Laura Hanson, AICP was appointed in 2024 to serve as Governor Cox’s Senior Advisor for Long-Range Planning, expanding and elevating her role as State Planning Coordinator within the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. 

She has over 20 years of experience as a professional planner in both the public and private sectors, and is working towards a strategic vision for how Utah can maintain its exceptional quality of life into the future. 

Prior to joining GOPB, Laura served as the Planning Director for the Utah Transit Authority. In this role, she assisted in the development of a strategic plan to guide the future direction of the agency, defined a new approach to service planning policy, helped to guide the development of long-range, regional visions and transportation plans, and contributed to the development and presentation of major policy decisions.

Laura also served as the first Executive Director of the Jordan River Commission (JRC). Under her leadership, the JRC raised over $30 million in investments in the Jordan River Parkway trail and river. Laura has also worked as a planning consultant specializing in long-range comprehensive planning, strategic planning, and small area/downtown revitalization projects, and environmental planning.

She holds bachelor degrees in urban planning and environmental studies, and a master degree in urban planning from the University of Utah. Post graduate certificates include public involvement, leadership, conflict resolution, and visual resource management. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards from the Quality Growth Commission, the Utah Chapters of the American Planning Association and American Society for Landscape Architects, and the American Society for Public Administratration.

Laura enjoys spending her free time at her family’s ranch in Woodland, Utah, camping in southern Utah, enjoying live music, and skiing with her husband and two kids.