can't do it, and and you, know, sometimes it's on us, sometimes it's on the state, sometimes it's on the federal. You know who knows.

Speaker 1 40:16

Yeah.

Speaker 2 40:16

Just you know so.

Speaker 1 40:19

Yeah, ok, so do you have? Do you have kids? What do your kids think about this?

Speaker 2 40:26

Yeah, they're super indifferent Right.

Speaker 1 40:28

I love it Because many times women are like oh, I can't run because I have kids.

Speaker 2 40:32

Yeah, I think I couldn't have done it when they were little, right, but now they're older, they're doing their own thing, and so if I text, I'm like well, I'm in this meeting, and they're like we don't really care, you know.

Speaker 1 40:46

I love that you said indifferent. They're like whatever mom no-transcript, like fight it or like talk them into it or anything. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 41:19

No, they they were. They were dragged into campaigning. I would say they were not like mom.

Speaker 1 41:24

This is the greatest thing they were maybe someday they'll look back and be like I'm glad that my mom did that. We'll see Verdict's out, yeah.

Speaker 2 41:31

Yeah, no, they don't. I mean I'll be in a council meeting and they're like I'm in a council meeting, Can you leave me alone for a little? Okay, well, how long are you going to be? I'm like I don't know, because I'm literally trying to run the city. What do you need?

Speaker 1 41:44

from me right now, that's, I'm running the city.

Speaker 2 41:49

Yeah, no, I mean they're still all adults in there. Yeah, I mean they're great, I love them, I'm glad they're independent Right. That's what you want from your kids is for them to be independent. So yeah, but they, yeah, they're not. They're not impressed by this at all. Let me, I'll just say that they're not impressed.

Speaker 1 42:17

Oh, that makes me laugh. I love that, Okay. So what have we not talked about that you would feel is important for people to understand? About the city council, about running about your own journey with it?

Speaker 2 42:25

I just want to tell women that they can, they absolutely can run for city council. They can, they absolutely can run for city council. I think in Utah we have a pretty low rate of women being on city council. But like I said when I said my husband was a nerd when I ran, he was just looking at all of the statistics for women, you know, running, especially in the local government, to see, and there were unfortunately some city council races that didn't have a single woman run.

Speaker 1 42:54

Right, no, when I see those I'm like dude. We should have like a chain and network of texting like hey, somebody get in the race.

Speaker 2 43:00

Yeah, but the interesting thing is that when women run they have a higher percentage of winning than you know, than men necessarily do, because I think probably because there aren't as many. I don't know what why the reason is, but he went through that and he wrote an op-ed article for, I think, Desert News after that race because he was so fascinated by those statistics of how do we get more women to run, because when they run they're successful. And I think it's part of that is that women don't think that they should or that they can, that they deserve to be in these offices. But I want to say you do, you absolutely do deserve to be there, that your voice matters, that the things that you do that think oh, you know, I'm not qualified to be on city council or at the state or whatever, no, you are, you are absolutely qualified.

Speaker 2 43:53

Or at the state or whatever. No, you are, you are absolutely qualified. You know, these all these little PTA things that I did over time, you know, have qualified me to be on city council. I wouldn't have thought 10 years ago, or when I was on the community council, they absolutely prepared me to be on city council, and so they're. Every woman is going to have something in their story that has prepared them as well.

Speaker 1 44:14

I love that. So often when we teach women, it's like look, just claim your leadership. That could be in your home, that could be in your community, that could be in your profession, but in all those places women are leading right, absolutely.

Speaker 2 44:30

Men are leading.

Empowering Women to Run for Office

Speaker 1 44:31

We all can lead together in all these places. So I love that you said that and I love that your personal story is. I didn't think I could and now you're like, yeah, let's all do it Like we can do this?

Speaker 2 44:43

Yes, absolutely. And I think for this upcoming election there are some people who I think are going to run and I'm like, yeah, if I can do it, then anybody can do it.

Speaker 1 44:53

That's the message Fair enough. I love that. Thank you so much for being willing to come on and share with us If people have questions about City Council. Do you mind, if we like, put your email in the show notes? Sure, absolutely. Thank you so much. You bet it.