Description

Join us for an extremely unique opportunity to hear from our woman legislators. 

Lunch provided!

Learn about our panelists:

Representative Ariel Defay was born and raised in Utah and serves in the Utah House of Representatives. She graduated from Utah State University with a bachelor's degree in political science and from Ohio University with a Master's in Public Administration.

As a small business owner, she understands the challenges faced by entrepreneurs. Ariel has extensive experience in politics, having worked as a freelance campaign consultant and as a senior legislative aide for the Ohio House of Representatives Republican leadership. 

Her dedication to public service is reflected in her involvement with several political organizations, including the Davis County Republican Party, the Davis County Republican Women, the Utah Federation of Republican Women, and the National Women’s Legislative Network. She has also contributed to her community through roles in the PTA and Community Council.

She is dedicated to her constituents and works hard to address their needs. Ariel is also a mother of three children and enjoys spending time with her husband and kids cheering on the Utah Jazz, skiing the greatest snow on earth, and enjoying the great outdoors.

Karen Peterson was selected in a special election to represent Utah House District 13 (Clearfield, Clinton, Sunset, and West Point) in December 2021 and was elected in 2022. She has lived with her family in Clinton for 17 years and currently works as the Community Development Manager for Sunrise Engineering. Previously she worked as an advisor for two governors in the roles of: Legislative Policy Director for Governor Spencer Cox and as the Deputy Education Policy Advisor for Governor Gary Herbert.

Karen has focused much of her legislative service on education and transportation. She currently serves as the Chair of the Higher Education Appropriations Committee.

As a two-term member of the Clinton City Council, Karen has experience in local government and municipal policy as well as connections with many community and industry groups. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University and a Master’s of Public Administration from Southern Utah University.

She and her husband, Eric, have three children and a very active Australian Shepherd named Lucy.

Rosemary Lesser has been representing southern Weber County in the Utah House of Representatives since January 2021. Before her political career, Rosemary served as a US Air Force officer for 15 years. After moving to Ogden in 1992, she joined the Ogden Women’s Clinic at McKay Dee Hospital and worked as an OB/GYN doctor, eventually becoming the clinic's president. This experience has given her a deep understanding of the challenges faced by small business owners in the region.

Fun fact about Rosemary: She is an avid Notre Dame football fan because she was a member of the first class of women at Notre Dame, which was previously an all-male school.

Thank you to our sponsors:

BAE Systems

and

Chevron