Laura Hanson
Gov. Spencer Cox has appointed Laura Hanson as his senior advisor of long-range planning. She will continue serving as managing director of planning coordination within the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. Hanson joined GOPB in 2021 as state planning coordinator. Prior to that, she served as the planning director for the Utah Transit Authority and was the first executive director of the Jordan River Commission. She has also worked as a consultant specializing in long-range planning, strategic planning, small area/ downtown revitalization projects, and environmental planning. Hanson earned bachelor’s degrees in urban planning and environmental studies and a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Utah.
