Laura Hanson, AICP, was appointed in 2024 to serve as Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox’s senior advisor for long-range planning, expanding and elevating her role as state planning coordinator. She has 25 years of award-winning experience as a professional planner, including as the Utah Transit Authority’s planning director, the first executive director of the Jordan River Commission, and a private planning consultant. She holds bachelor’s degrees in urban planning and environmental studies and a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Utah. Her postgraduate certificates include public involvement, leadership, and conflict resolution.