Kristen Cox

Kristen Cox is a prominent expert in applying the Theory of Constraints to government and nonprofit organizations. She is currently the Executive Director of the Initiative on Government Improvement at the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business and serves as a Guest Speaker/Trainer at the Association for Information Management (AIM) Utah, where she contributes to leadership development programs.123

Key Career Highlights:

• Government Leadership: Cox served as the Executive Director of the Utah Governor's Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) from 2012 to 2020, achieving a 35% improvement across Utah's $20 billion executive branch. She also led Utah's Department of Workforce Services during the 2008-2009 economic recession, managing increased caseloads while saving $30 million.123
• Federal and State Roles: She held positions such as Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Disabilities and was a special appointee in the U.S. Department of Education under President George W. Bush.12
• Public Speaking and Training: She is a keynote speaker, university instructor, and co-founder of The Fulcrum, an online training community focused on Theory of Constraints principles.13

Publications:

Kristen Cox co-authored two books, Stop Decorating the Fish and The World of Decorating the Fish, which emphasize solving root problems rather than superficial ones.12

Awards:

She has received numerous accolades, including:

• Governing Magazine’s Public Official of the Year (2016)
• Lifetime Achievement Gold Stevie Award for Government and Nonprofit Organizations (2018)
• Pioneers of Progress Award for Business and Enterprise (2012).12

Personal Background:

Cox earned a Bachelor’s degree in Educational Psychology from Brigham Young University. Despite losing most of her vision due to a genetic eye disorder, she has built a distinguished career in public service and education. She is also fluent in Portuguese, having served an LDS mission in Brazil.12