Summer Conference 2026 Speaker Bios
Tuesday, August 18th Speakers
Workshop 1: Ponderosa Mountain Pine Beetle Task Force Recommendation and Severance Tax Task Force
9:00 a.m. Pine Beetle Task Force
Dan Gibbs
Colorado Department of Natural Resources
As Executive Director, Dan Gibbs leads the development and execution of the Department’s initiatives for the balanced management of the state’s natural resources. Dan works on an array of issues pertaining to all of Colorado’s natural resources, including water, wildlife, state lands, oil and gas and mining.
Dan is a respected collaborator and a strong proponent of building partnerships across agencies, nonprofits and private-sector organizations to improve the productivity and success of government operations and services.
Prior to joining the Department of Natural Resources, Dan served as a Summit County Commissioner from 2010-2018. As county commissioner, Dan successfully pushed for wildfire preparedness, affordable workforce housing, lower health insurance costs and protection and improvements to transportation infrastructure.
Prior to his tenure as a Commissioner, Dan served in the Colorado House of Representatives and in the Colorado State Senate where he served on the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. His legislative accomplishments include securing funding for wildfire mitigation and forest health, creating the Colorado Kids Outdoors grant program, supporting watershed health initiatives, and increasing environmental protections for wildlife from oil and gas development.
Dan is a certified wildland firefighter and is affiliated with the ROSS system, through which he is on call to fight wildfires throughout the United States. He chaired the statewide Wildland Fire and Prescribed Fire Matters Advisory Council, and represented county governments on the Forest Health Advisory Committee. Dan has served on a variety of civic boards including: Search and Rescue Advisory, Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, Tourism Office, Youth Corps Association, Friends of the Dillon Ranger District and the Keystone Science School.
Dan is a graduate of Western State Colorado University and completed the Harvard Kennedy School Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program. He is also a Marshall Memorial Fellow.
Dan and his family reside in Breckenridge, Colorado, where he enjoys all that living in the high country has to offer, including skiing, running, mountain biking, hunting and fishing.
Mireille Gonzalez
Center for Collaborative Conservation
Dr. Mireille Gonzalez is a Senior Facilitator at the Center for Collaborative Conservation at Colorado State University; the Founder and Principal Consultant of Catalyst for Conservation; and affiliate faculty in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, CSU. She specializes in contentious conservation issues, applying conflict resolution, deliberation, and structured decision-making to help stakeholders navigate complex, high-stakes natural resource challenges. In these roles, she supports conservation professionals and organizations by facilitating collaborative dialogue, translating complex science for diverse audiences, and building the strategic capacity to turn insight into action. She currently co-facilitates the Ponderosa Mountain Pine Beetle Task Force with Dr. John Sanderson, Director of the Center for Collaborative Conservation.
10:15 a.m. Severance Tax Task Force
Karen Schlatter
Presenter
Colorado Water Center
Karen Schlatter is the director of the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University, which engages Colorado’s water community and CSU faculty, Extension, and students in co-development of research and education programs to promote sustainable water management. Prior to joining the Colorado Water Center, Schlatter facilitated interdisciplinary research at the University of Florida Water Institute to address water quality and quantity issues in the southeastern US. She also previously served as associate director of the Colorado River Delta Program at the Sonoran Institute, where she focused on fostering partnerships across sectors, including federal, state, and local agencies, universities, nonprofits, and communities to restore the Colorado River in Mexico through collaborative binational water management and ecological restoration. Schlatter has a BS in biology from McGill University and an MS in environmental studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. She served as an agricultural extension volunteer in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.
Mindy Bridges
Moderator
Colorado Water Center
Mindy Bridges joined the Colorado Water Center in January 2026 and has over 12 years of expertise working at national organizations on public policy research, education, and outreach. At the National Conference of State Legislatures, she staffed the Agriculture Task Force and provided nonpartisan research and resources to state legislators and legislative staff on a range of environmental and agricultural topics, including water governance and conservation. At the US Water Alliance, she convened cross-sector dialogues and worked with local governments and utilities. Mindy also specializes in facilitation and is passionate about interdisciplinary work and bringing together stakeholders at the intersection of policy, research, and implementation. She’s proud to be born in Denver and continue to call Colorado home. Outside of work, Mindy enjoys cooking, spending time with her dog and husband, and training for short-distance triathlons.
