WPN Lunch N' Learn November 2025

Kori Ann Edwards is the Chief Strategy Officer for 47G Utah Aerospace & Defense. In this
capacity, Kori Ann leads the organization’s strategic initiatives to accelerate the growth of
Utah’s aerospace and defense ecosystem. She possesses three decades of public and
private-sector experience in economic development, strategic leadership, program
development and stakeholder engagement.
Most recently, Edwards served as the managing director of strategic initiatives for the
Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO) where she developed Utah’s
economic vision for the 2034 Winter Olympics, led the agency’s COVID-19 response,
overseeing the rapid distribution of $200 million in relief funds, and launched
forward-thinking programs such as the state’s telework and returnship programs.
Prior to her service at GOEO, Edwards worked as senior vice president and chief
operating officer at Logistics Specialties, Inc. (LSI). During her 20-year tenure at LSI,
Edwards instituted and managed the company’s economic development division,
overseeing more than $40 million in revenue allocation. Edwards has served on
numerous executive boards and committees across the state.

Stephanie Frohman is the Associate Director of the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute
for Land, Water and Air at Utah State University. She brings two decades of state-
level leadership, strategy and partner development experience to the role, most
recently serving as Senior Vice President of Strategy & Partnership at the Economic
Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUtah).
A Michigan native, Frohman earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the
University of Michigan and is currently pursuing a Master of Natural Resources at
Utah State University. Prior to EDCUtah, she worked in medical device engineering
and software account management, and dedicated a year to AmeriCorps service. She
is an avid skier, hiker and world traveler. In 2018, she took an extended leave of
absence to backpack the world with her husband and two daughters.
She resides in Draper, Utah and can often be found enjoying the South Mountain
trails.

Established in 2021, the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air connects researchers
from Utah State University with problem solvers and decision-makers around Utah. The institute
envisions a state with a high quality of life for our citizens that values and optimizes our state’s shared
resources while managing continued growth. We value data-driven decision-making, shared partnerships,
and a non-partisan perspective as we share the latest land, water, and air research.

For more information on the Institute for Land, Water and Air, please visit:
Institute of Land, Water, and Air | USU

Denee Hayes, Senior Fellow at the University of Utah College of Science and Principal
Consultant at Bijih Resource Consulting, bridges academia and industry in the critical minerals
sector. With two decades of experience at companies including Rio Tinto, she specializes in
high-performing teams, operational optimization, digital transformation, with a passion for critical
mineral and rare earth element processing technologies. As former chair of the Mining
Engineering Department's Industrial Advisory Board, Hayes champions stronger university-
industry connections and innovative workforce solutions. Her work positions her as a thought
leader on materials fundamental to our technology driven future, reimagining mining's role in the
global race to power AI and secure domestic supply chains.

A powerhouse in digital optimization and operational integration, Hayes transforms complex
organizational challenges into achievable outcomes. Drawing from leadership experience in
global mining operations, she translates executive strategy into actionable implementation by
identifying organizational strengths and building stakeholder consensus. Her expertise spans
developing platforms for operational metrics and implementing systems for total value
optimization. Hayes focuses on establishing ethical domestic extraction practices for critical
minerals needed for green technologies while advocating for stronger university-industry
partnerships to develop the next generation of holistic mining professionals.

Tara Spalding serves as the Strategic Relationship Advisor at Nusano, advancing partnerships that expand access to critical minerals and fuel essential to national innovation and energy independence. Her focus on commercialization and supply chain strategy supports the secure, sustainable production base necessary for the U.S. to maintain global leadership across emerging industries.

In addition to her work with Nusano, Tara served as Interim Chief Executive Officer of Kinect Capital, Chief Experience Officer at World Trade Center Utah, and President of Hen House Ventures—roles where she championed innovation, entrepreneurship, capital formation, and scalable pathways for growth-focused companies. With a career dedicated to launching and accelerating ventures, Tara has become a recognized leader in aligning innovation ecosystems with tangible economic outcomes.

She believes that strengthening material access and energy infrastructure is fundamental to sustaining America’s next wave of global industrial and technological leadership.