AGENDA

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Subject to change. Please check back for updates.

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Unless stated otherwise, all sessions will be located in the Catalina Ballroom.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2025

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6:00 p.m.         Kickoff Mixer | Catalina Terrace

 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2025

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​7:45 a.m.         Women's Affinity Breakfast        

                        Women Making Waves: Leadership in Sustainable Water Strategies | Location to be emailed

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                       Speaker

• Alyson Watson, CEO, Woodard & Curran

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                       Moderator

• Jessica Fox, Southwest Regional Director, WestWater Research

 

8:00 a.m.         Check-in, Networking and Breakfast Bites | Catalina Terrace

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9:00 a.m.         Welcome and Overview – SWIS Co-Chairs

• Brad Herrema, Shareholder, Attorney, Natural Resources Department Chair, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

• Clay Landry, CEO, WestWater Research

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9:15 a.m.         Navigating Change: Water Challenges and the New Administration

 

                       Speakers

• Jason Hauter, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

• Jennifer Pierre, General Manager, State Water Contractors

• Ryan Smith, Shareholder, Attorney, American Indian Law & Policy Group Chair, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

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                       Moderator

• Oliver Browne, California Regional Director, WestWater Research

 

10:00 a.m.       "Liquid Asset" Interview and Q&A with Author Barton H. Thompson, Jr.

 

                        Moderator

• Brad Herrema, Shareholder, Attorney, Natural Resources Department Chair, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck; SWIS Co-Chair

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10:45 a.m.       Networking Refreshment Break | Catalina Terrace

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​11:15 a.m.       The Value of Water: A Global Perspective

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                        Speakers

• Brent Alspach, Director of Applied Research, Arcadis

• Charming Evelyn, Director of Outreach, Environment, Tribal & Community, OceanWell

• Macky McCleary, Partner, Boston Consulting Group

 

                       Moderator

• Robert Bergstrom, CEO, OceanWell

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12:00 p.m.       Networking Lunch | Catalina Terrace

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1:15 p.m.         Building a Resilient Water Infrastructure Future

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                       Speakers

• Christopher Kopecky, Vice President, Corporate Development, EPCOR

• Denise Kruger, Board Member, SJW Group

• Carlos Rubinstein, Senior Water Policy Advisor, Accenture; Principal, RSAH2O LLC; Board Member, Texas Water Foundation and Texas Water Trade

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                       Moderator

• Harry Seely, Principal, WestWater Research

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2:00 p.m.         Securing Our Water Future: Public Investment in Infrastructure and Supply​

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                         Speakers

• Angela Bricmont, Chief Financial Officer, Denver Water

• Brett Fleck, Water Resources Manager, City of Peoria, Arizona

• Adán Ortega, Jr., Chairman of the Board, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

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                       Moderator

• Chris Frahm, Shareholder, Attorney, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

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2:45 p.m.         Networking Refreshment Break | Catalina Terrace

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3:15 p.m.         Telling Our Story: Articulating the Unique Opportunities in Water Investments

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                         Speakers

• David Henderson, Managing Partner, XPV Water Partners

• Fiona Hutton, Founder & CEO, Fiona Hutton & Associates

• Scott Slater, Shareholder, Attorney, Brownstein; Chairperson of the Board, Limoneira; Senior Advisor, Cadiz

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                       Moderator

• Clay Landry, CEO, WestWater Research; SWIS Co-Chair

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4:00 p.m.         Networking Refreshment Break | Catalina Terrace

 

4:30 p.m.         Developing Resilient Water Supplies in an Era of Scarcity

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                       Speakers

• Matt Gibson, Senior Vice President, RAMROCK Real Estate, LLC

• LNSP (Naggs) Nagghappan, CEO, Renovo Resources

• Brent Waller, President-Partner, FrontRange H2O, LLC

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                       Moderator

• Chris Smith, Chief Operating Officer, WestWater Research​

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5:15 p.m.         Ocean Sunset Cocktail Party | Catalina Terrace

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2025

 

8:00 a.m.         Networking Breakfast | Catalina Terrace

 

9:00 a.m.         Drought to Deluge: Water Risk Management and Agriculture

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                       Speakers

• Lindsay Cederquist, Principal, Aqua Insights Incorporated

• Michael Rhyne, EVP, Chief Operating Officer, Agricultural Operations, King Ranch, Inc.

• Thaddeus Tracy, Founder, Farmers Gate

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                       Moderator

• Elisabeth Esposito, Shareholder, Attorney, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

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9:45 a.m.         Building a Brighter Future: Municipal Bonds and Water Security   

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                       Speakers

• Audra Dickinson, Senior Director, Fitch Ratings

• Jennifer Poree, Managing Director, Sector Leader, S&P Global

• Tyler Old, Executive Director, J.P. Morgan

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                       Moderator

• Chris Teryazos, President, Aetos Capital

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10:30 a.m.        Networking Refreshment Break

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11:00 a.m.        Driving Innovation: Investing in Water Tech

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                        Speakers

• John Bell, Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer, Greyter Water System

• Scott Bryan, President, Imagine H2O

• Usman Khan, Water Strategy Lead, Amazon Web Services

• Peter Yolles, General Partner, Echo River Capital

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                        Moderator

• Adam Jokerst, Rocky Mountain Regional Director, WestWater Research

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11:45 a.m.       Corporate Water Stewardship and Risk

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                       Speakers

• Dan Ackerstein, Principal, Ackerstein Sustainability LLC

• Kirsten James, Senior Program Director, Water, Ceres

• Ted Kowalski, Senior Program Officer, Walton Family Foundation

• Sharlene Leurig, Managing Member, Fluid Advisors

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  Moderator

• Brett Bovee, Intermountain Regional Director, WestWater Research

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12:30 p.m.        Networking and To-Go Bites | Event Concludes