Commissioner, Utah System of Higher Education
President, Western Governors University
Associate Professor, Brigham Young University
Margaret Woolley Busse was appointed by Governor Spencer Cox in January 2021 to serve as a member of his cabinet as the Executive Director of Utah’s Department of Commerce. Thus far in her tenure, she has worked on regulatory reform, streamlining the regulatory process, and reducing regulatory fees. Specifically, she worked with legislative partners to create the new Office of Professional Licensure Review (OPLR). The first of its kind in the nation, OPLR takes a systematic approach to reviewing Utah’s professional licensing regulation in order to find ways to reduce the licensure burden as well as increase access and decrease cost for consumers of professionally licensed services. OPLR’s first review resulted in the passage of a groundbreaking new law that will vastly increase Utah’s behavioral health workforce through regulatory reform in order to address Utah’s mental health crisis.
In addition, Ms. Busse is leading efforts to create streamlined pathways for foreign-credentialed immigrants and refugees to obtain professional licenses, enabling them to work at their trained skill level here in Utah.
Under the direction of Governor Cox, Director Busse has played a key role in holding social media platforms accountable for their harm to minors by helping to craft appropriate legislative measures and through the Department of Commerce's lawsuits against TikTok and Meta. Under her leadership, the Department of Commerce published proposed rules for age verification and parental consent to operationalize Utah's groundbreaking new social media law, which the department is charged with enforcing.
Finally, in partnership with Utah’s legislative leadership, Ms. Busse is driving forward an innovative approach to artificial intelligence that will help Utah to ensure it is protecting the public, encouraging innovation, and enabling it to observe and learn about how to regulate effectively. The approach includes the creation of the new Office of Artificial Intelligence (OIAP), which is tasked with both providing regulatory relief to qualifying AI-focused companies and making regulatory policy recommendations through its policy learning lab.
Ms. Busse serves as a member of the One U Responsible Artificial Intelligence External Advisor Committee and a member of the Talent Ready Utah Board. In 2024, she was named a Most Influential Woman by Utah Business Magazine, was the recipient of the Cyber Pioneer Award from the Utah Bar Association, was a finalist for 2024 Utah Women in Tech award, and awarded RevRoad’s Championing Women in Business recognition.
Before her appointment to Commerce, Ms. Busse was an adjunct faculty member for BYU’s Political Science Department and an advisor to social impact organizations. Ms. Busse also served for several years as the Associate Director of the Social Enterprise Initiative at Harvard Business School, where she developed an alumni impact investing program and worked on issues such as the future of work, opportunity, prosperity for all, and educational improvement. In addition, Ms. Busse worked as a strategy consultant at the Bridgespan Group and spent several years at the U.S. Treasury Department as a Presidential Management Fellow. Ms. Busse developed her passion for public service by serving for many years in leadership roles in local government.
Ms. Busse is the recipient of Utah Business’s 2024 Most Influential Women award, Women Tech Council’s 2024 Women in Tech Award finalist, and the Utah Bar Association’s 2024 Cyber Pioneer Award. She holds an MBA from Harvard University, a master’s degree in Public Policy from Brigham Young University, and a bachelor’s degree in both Public Policy and Economics from Brigham Young University, where she graduated cum laude and with university honors. She is a Utah native, and she and her husband, Franz, have five children, ages 11 to 21.
Jefferson Moss was appointed by Governor Spencer Cox in May 2025 to serve as the Executive Director of Utah’s Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity.
Moss was previously the Associate Commissioner of Innovation, Commercialization and Economic Development at the Utah System of Higher Education and Managing Director of the Utah Innovation Fund. In this capacity, he led USHE’s involvement in the major economic development efforts and was responsible for overseeing the strategic initiatives and day-to-day operations at the Innovation District at The Point and coordinating innovation efforts throughout Utah. Moss also served as AVP of central advancement at UVU and the COO for the UVU Foundation. In these positions, he launched the UVU Wolverine Fund, a student-run venture capital fund, and the Excellence and Innovation Initiative. Prior to UVU, Moss served as a wealth strategist at Key Bank and Credit Suisse and launched several successful businesses. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Master of Business Administration from Brigham Young University. He also served in the Utah House of Representatives as well as on the Utah State Board of Education and the Saratoga Springs City Council and Planning Commission.
Marvin Dodge joined the Department of Government Operations, opens in a new tab as Executive Director in April 2023.
Government Operations is responsible for Administrative Rules, Archives, Purchasing, Fleet, Finance, Risk Management, Facilities and Construction Management, Technology Services and Human Resource Management for state agencies in Utah.
Prior to his appointment with GovOps, he worked for Southern Utah University serving as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services. Mr. Dodge served in the same capacity at Snow College from 2008 until the time he joined SUU. As a member of the President’s Cabinet, Mr. Dodge oversaw all financial operations at SUU including the Business Office, Cashiers, Treasury Services, Purchasing, and Internal Audit. Under his administrative services role, Mr. Dodge was responsible for all buildings on SUU’s campus including maintenance, renovation, and construction. He is also responsible for the Office of Information Technology, Human Resources, Motor Pool, Enterprise Risk Management, Food Services, and the Bookstore. Mr. Dodge oversaw construction of several new buildings on campus including the Beverly Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts (Shakespeare Festival complex and Southern Utah Museum of Art), the Leavitt Business Building, Sorensen Weight Performance Training Center, and Bristlecone Hall. Mr. Dodge received a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Administration degree from the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University, where he also taught Government and Non-profit Finance classes.
Scott Pulsipher serves as president of nonprofit Western Governors University (WGU), the nation's first and largest competency-based university, leading all academic, operational, and organizational functions.
Pulsipher came to WGU in 2016 and blends a personal drive for making a difference in the lives of individuals and families through education and a passion for technology-powered innovation.