In 2025, the Utah state legislature approved HB488, which requires the Center for Constitutional Studies (CCS) at Utah Valley University to develop a continuing education and training program for state and local officials on federalism issues, organize an annual federalism conference, and conduct outreach with out-of-state actors. To fulfill these mandates, CCS created the Constitutional Federalism Initiative (CFI).
CFI works closely with the Utah Federalism Commission, its working group the National Federalism Initiative, and the Herbert Institute for Public Policy at UVU to fulfill these mandates.
Troy E. Smith is a professor of Constitutional Federalism and director of the Constitutional Federalism Initiative (CFI) at CCS, and a fellow at the Center for the Study of Federalism.
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He is editor of the online Federalism in America: An Encyclopedia. His work has appeared in Publius: The Journal of Federalism; The Review of Politics; Congress & the Presidency; Thinking Skills & Creativity; and others. He received a Ph.D. in political science from the University at Albany and an M.A. from George Washington University.
Sheri Smederovac is the Program Manager for Utah Valley University’s Constitutional Federalism Initiative at the Center for Constitutional Studies.
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She has extensive experience in higher education administration and in private industry. Sheri has held leadership roles in budget management, marketing, corporate relations, community engagement, and event coordination. She has served in UVU’s Office of the President and Office of the Provost, on numerous committees including the Presidential Transition Team, and she has been instrumental in planning and executing major university initiatives including the K–16 Alliance Counselor Conference. She holds a B.S. in Art & Design and an A.S. in Computer Science from UVU. She is recognized for her collaborative leadership, organizational expertise, and ability to build strong partnerships across education, government, and the community.
Jim Moss is a Professional in Residence with the Herbert Institute, working with the Constitutional Federalism Initiative, and is a Liaison to the UVU Constitutional Studies Center, where he works in the Civic Thought and Leadership Initiative. He is also a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of History & Political Science. His interests include federalism, civics education, and education policy.
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Jim holds a BA in Political Science and a JD from Brigham Young University, and an EdD from the Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California. He has practiced employment law for twenty-five years.
Jim is a member of the Utah Legislature’s Federalism Commission. He previously served as Chair of the Utah State Board of Education and has served on the Utah State Charter School Board, the Utah Trust Lands Advisory Committee, his local School Community Council, and the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce Education Committee. He has enjoyed teaching American jurisprudence to law students in Ukraine through The Leavitt Institute, mentoring law students at Brigham Young University and Chapman University Law School, and tutoring English learner students through the Help One Student to Succeed program.
The Constitutional Federalism Initiative (CFI), housed in Utah Valley University’s Center for Constitutional Studies (CCS) and in coordination with the Gary R. Herbert Institute for Public Policy, is a nonpartisan, interdisciplinary initiative dedicated to advancing public officials’ understanding of the U.S. Constitution’s federal system and fostering interstate collaboration towards a robust, balanced, constitutional federalism.