Brian Jackson
Environmental Defense Fund
Brian Jackson, Director, Environmental Defense Fund
Brian works to engage stakeholders in EDF initiatives that build resilient ecosystems for people and nature. He is currently focused on water conservation and funding in the West and at the Federal level. He was the architect of dedicated water funding from sports betting in Colorado, which to date has raised over $160 million. He has worked on proving-ground projects that improve stakeholder dynamics and community resiliency in Colorado, southern Louisiana and across the country.
Robert Sakata
Colorado Department of Agriculture
Robert Sakata currently serves as Colorado’s Acting Commissioner of Agriculture while Commissioner Greenberg is on maternity leave. Prior to this appointment he was hired as the first ever Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Water Policy Advisor, a brand new position approved during the 2023 legislative session, where he not only was the liaison between CDA and other state agencies who work with agricultural stakeholders on water issues but also worked to strengthen relationships with water organizations around the state while encouraging dialog among diverse groups. He was born and raised in Colorado and grew up on his family farm and has served in a wide range of agricultural and water-focused positions beyond his farm.
He has served on the Agriculture Groundwater Protection Advisory Committee, the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission, the InterBasin Compact Committee, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board. He has also served on the Metro Basin Roundtable, Colorado Foundation for Water Education Board of Directors (now known as Water Education Colorado), Colorado Water Congress Board of Directors, and several mutual ditch company boards He has been active and served in leadership positions in numerous farm organizations including the National Onion Association, The Western Growers Association, and he helped form both the Colorado Ag Water Alliance and the Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, where he served as the founding president.
He was awarded by the US Vegetable Grower Magazine with the 2014 Grower Achievement Award, was recognized by the Colorado Farm Bureau with the Service to Agriculture award in 2022 a recognition he cherishes since his father received the same award in 2013. In 2020 the Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers recognized the work he did to help start the organization by naming the annual CFVGA Member of the year award after him. Most recently he was recognized by Water Education Colorado with the 2025 Dianne Hoppe Leadership Award. In his current role Robert is honored to be representing all of the important work being done at the Department of Agriculture by an amazing team.
Jim Yahn
Logan County Commissioner
Jim Yahn is a Logan County Commissioner and, along with his wife Tracy, is owner and manager of Yahn Ranch, a cow calf operation north of Sterling. Jim is the past manager of the North Sterling and Prewitt Reservoirs, a position that he held for over 33 years. He is now a consultant to the North Sterling and Prewitt Boards. As manager, he was responsible for overseeing the diversion and distribution of water to over 350 farmers. Together the reservoirs are a source of irrigation water for approximately 70,000 acres. Jim is a registered professional engineer, receiving his B.S. in Agricultural Engineering from Colorado State University. Prior to his employment with North Sterling and Prewitt he worked as a private consulting engineer in Fort Collins for 5 years. He is a native of Colorado growing up on a family ranch, which used water from the North Sterling Reservoir System.
Jim was appointed by Governor Hickenlooper in 2015 to serve as the South Platte Director on the Colorado Water Conservation Board. He served for a total of 5 years, one year as Chair. Jim has been a member of the South Platte Basin Roundtable since its inception in 2005, served as chair from 2009 – 2012, and currently serves as one of the roundtable’s two representatives to the Inter-Basin Compact Committee. Jim also currently serves as a Colorado Water Congress board member and serves as one of two Colorado board members to the Family Farm Alliance. Jim was given the friend of the South Platte award in 2019 and was awarded Four States Irrigation Council’s Headgate award for Colorado in 2025. Jim sits on the Colorado Water Congress Board of Directors.
Jim and Tracy are the parents of two married children, daughter Hannah and husband Weston and son Austin and wife Amber. They are also grandparents of grandsons Knox and Maverick. Jim is also an elder at the United Church of Crook.
Workshop 2: From Concept to Implementation: Stream Restoration in Colorado
Abby Burk
Moderator
Audubon Rockies
Abby Burk brings more than a decade of leadership in river conservation, water policy, and collaborative watershed management across Colorado and the Colorado River Basin. As Western Rivers Program Director for Audubon Rockies, she works at the intersection of science, policy, and implementation to advance stream and riparian restoration, sustainable water management, and partnerships among landowners, agencies, nonprofits, and local communities.
Abby is recognized for translating science and on-the-ground restoration into effective policy and collaborative action. She has helped lead implementation of Colorado's stream restoration framework (SB23-270) and the state's dredge and fill program (Regulation 87), working with restoration practitioners, state agencies, and diverse stakeholders to improve restoration outcomes while protecting Colorado's water resources. She currently serves as Chair of the Colorado Basin Roundtable.
