The Speakers

The 2020-21 Western Drought: What are Current Conditions?

Richard Heim is a U.S. Drought Monitor and North American Drought Monitor author who has been involved in drought monitoring and drought research for the last three decades. Mr. Heim is a meteorologist in the Climate Monitoring section of the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information who has been doing climate monitoring since 1988. In his years with NCEI, Mr. Heim has also managed the 1961-1990 U.S. and Global climate normals project, developed the U.S. snow climatologies, and served as the first program manager for the Climate Reference Network. Recently Mr. Heim has been managing the entire suite of drought products at the NCEI. He has been involved in NCEI’s user engagement activities of the last several years to improve the drought monitoring suite.

David DeWitt has been the Director of the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) of the National Weather Service (NWS) since 2014. At CPC, he leads a team of scientists developing and producing operational products that help stakeholders mitigate risks due to sub-seasonal to seasonal (S2S) climate variability. Prior to coming to NOAA, he worked as a research scientist at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) at Columbia University from 1999-2012. While at IRI, David led the Climate Program, which consisted of a team of scientists engaged in the development of seasonal climate forecasts and prototype decision supports systems for the application of climate information in the fields of agriculture, health, and water resources. From 1994-1999, DeWitt worked at the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies developing coupled atmosphere-ocean models for seasonal forecasts and conducting research to better understand short-term climate variability. DeWitt received his Bachelor of Arts (1989) degree in meteorology from Kean University, and his Masters (1992), and Ph.D. (1994) degrees in meteorology from the University of Maryland, College Park. He has published over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, and is a leading expert on sub-seasonal to seasonal forecasting and diagnostics, and coupled model development. He served as an executive editor of Climate Dynamics, and as a member of the World Climate Research Program Working Group on Seasonal to Interannual Prediction.

Setting the Stage: How did we get here?

Dr. Andrew Hoell is a research meteorologist at the NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory. He researches the predictability and prediction of weather and climate extremes related to water and food security across the globe. Andy co-leads the NOAA Drought Task Force, is an editor of the Journal of Climate, and will be an author of the Earth System Processes chapter in the 5th National Climate Assessment.

Isla Simpson is a Scientist 2 in the Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Her research focuses on understanding the dynamics behind climate variability and change and in assessing the ability of Earth System Models to accurately simulate the climate system.

Erica Fleishman is Director, Oregon Climate Change Research Institute, and Professor, Oregon State University. For the past 30 years, Erica has conducted research on ecological responses to changes in land use, land cover, and climate in the western United States. She also has worked with government agencies and industry on responses of marine mammals to human activities, and coauthored curricula on applications of remote sensing to ecological modeling. Erica has participated in the science process for management of California’s San Francisco Estuary and in development of multiple Habitat Conservation Plans, which are mechanisms for conservation of private lands consistent with the US Endangered Species Act. Erica is past editor in chief of Conservation Biology and serves on the editorial boards of three international journals.

Sector and Community-Based Perspectives on Cascading Drought Impacts and Needed Changes

Terry Fankhauser was named Executive Vice President of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association in October of 2001. Fankhauser represents Colorado's beef cattle industry on state and national issues concerning the future of Colorado's largest sector of agriculture production. A native Kansan, Fankhauser grew up on a cow-calf operation in the Flint Hills. Fankhauser and his wife Hidi, are actively involved in the fifth generation operation. “I take great pride in the beef industry and making my livelihood from it. The beef industry is not only a business, but a provider of food to the world. Organizations like CCA ensure that this food supply will persevere and that the beef producer’s voice will be heard,” said Fankhauser. Founded in 1867, CCA is the nation’s oldest state cattlemen’s association. CCA serves its members by speaking out on behalf of Colorado’s more than 12,000 beef producers. CCA works closely with state and national legislators, agencies, media and consumers to promote the beef industry.

