INSIGHTS

A Mother’s Touch

By Natalie Gochnour | 04/25/2026

Originally published in the Deseret News and Deseret Magazine. The U.S. Mint introduced the Sacagawea golden dollar in 2000 and it remains in circulation today. The coin commemorates the Native guide and mother for her singular and essential contribution to westward expansion. The gold colored specie is a favorite of mine because of the remarkable…

Investing in Utah Children

By Natalie Gochnour | 02/23/2025

By Elena Patel and Natalie Gochnour Originally published in the Deseret News. Approximately 1 in every 10 Utah children 0-5 years of age lives in poverty. Without additional help, many of these 28,000 children will continue to suffer food insecurity, poor living conditions and lack of opportunity. Fortunately, Utah now joins with 13 other states, offering…

Why this speech on elections is exactly what Utahns need to hear

By Natalie Gochnour | 10/04/2024

Originally published in the Deseret News. This week I attended Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson’s timely speech on the 2024 elections. She spoke with authority, courage and grace as she explained that attacks on our elections and the people who run them are attacks on the very institutions that protect our liberty. She said Utahns…

Why building a city is like a relay race.

By Natalie Gochnour | 07/10/2024

Originally published in the Salt Lake Tribune. In 1846, the namesake of Parley’s Canyon, Parley Pratt, wrote in his journal about the “shout of joy” he and others felt upon first seeing the Salt Lake valley. Pratt helped start what has become 178 years of city building in Utah. Salt Lake City now serves as…

Utah and Salt Lake City Policy Innovations

By Natalie Gochnour | 02/25/2023

The American Enterprise Institute recently released a book titled, The Future of Cities. I was honored to contribute a chapter highlighting policy innovations in Utah and Salt Lake City. Many have written about the trend towards bigger government and the “supersized state.” I like to remind people it’s not bigger government that matters; it’s better…

Utah’s Middle East trade mission: interfaith magic and collaboration

By Natalie Gochnour | 10/01/2022

Originally published in the Deseret News. Editor’s Note: Natalie Gochnour, David Eccles School of Business Associate Dean and Deseret News contributor, traveled with a delegation of business and community leaders on a trade mission led by the World Trade Center Utah to Israel and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Here is an insider’s look at what…

What do vultures have to do with the Utah trade mission in the Middle East?

By Natalie Gochnour | 09/30/2022

Originally published in the Deseret News. Editor’s Note: Natalie Gochnour, David Eccles School of Business Associate Dean and Deseret News contributor, traveled with a delegation of business and community leaders on a trade mission led by the World Trade Center Utah to Israel and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Here is an insider’s look at what…

A ticket to the future: Utah visits Dubai

By Natalie Gochnour | 09/29/2022

Originally published in the Deseret News. Editor’s Note: Natalie Gochnour, David Eccles School of Business Associate Dean and Deseret News contributor, traveled with a delegation of business and community leaders on a trade mission led by the World Trade Center Utah to Israel and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Here is an insider’s look at what…

What the Startup State can learn from the Startup Nation

By Natalie Gochnour | 09/28/2022

Originally published in the Deseret News. Editor’s Note: Natalie Gochnour, David Eccles School of Business Associate Dean and Deseret News contributor, traveled with a delegation of business and community leaders on a trade mission led by the World Trade Center Utah to Israel and United Arab Emirates. Here is an insider’s look at what occurred…

Gov. Cox goes to Israel: Can we learn from the Dead Sea to save the Great Salt Lake?

By Natalie Gochnour | 09/26/2022

Originally published in the Deseret News. Editor’s Note: Natalie Gochnour, David Eccles School of Business Associate Dean and Deseret News contributor, traveled with a delegation of business and community leaders on a trade mission led by the World Trade Center Utah to Israel and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Here is an insider’s look at what…