An expert in ecological management and an award-winning educator, Abby holds a B.S. in Biology and an interdisciplinary master's degree with concentrations in ecology and hydrology. An avid whitewater kayaker, she spends as much time as possible exploring rivers throughout the West.
Caleb Foy
Colorado River District
Caleb Foy is a Senior Water Resources Engineer with the Colorado River Water Conservation District, where he provides technical expertise to West Slope water users and serves as the District’s technical lead for the Gunnison River Basin. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering, both from Colorado State University. Prior to joining the River District in October 2025, Caleb spent 15 years with the Colorado Division of Water Resources. During his tenure, he held several key positions, most recently serving as Deputy Division Engineer for Water Division 5, the Colorado River Basin. Caleb resides in Glenwood Springs with his wife, where they enjoy spending their free time outdoors with their dog, taking full advantage of the recreational opportunities the West Slope has to offer.
Alex Nees
SGM
Alex Nees is a consulting biologist at SGM, Inc. with 15 years of experience in the private and public sectors, focusing on development and resource management projects on federal lands in the Intermountain West. In addition to private consulting, his background includes employment with the Bureau of Land Management's Grand Junction Field Office and CDOT's Region 3 Environmental Team. At SGM he works with multi-disciplinary engineering teams on environmental assessment and design of infrastructure projects, including both field biological assessments and environmental review for rail and road projects, energy infrastructure, water resources and dams, residential and industrial development, recreational facilities, and restoration projects. As a field biologist, he works most often with wetland assessments and restoration projects, as well as rare plant surveys throughout the aridlands and mountains of the Western Slope and Four Corners.
Alex's unifying interest is in guiding responsible public lands development in ways that are informed by science and that balance benefits to the human and natural communities, and he tries very hard to remember that public lands projects are the art of the possible, and not to let “perfect” get in the way of “good”. Alex grew up in Philadelphia, and holds a bachelor's degree in ecology from Princeton University and a master's degree in biology from Stanford University. He lives in Grand Junction with his wife and two children, and is proud to call the Western Slope home.
Hally Strevey
Coalition for the Poudre Watershed
Hally Strevey has served the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW) since 2015 and has been Executive Director since 2021. During her tenure, she has helped guide the organization through critical post-fire recovery efforts following the 2012 High Park Fire and the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire, strengthening CPRW’s role as a trusted leader in watershed resilience, restoration, and community partnership.
A Colorado native with deep roots in the Poudre watershed, Hally grew up fishing, hiking, and cross-country skiing along the river where her family has long had a cabin. These early experiences fostered a lifelong commitment to protecting natural resources and the communities that depend on them. Under her leadership, CPRW continues to advance science-based restoration, collaborative watershed planning, and proactive forest and river health initiatives across the region.
Workshop 3: Scientific Initiatives in the Water Space: Harnessing Technology in Water and Weather Management
Donald Teeters
9:00 a.m.
Continental Technologies, Inc.
Don Teeters is a Little River, Kansas-based water well treatment professional and the longtime president of Continental Technologies, Inc., the company behind the Redi Clean line of water well rehabilitation products. Since 1991, Teeters has helped develop and apply chemical treatment processes designed to address iron bacteria, corrosion, and mineral scaling in agricultural, industrial, municipal, and residential wells.
With decades of experience in water well restoration, Teeters is known for combining field expertise with a practical, science-based approach. Redi Clean treatments are used to improve well production, extend well life, and solve persistent water well performance problems by targeting issues at their source rather than simply treating symptoms.
Through Continental Technologies and Redi Clean, Teeters has worked with well owners, contractors, municipalities, and industry professionals across the country. He is also associated with groundwater industry organizations and has focused much of his career on training and supporting water well professionals in effective rehabilitation practices.
Based in Little River, Kansas, Teeters continues to be recognized for his commitment to practical water well solutions, customer-focused consulting, and the advancement of reliable well rehabilitation methods through the Redi Clean product line.
Rebecca Kreuzer
9:50 a.m.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Rebecca Kreuzer is a Senior Advisor at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where she leads and supports national research initiatives focused on geothermal energy, hydrogen, critical minerals, and environmental stewardship. A geologist and environmental geochemist with more than 15 years of experience, her work spans applied research, stakeholder engagement, workforce development, and technology transition to address complex energy and environmental challenges. Rebecca currently leads the U.S. Department of Energy's SPRINGS (Surface Preservation and Regulatory Integration Network for Geothermal Systems) initiative, which advances science-based approaches for understanding and managing interactions between geothermal development and surface thermal features. She holds a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from the University of Rochester.
