UCASA Gala

GALA

WE ARE CURRENTLY SOLD OUT. If you'd like to be placed on a waiting list, please contact us.

The Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault (UCASA) will be holding its Second Annual Gala in the evening on Saturday, September 30th, 2023, at the Loveland Living Aquarium. We are thrilled to have Dr. Susan R. Madsen be our keynote speaker and to award her and Alissa Black, Bob Carroll, and Amanda Barker for their distinguished service in the fight to prevent and eradicate sexual assault and sexual violence. 

EVENT DETAILS:

• Registration and Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Guests will be able to visit the cash bar, wander the exhibits, and peruse the auction items. 
• Dinner and program will start at 7:20 p.m.  Please arrive early to ensure you have enough time to get checked in before the program begins. 

• Dress is cocktail attire. 
• Free parking available.

ABOUT UCASA
UCASA was founded in 1996 with a vision of uniting Utahns to end sexual violence. It is the federally-recognized coalition for the state of Utah. UCASA engages individuals and organizations in local and statewide collaborations to strengthen the effectiveness of sexual violence education, prevention, and response in Utah. It remains committed to its founding goals to increase support, resources, and services for survivors of sexual assault. 

UCASA's programs include supporting the following items:

~A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Statewide Coordinator who facilitates on-site skills training & regional professional development opportunities throughout Utah
~Support of various state programs
~The statewide helpline for survivors and law enforcement

CONTACT
For more information about UCASA, please visit ucasa.org. If you have questions, please contact [email protected].

Award Recipient: Dr. Susan R. Madsen

Dr. Susan R. Madsen is the Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. She is also the Founding Director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project, which focuses on strengthening the impact of Utah girls and women. Through the years, Professor Madsen has written a host of Utah research and policy briefs and snapshots, reports, and editorials. She is also a well-known global scholar, publishing nine books and hundreds of articles, chapters, and reports. Madsen's research has been featured in the U.S. News and World Report, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Parenting Magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, The Washington Post, and she is a regular contributor to Forbes. She speaks globally, and in recent years has done keynotes in Ireland, Costa Rica, the United Arab Emirates, England, Lithuania, Germany, Denmark, and other countries. She serves on or advises many nonprofit, community, and education boards and committees, including the Utah Governor's strategic initiatives, Parity.org, Envision Utah, South Davis Communities that Care, Utah Financial Empowerment Coalition, Utah Women's Health Coalition, and more. Madsen received a bachelor's degree from BYU, masters from Portland State University, and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota.

Award Recipient: Alissa Black

Alissa Black has worked for the Murray City Police Department as a Crime Victim Advocate for over 19 years. In 2005 she assisted the mobile advocate team at West Valley Police while they were short staffed for a few months. Alissa previously worked as an advocate at the San Diego County District Attorney's office. In 2006 she founded and still manages a volunteer-run nonprofit organization called the Salt Lake Valley Emergency Fund. The Fund assists certain survivors with crime related emergency financial expenses. The Fund partners with several assault and domestic violence nonprofit organizations as well as criminal justice professionals to address financial gaps in resources survivors experience. Alissa is a current member of the Salt Lake County Sexual Assault Response Team board and helps the state of Utah with training detectives on trauma-informed sexual assault investigations. Alissa has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration from San Diego State University.

Award Recipient: Bob Carroll

Bob Carroll is a visionary leader and driving force behind Mutual, the top dating app in Utah and #1 dating app for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As Co-founder and CEO, Bob's dedication to helping individuals meet and form connections with the goal of creating eternal families has been the cornerstone of his work at Mutual. The app's success is a testament to his commitment to facilitating meaningful relationships within a community bound by shared values. Bob's fascination with technology started with basic programming in his teens, leading to a degree in computer science from the University of California, Irvine. Within months of graduation, Bob launched his first software program, marking the beginning of a career driven by innovation and progress. His professional journey spans both the technical and business realms. Bob's expertise extends beyond information technology - encompassing sales, marketing, and human resource management.  As Chief Information Officer, he led the transformation of University of Phoenix into the world's largest online university.

Award Recipient: Amanda Barker

Amanda Barker is the founder and brainchild of Halftee Layering Fashions, a women's fashion company. She is responsible for all manufacturing management and company operations. She is a graduate of BYU where she earned a bachelor's degree in physical education. A native of Wyoming, the entrepreneur is best known for her strong sense of family as she raises seven happy children with her husband Tyler. Grounding herself in a belief in the goodness of people, her Christian faith, freedom, music and service Amanda celebrates a challenge with positivity. Believing that a successful life is naturally fun she brings her own brand of enthusiasm to her work. Her very intentional enthusiasm amply spills over to her exceptional product. A product that solves a universal problem with simplicity and stylistic charm.