Deanna Ikeya is a Senior Water Policy Analyst at Central Arizona Project (CAP), focused on implementing policies and programs to protect and enhance CAP’s Colorado River water supply. Her efforts include Basin-wide conservation and demand management programs, implementation of DCP within Arizona, water supply projections and shortage impact analysis, and development and implementation of CAP’s Intentionally Created Surplus program. Deanna’s career spans more than 20 years in water resources. She previously worked for the Arizona Department of Water Resources andArizona municipalities. Her work has included groundwater and river system modeling, water conservation, water resources and infrastructure planning and Colorado River water policy projects. Deanna has a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Arizona State University.

Bidtah Becker is an Associate Attorney for the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and the immediate past Director of the Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources. For more than a decade prior, she served as an attorney for the Nation focusing on water rights and natural resources. She also serves on the Leadership Team for the Water and Tribes Initiative in the Colorado River Basin, on the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, and on the Navajo Nation Water Rights Commission. Equally passionate about supporting artists, she serves as a Trustee for the Institute of American Indian Arts and Culture (IAIA). She is a member of the Nation and lives on the Navajo Nation in Fort Defiance with her husband and two school age children.

Continued: Sector and Community-based Perspectives on Cascading Drought Impacts and Needed Changes

Kevin Moran directs state and federal water policy advocacy for EDF’s Resilient Water Systems program. EDF works in the Colorado River basin work to reverse groundwater depletion, incentivize conservation, and balance supply and demand. In 2018 Kevin represented the ENGO sector on the Arizona Drought Contingency Plan Steering Committee and serves on Arizona’s stakeholder committee for the 2026 river operating guidelines. Before joining EDF in 2014 Kevin worked in various public affairs and business roles including 11 years as a Cox Communications executive. Kevin earned a B.A., History, from Brown University, a J.D. from ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, and an MBA, ASU Thunderbird School of Global Management. He is based in Phoenix.

Chris Perkins is a Senior Director at the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, where he works to promote the sustainable growth of the outdoor recreation economy. This work focuses on rural economic development through outdoor recreation, outdoor recreation infrastructure, and building a more inclusive outdoor recreation community. Chris received a Masters in Environmental Management and Masters in Business Administration at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE) and Yale School of Management (SOM). Chris has also worked for the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee, Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. Chris supports Founder Teresa Baker on the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge (“The Pledge”), a commitment for outdoor businesses and organizations to improve on DEI efforts. The Pledge now has over 180 corporate and nonprofit partners. He lives in Victor, ID with his wife and dog.

Jesse E. Bell, Ph.D., is the Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Water, Climate, and Health in the Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the School of Natural Resources within the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is also the director of the Water, Climate and Health Program at UNMC and the director of Water, Climate and Health at the University of Nebraska’s Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute. He is also serving as a Faculty Fellow for the National Strategic Research Institute and adjunct faculty for the Department of Environmental Health at Emory University.

Bill Hasencamp is the Manager of Colorado River Resources for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, where he develops and manages water supply programs to augment Metropolitan’s Colorado River supplies. He has been with Metropolitan for 20 years, negotiating transfer agreements with irrigations districts, exchange agreements, and funding new water supply projects which have doubled Metropolitan’s Colorado River water supplies since 2003. Bill is one of California’s representatives to the Colorado River Salinity Control Forum. Bill’s hobbies include long distance bicycle touring, which led him on a three-month bicycle ride across the United States.

Analysis of the Impact of Drought on Agriculture, Local Economies, Public Health, and Crime across the Western United States

Christopher Goemans, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Colorado State University. Dr. Goemans holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Colorado. His past academic experience includes serving as a visiting scholar at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand and as an adjunct instructor for the University of Colorado at Denver. Dr. Goemans’ research has centered around the following topic areas: the impact of water transfers on regional economies; the relationship between climatic variability, population growth, and the effectiveness of various water management schemes; optimal demand management strategies during periods of drought; and estimating the impact of drought on various economic outcomes.

State, Local Government, NGO, and Private Sector Panel: Managing for a Changing Climate in the Southwest

Patrice Horstman is the District 1 Supervisor on the Coconino County, Arizona Board of Supervisors. Coconino County is the second-largest county by area in the contiguous United States. Coconino County is home to the Navajo, Hopi, Havasupai, Southern-Paiute Apache, and Hualapai people and includes four national forests, four national monuments, and the Grand Canyon National Park. Supervisor Horstman sits on the National Association of Counties Public Lands Steering Committee, is the elected alternate member for Arizona on the Western Interstate Region and sits on the Four Forest Restoration Initiative Stakeholders group. In 1979, Supervisor Horstman co-founded the law practice of Hufford and Horstman. Over her 45 years in practice, she specialized in Indian law, education law, municipal law, and healthcare law.