Augustus Doricko
10:40 a.m.
Rainmaker Technology
Augustus Doricko is an entrepreneur and innovative thinker known for his expertise in technology and business strategy. As the Founder, CEO and Head of Engineering at Rainmaker Technology Corporation, he has been instrumental in developing solutions that bridge the gap between traditional industries and modern technology. His passion for leveraging technology to solve real-world problems has garnered attention within the entrepreneurial community.
Scott Morris
10:40 a.m.
Rain Enhancement Technologies
Scott Morris has over 30 years of experience in electrical and mechanical engineering and currently serves as VP of Engineering at Rain Enhancement Technologies (NASDAQ: RAIN), leading the design, development, and deployment of the company's Weather Enhancement Technology Array (WETA) platform, informed by his prior field trial work in Oman and Australia. He is also Owner and Principal Engineer of Radium Control Solutions and brings deep expertise in SCADA and PLC systems, electrical compliance, and remote installation supervision. Scott previously served as Project Manager for the Sydney Airport Baggage Handling System IT&T projects and as Principal Electrical Engineer at Turnkey Electrical Systems. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Newcastle.
Andrew Rickert
10:40 a.m.
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Andrew Rickert is the Program Manager for Colorado’s Weather Modification Program at the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Rickert has worked for CWCB for 10 years. He holds a Bachelor of English Literature from Colorado State University and a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Environmental Policy, Management, and Law from the University of Colorado.
Tuesday Session Speakers
Tuesday Keynote Speakers
Christine Arbogast
President, Colorado Water Congress
Christine Arbogast is a native Coloradan. She has a degree in journalism and political science and has worked with Congressman Ray Kogovsek since 1979. Since 1985 when Kogovsek & Associates was established, the small firm has worked primarily in the Western states on resource and tribal issues as well as local government concerns, capital construction projects and health care. Christine is an active member of the Water Congress Federal Affairs Committee and former President of the National Water Resources Association. She chairs the NWRA's federal affairs committee, and is a member of the Colorado River Water Users' Association and the Family Farm Alliance. She is the President and Founder of the Women in Water Scholarship Fund. Christine is the 2020 Wayne N. Aspinall Water Leader of the Year Award.
Ken Brenner
Yampa Basin Board Representative, Colorado Water Congress
Ken Brenner is a Yampa Valley native with decades of public service including Steamboat Springs City Council and Colorado Mountain College Trustee (eight years each). He has just completed 14 years as an Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District Director. He serves as the IBCC representative, PEPO Chair and Vice Chair for the Yampa River on the Yampa White Green Basin Roundtable. Ken is a board member for the Colorado Water Congress, Chairs the Headwaters of the Colorado Initiative and has a keen interest in water policy matters.
Dawn DiPrince
History Colorado
Dawn DiPrince currently serves as the President/CEO of History Colorado and as Colorado’s State Historic Preservation Officer. Part of History Colorado since 2012, she has led in a variety of progressive leadership roles – including as an award-winning museum Director and game-changing leader of the network of community museums. DiPrince is a leading innovator in community-centered museum work and a longtime advocate for rural Colorado. Some of the largest initiatives she has created and led at History Colorado include Borderlands of Southern Colorado, nationally recognized work that spans four museums; Hands-On History, youth education program designed to meet the needs of rural students with 4-day school weeks; and Museum of Memory, a growing public history initiative that works together with Colorado residents to reanimate and center histories that have been intentionally marginalized.
Andrea Travnicek
Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science
Dr. Andrea Travnicek holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources Management/Communication from North Dakota State University. During President Trump’s first term, she served as a deputy assistant secretary at Interior. Most recently, she was Director of the North Dakota Department of Water Resources. As governor, Hoeven appointed her as a senior policy advisor in his office following her service with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Sacramento, California.
Ballot Proposal: a Tutorial on Protecting Our Water and Land and Preventing Wildfire
Aaron Citron
The Nature Conservancy
Aaron Citron is the Natural Resources Policy Advisor and Interim External Affairs Director for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. In these roles, he leads Conservancy's state legislative engagement with a focus on water rights and water policy issues. Aaron received his B.A. in history from Emory University and his J.D. from The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. He was appointed by Governor Polis to the Interbasin Compact Committee in February 2019. Aaron sits on the Colorado Water Congress Board of Directors.
