Elizabeth Petterson on being a "lived experience expert" and getting involved in foster care

Elizabeth Petterson joins Utah's First Lady, Abby Cox, to talk about growing up in Minnesota with a single-parent household, building resilience and independence through the foster care system, and learning to be a child once she was adopted out of the system by her aunt and uncle. 

Then we dive into our recent trip to Washington D.C. to speak with the Department of Human Services about some of the experiences with foster care in the state of Utah and to advocate for the foster care kids who don't have a voice.

Elizabeth also talks about why becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) has helped her develop a deep sense of empathy in the world of foster care, her desire to build a community of lived experience experts, and her passion for connecting vulnerable youth with helpful life resources.

To learn more about foster care in Utah, you can visit: www.utahfostercare.org

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Join Utah’s First Lady Abby Cox and her friends for timely and candid conversations with fascinating people with unique perspectives in an effort to unite us all through our common humanity. Each week, Abby dives into discussions on topics ranging from education to motherhood to mental health and beyond. 

Abby is an outspoken advocate for “getting proximate” with people who have different viewpoints, and using her platform as Utah’s First Lady to combat the empathy crisis our country is facing. 

Come along with us as we journey to bring courage, compassion and connection back into our homes and communities... and have a lot of fun along the way! THANK YOU for being our friend.