When it comes to child care, affordability, quality and accessibility are big concerns for Utah parents. What’s more, child care issues impact businesses and our economy as well as just families, resulting in an estimated $1.36 billion loss annually for Utah’s economy. What does this mean for the business community, and what can be done to help? On this episode, we are joined by Anna Thomas, Senior Policy Analyst at Voices for Utah Children and Elizabeth Garbe, Vice President of Public Policy at United Way Salt Lake, to discuss what a recent report has revealed about child care issues in Utah.
About our Guests
Anna Thomas, Senior Policy Analyst of Voices for Utah Children, joined the organization in 2017. Anna spent nearly a decade with the ACLU of Utah, where she served in a variety of roles, from development and media relations to criminal justice reform advocacy and community outreach. Before joining the ACLU of Utah, Anna handled development and communications for Front Range Earth Force, a service-learning non-profit partnered with public school teachers in Denver, Colo. She also worked as community organizer for a grassroots environmental justice non-profit in Northeast Denver and served as an aide to U.S. Representative Diana DeGette of Colorado’s First Congressional District. Anna is a Salt Lake City native, proud to claim West High School as her alma mater. She earned a BA in Journalism from the University of Denver, and an MPA from the University of Utah.
Elizabeth Garbe, Vice President of Public Policy, joined the United Way of Salt Lake team in 2007. She has led the development and implementation of public policy agendas and lobbying strategies for nearly two decades. A passionate advocate for children and families in Utah, Elizabeth has worked to pass critical legislation in the areas of education, health and financial stability, with a strong focus on early childhood education. Elizabeth received her master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys skiing, hiking, and rafting with her husband and three stepchildren.