Alan Salazar
Denver Water
Alan Salazar, who became Denver Water CEO/Manager in August 2023, was born in Leadville, Colorado, and is a fifth-generation Coloradan. His family traces its roots to the historic San Luis Valley and throughout the West Slope. He grew up in the Denver metro area and is a graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science. He has a law degree from the University of Colorado School of Law, where he studied water law, mining law, natural resources law and public lands issues, secured distinction as a published member of the University of Colorado Law Review and was awarded the Phillip A. Danielson Scholarship for “outstanding promise of public service.”
Salazar has a storied career involving decades of public service in Colorado. As chief strategy officer for former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (currently a U.S. senator for Colorado), Salazar oversaw policy, legislative and communications staff for the governor’s office and was involved in overseeing energy and natural resources policy, including the creation of the first Colorado Water Plan, released in 2015 and updated in 2023, which serves as the state’s framework for solutions to the Colorado’s water challenges.
He also served as chief of staff to U.S. Rep. (and later U.S. Sen.) Mark Udall. Prior to that, Salazar served as deputy chief of staff and policy director for Colorado Gov. Roy Romer and state issues director for U.S. Sen. Tim Wirth. He started his career on the Colorado staff for U.S. Sen. Gary Hart. In all, Salazar participated in 15 legislative sessions through his work with Gov. Hickenlooper and Gov. Romer.
Prior to joining Denver Water, Salazar served as chief of staff for former Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, starting in November 2016. There, he oversaw operations for 24 city agencies. In his six years with the city, Salazar had daily responsibility for municipal services, as well as strategic direction for the mayor’s policy agenda. He also co-chaired Denver’s COVID Long-Term Recovery Committee. He has been intimately involved with Denver’s growth, density, infrastructure and resource planning.
A past member of the History Colorado Board, Salazar has been active in other civic efforts over many years, including service on the Equality Colorado Board of Directors, as a public interest trustee for the Federal Home Loan Bank Board of Topeka, and the Vision Hispanica Leadership program. Along with other community activists, he helped found the Colorado Hispanic Agenda — a leadership initiative for the Latino community in the late 1980s — and is a graduate of the Colorado Outward Bound leadership school. He currently is a trustee for the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Center for Performing Arts.
Rye Resurgence Project in the San Luis Valley
Heather Dutton
Moderator
San Luis Valley WCD, Rye Resurgence Project
Heather Dutton grew up in a farming family in the San Luis Valley, where she gained a love for agriculture and the outdoors. She is fortunate to have worked as the Manager of the San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District since 2016. The greatest reward of this position is the opportunity to work with friends in the water community to find creative ways to manage water and natural resources in the Upper Rio Grande Basin. Prior to working for the District, Heather was the Executive Director of the Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project. She serves on the Interbasin Compact Committee (IBCC), Colorado State University Water Center Advisory Board, Colorado Water Congress Board, and Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation Board.
Sarah Jones
Jones Farms Organics, Rye Resurgence Project
Sarah Jones co-owns Jones Farms Organics, a 4th and 5th generation family farm in the San Luis Valley, and the 1st Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) Farm in the state of Colorado. JFO grows multiple varieties of heirloom wheat and rye (Rouge de Bordeaux, Yecora Rojo, Sonora, Durum, Wrens Abruzzi, and Ryman Rye) and over 20 varieties of specialty potatoes. As the director of sales, marketing, and logistics, she has cultivated relationships with over 30 direct customers.
Sarah is the vision behind Rye Resurgence Project, which was awarded grant funding from the SLV Water Conservancy District to help farmers in the SLV reduce reliance on groundwater, improve soil health and maintain profitability through cultivating a market for local terroir driven rye.
Marielle Cowden
Rye Resurgence Project
Marielle Cowden spent her formative years in the Rocky Mountains near Estes Park. After high school in Denver and undergrad at Colorado College, she moved to Australia for a year, working on farms across the country. Inspired by her experiences in permaculture and sustainable agriculture, she moved to Portland, Oregon where for nearly 10 years, she worked for a statewide non-profit where she launched, managed, and grew the Oregon Brewshed Alliance - a coalition of Oregon's craft brewing industry supporting and advocating for forest watershed protection. During that time, she went back to school and received her masters in environmental law & policy to become better versed in the complex language of western water and to help break down barriers to entry.
In 2021, she moved back to her home state to serve as the Director of Public Relations at the Colorado River District in Glenwood Springs. After several years living and working on the Western Slope, she decided to move closer to family and is now resettled in Fort Collins where (in addition to her work with RRP) she works as a Program Manger for CSU’s Colorado Water Center.
Introduced to the Rye Resurgence Project on a 2023 field tour with Heather and Sarah, she officially joined the team in May 2024 and is proud serve as the Communications Director, combining her creative skills with her passion for Colorado, western water issues, local agriculture, sustainability, and the craft food & beverage world. She spends her free time in the mountains with her pack of three pups, who love to join her for hikes and various outdoor adventures.
Morgan Neely
Rio West Farms, Rye Resurgence Project
Morgan Neely was raised on her family farm in the San Luis Valley, where she spent her time along the banks of the Rio Grande and helping on the farm. This began her love for water and agriculture. In 2025 she gladly accepted the opportunity to be the Project Manager for the Rye Resurgence Project (RRP). This position has provided her the ability to continue educating people on agriculture, and championing the survival of her agricultural community. In addition to working with RRP, she continues to farm along side her family. She serves as a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation and services a regional 4H program.
Scott Yeates
Mythology Distilling
Scott Yeates is the founder and president of Mythology Distillery in Steamboat Springs and was recently named the city’s Business Leader of the Year. Mythology has been named Colorado’s Top Distillery, and its whiskeys and gins have earned more than 70 national medals. The company operates cocktail bars in Steamboat Springs and Breckenridge, along with a restaurant and Whiskey Garden in Steamboat. Mythology is also known for collaborations such as Foragers Botanical Gin, created with Denver Botanic Gardens. Today, the team is partnering with the Rye Resurgence Project to develop new spirits using water-conserving rye grown in Colorado. Whiskey is for drinking. Water is worth fighting for.
Wednesday, August 18th Speakers
Colorado Ag Water Alliance
Phil Brink
Brink, Inc.
Phil Brink is a conservation scientist and owner of Brink, Inc. which has been providing environmental compliance and nutrient management assistance to animal feeding operations in Colorado, Kansas and Utah since 2002. He also helps the broader agricultural community with nutrient and irrigation management, conservation planning and technical assistance. He serves as the consulting coordinator for Colorado Cattlemen’s Ag Water NetWORK, which focuses on helping agricultural producers with water issues, with the objective of keeping ag water connected with ag land.
Greg Peterson
Colorado Ag Water Alliance
Greg Peterson grew up in Littleton, CO, where he still lives after living around the world. He studied history and political economy. He has served as the Executive Director of the Colorado Ag Water Alliance since 2015. Greg is knee-deep in farmers and ranchers, learning more about water, agriculture, Colorado, and the digestive habits of cattle than he thought possible. He spends his free time growing vegetables on his small farm, learning to hate hail and bindweed.
From Crisis to Catalyst: Building Colorado's Forest Restoration Economy
Jonathan Guerts
Moderator
The Keystone Center
As a Project Director with the Keystone Policy Center, Jonathan Guerts has facilitated projects that have connected agricultural value chains on sustainability principles, engaged communities on joint needs for adjacent public lands, and helped agencies manage natural resources for an increasing population. He developed and has delivered Keystone’s Common Higher Ground and Adaptive Facilitation workshops both publicly and with teams who want to solve problems more collaboratively. Prior to Keystone, he worked in the public sector for the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Jonathan holds a Master of Arts in conflict resolution from the University of Denver and a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies from St. Olaf College.
Aaron Green
Colorado State Forest Service
Aaron Green has served as Associate Director of Forestry Services for the Colorado State Forest Service since 2020, overseeing operations across 17 field offices statewide. Previously, as Arizona’s Assistant State Forester, he helped coordinate with the U.S. Forest Service and water utilities on the Four Forest Restoration Initiative’s 20-year procurement effort to attract forest-products industry to northern Arizona. Aaron also served on the executive board of the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project, a 2012 voter-approved $10 million bond initiative addressing wildfire and post-fire flooding risks which was one of the first local tax initiatives to fund work on federal lands. He brings 25 years of forest management experience and 20 years of wildfire suppression experience, including leadership roles on incident management teams.
Megan Maxwell
Colorado Timber Association
Megan Maxwell is an environmental policy and regulatory affairs leader with a background in biological science and graduate-level training in environmental and natural resources law. As the Executive Director of the Colorado Timber Industry Association, she provides strategic leadership and advocacy for the forest products sector, focusing on regulatory analysis, stakeholder engagement, and organizational growth. In her role, Megan advocates for sound forest management across public and private forestlands to support healthy forests, healthy communities, and a stable and sustainable timber supply.
With 15 years of experience, Megan specializes in navigating complex regulatory environments, including NEPA compliance, the Endangered Species Act, and public lands policy. That experience gave her a deep understanding of environmental and natural resource policy, land use, and resource management, enabling her to navigate complex industry challenges while advancing practical, sustainable solutions. She holds an M.L.S. in Environmental & Natural Resources Law and Policy from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and a B.A. in Biology.
Dave Payne
Ute Water Conservancy District
Dave Payne is the Assistant General Manager at Ute Water Conservancy District, the largest water provider on the west slope of Colorado. Dave has over 31 years of experience in the water treatment industry and has been with the Ute Water for 17 years. Dave is responsible for managing the operation of Ute Water’s 34 million-gallon-per-day conventional water treatment facility and utilization of their source water portfolio including the Plateau Creek and Colorado River systems. Dave has a Bachelor of Science degree in the biological and agricultural sciences from Colorado Mesa University, is a certified Class A Water Works operator, a member of the Colorado Ground Water Commission, an active member of Colorado Water Congress and the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and is a past recipient of the Rocky Mountain Section AWWA Ralph R. Leinhardt Operator of the Year award. Dave serves as the Vice President of the Colorado Water Congress.
Molly Pitts
National Wild Turkey Federation
Molly Pitts is the Forest Management Manager for the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), leading NWTF’s engagement in the National Active Forest Management Strategy. Prior to joining the NWTF in 2023, Pitts ran her own natural resource consulting business, served as the Executive Director for the Northern Arizona Wood Products Association, the Executive Director for the Colorado Timber Industry Association, the Colorado Programs Manager for Intermountain Forest Association and as staff for the Federal Timber Purchasers Committee. Her experience gives her a unique perspective on the value of true partnerships with the industry.
Pitts is a forester by trade with a BS in Forestry from Northern Arizona University and a MS in Natural Resources from Oregon State University. She is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys camping, backpacking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting and other outdoor pursuits.
Travis Smith
National Wild Turkey Federation
Robert Sakata currently serves as Colorado’s Acting Commissioner of Agriculture while Commissioner Greenberg is on maternity leave. Prior to this appointment he was hired as the first ever Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Water Policy Advisor, a brand new position approved during the 2023 legislative session, where he not only was the liaison between CDA and other state agencies who work with agricultural stakeholders on water issues but also worked to strengthen relationships with water organizations around the state while encouraging dialog among diverse groups. He was born and raised in Colorado and grew up on his family farm and has served in a wide range of agricultural and water-focused positions beyond his farm. He has served on the Agriculture Groundwater Protection Advisory Committee, the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission, the InterBasin Compact Committee, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board. He has also served on the Metro Basin Roundtable, Colorado Foundation for Water Education Board of Directors (now known as Water Education Colorado), Colorado Water Congress Board of Directors, and several mutual ditch company boards He has been active and served in leadership positions in numerous farm organizations including the National Onion Association, The Western Growers Association, and he helped form both the Colorado Ag Water Alliance and the Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, where he served as the founding president. He was
awarded by the US Vegetable Grower Magazine with the 2014 Grower Achievement Award, was recognized by the Colorado Farm Bureau with the Service to Agriculture award in 2022 a recognition he cherishes since his father received the same award in 2013. In 2020 the Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers recognized the work he did to help start the organization by naming the annual CFVGA Member of the year award after him. Most recently he was recognized by Water Education Colorado with the 2025 Dianne Hoppe Leadership Award. In his current role Robert is honored to be representing all of the important work being done at the Department of Agriculture by an amazing team.
Esther Vincent
Northern Water
Esther Vincent is the Director of Environmental Services at Northern Water and a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in Colorado, a role she has held since joining the agency in 1999. She holds an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble (INPG) in France and has more than two decades of experience in water quality, watershed management, water supply planning, environmental permitting, and conservation. She is a graduate of the WeCo Water Leaders program.
Esther has led Northern Water’s response to major wildfire impacts, including oversight of more than $50 million in watershed recovery and restoration following the 2020 East Troublesome Fire. She oversees Northern Water’s water quality, environmental planning, compliance, data management and monitoring, and water efficiency programs, serves on the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed board and the Poudre River Improvement Fund committee, and is engaged in statewide efforts to advance sustainable funding and biomass market development for forest and watershed health.
Thursday, August 20th Speakers
Drought Impacts on Local Economies
Kristin Green
NW Colorado Council of Governments
Kristin Green is currently director of the Northwest Colorado Council of Government’s Water Quality/Quantity Committee (QQ). She holds a PhD in natural resources and environmental studies from the University of New Hampshire and a master's in environmental and natural resource law and policy from the University of Denver. Kristin had five years of professional experience working with Colorado water policy before beginning her graduate studies. Her research has focused on the role of state and local governments in permitting water projects in Colorado and meaningful consultation between Tribal Nations and U.S. agencies regarding stewardship of lands and waters.
Born and raised in Oklahoma, Kristin moved to Colorado to attend CU Boulder as an undergraduate. She first contemplated water management as a teenager when observing effects of reservoir releases on a section of the Caney River bordering her family’s land. Kristin feels immensely fortunate to call Kremmling, CO home where she gets to daily observe the Colorado River.
Mike Ritschard
Rancher, Colorado River District
Mike Ritschard is a fourth generation rancher in Middle Park, Colorado. He currently serves on the board for the Colorado River District, Grand Foundation, Kremmling Memorial Hospital District, Middle Park Farm Bureau, and East Fork Mutual Irrigation Co.
Nina Waters
Summit County Commissioner
Nina Waters currently serves as the chair of the Summit County Board of County Commissioners, as well as the Chair of The Northwest Colorado Council of Government’s Water Quality/Quantity (QQ) Committee. Nina was appointed to the Summit County BOCC in September of 2023, and re-elected in November of 2024.
Nina’s curiosities around water policy in the West were sparked when she began to grow increasingly tired of being “skunked” annually on river permit applications. This led her to dive—literally and figuratively—into the world of multi-day river guiding on the mighty Yampa and Green River through Dinosaur National Monument. Time spent deep in those canyons ignited her passion for conservation, river access, ecosystems, and protecting these precious places for generations to come.
Nina serves as Vice President for Colorado Communities for Climate Action (CC4CA), and Chair of the Summit County Wildfire Council. She also represents Summit County on the Upper Colorado River Wild & Scenic Stakeholder Group and the Colorado Basin Roundtable (CBRT). Nina is also a newly appointed Board Director for American Whitewater.
Today, Nina is thrilled to bring her passion, creativity, and collaborative spirit to every room she steps into. She resides in Silverthorne, CO with her partner and their two beloved rescue pups, Bandit and Osa.
Wayne N. Aspinall Awards
Russ George
2025 Aspinall Award Winner
At various times past or in the present Russ has served organizations including Crow Tribe of Indians of Montana, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), Colorado Water Conservation Board, Interbasin Compact Committee, Colorado Ground Water Commission, Silt Water Conservancy District, West Divide Water Conservancy District, Great Outdoors Colorado, Rocky Mountain Health Foundation, Western Colorado Community Foundation, Boettcher Foundation, Roaring Fork Habitat for Humanity, Colorado Bar Association, and Uniform Law Commission.
Russ was president of Colorado Northwestern Community College which provides education opportunities to the main campuses in Rangely and Craig and to Meeker and South Routt County.
Russ served as the director of Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Russ was elected four times to the Colorado House of Representatives. The district included Moffat, Garfield, Rio Blanco and Pitkin Counties in Western Colorado. In his fourth term he was elected Speaker of the House.
Russ practiced natural resources law in Rifle with the law firm of Stuver and George. He was admitted to the Colorado bar and the Montana bar. Russ is a graduate of Rifle High School, Colorado State University and Harvard Law School. He resides in Rifle and Denver.
Christine Arbogast
President, Colorado Water Congress
Christine Arbogast is a native Coloradan. She has a degree in journalism and political science and has worked with Congressman Ray Kogovsek since 1979. Since 1985 when Kogovsek & Associates was established, the small firm has worked primarily in the Western states on resource and tribal issues as well as local government concerns, capital construction projects and health care. Christine is an active member of the Water Congress Federal Affairs Committee and former President of the National Water Resources Association. She chairs the NWRA's federal affairs committee, and is a member of the Colorado River Water Users' Association and the Family Farm Alliance. She is the President and Founder of the Women in Water Scholarship Fund. Christine is the 2020 Wayne N. Aspinall Water Leader of the Year Award.
Candidate Information
Victor Marx
GOP Nominee
Governor of Colorado
Phil Weiser
Dem. Nominee
Governor of Colorado
Michael Allen
GOP Nominee
CO Attorney General
Jena Griswold
Dem. Nominee
CO Attorney General
Joe Neguse
Dem. Nominee
District 2
Jeff Hurd
GOP Nominee
District 3
Dwayne Romero
Dem. Nominee
District 3
Lauren Boebert
GOP Nominee
District 4
Eileen Laubacher
Dem. Nominee
District 4
Tim Bennett
GOP Nominee
District 7