Kate Greenberg was appointed to serve as Colorado’s first female Commissioner of Agriculture by Governor Jared Polis in December 2018. As Commissioner, Greenberg provides leadership and direction to the Colorado Department of Agriculture, which serves producers operating more than 38,700 farms and ranches in the state. She is a member of numerous state boards and commissions, current vice president of the Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association, and secretary/treasurer of the Western Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Commissioner Greenberg is the recipient of the Emerging Conservation Leader Award from Western Resource Advocates and a 2019 Who’s Who In Agriculture honoree. She has worked in and advocated for agriculture for more than 14 years.

Cynthia Koehler is an environmental attorney and water policy expert with 20 years of experience working on federal and state water issues and legislation. As Executive Director of the WaterNow Alliance, she leads efforts to help communities build sustainable and resilient water infrastructure projects. She is also in her 4th term on the Marin Municipal Water District in California and is the current board President. Previously, she worked as the Environmental Defense Fund’s Legislative Director for California water issues, and the Legal Director for Save San Francisco Bay. She also serves on the Water Education Foundation Board and Sierra Nevada Research Institute Directors’ Council and has received numerous awards for leadership on water issues, including the Hero of the Bay Award.

Brenda Ekwurzel, Ph.D., is Director of Climate Science at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), where she helps ensure that Climate and Energy Program analyses reflect robust climate science. She served as a co-author of the United States fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) Volume II (https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/chapter/29/). She is lead-author of a publication (bit.ly/GAT_SLR) that was recognized as the 2018 top downloaded climate article in Springer Climate Journals. Brenda was honored to be named an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) fellow in 2016 for her “distinguished contributions … and making the science of climate change accessible to diverse audiences.” https://www.ucsusa.org/about/staff/staff/brenda-ekwurzel.html

Drought Coordination: Federal Government Initiatives to Address Long-term Drought Resilience in the Southwest

Roger Gorke (Moderator) has over 30 years of experience in water related environmental and public health protection at the local and federal levels. Currently, he is a senior policy advisor in the Office of Water at United States Environmental Protection Agency and is now place based in Southern California. In that role, Roger is Agency lead for drought and western water issues, such as the nexus between water quantity and water quality and the cleanup of abandoned mines. Roger played a key role for USEPA in the development of the 2016 Presidential Memorandum “Building National Capabilities for Long Term Drought Resilience.” He is also the liaison for USEPA with the Western States Water Council and the Western Governors’ Association with respect to water issues. Roger is a native of southern California and a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He lives in Camarillo, Calif., with his wife Chaan and two sons, Luke (23) and Jackson (13). In his spare time, when he isn’t driving to, attending, and/or coaching his sons’ baseball and football games, he enjoys playing and building guitars and building and restoring vintage tube amplifiers and audio equipment.

Karen Hyun, Ph.D., is the Chief of Staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Prior to joining NOAA in January 2021, she spent four years at the National Audubon Society where she served as the Vice President for Coastal Conservation, as well as Director of Water and Coastal Policy. Dr. Hyun has championed conservation issues across the Executive Branch, including as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks at the Department of the Interior; Senior Advisor to the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of Commerce; and Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of Commerce. She also served as professional staff and NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Fellow on the Natural Resources Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Dr. Hyun received her Ph.D. in Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island, and an M.S. and B.S. from Stanford University.

Michael Grimm serves as FEMA’s Assistant Administrator for Risk Management within the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA). With over 20 years at FEMA, Mr. Grimm has worked to improve coordination, collaboration, and transparency across various levels of government, to align national mitigation policies on reducing risk, and to create more disaster-resilient communities. Mr. Grimm was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2011. Under Mr. Grimm’s direction, the Risk Management Directorate (RMD) delivers quality risk data, modeling, and programs that increase the public's awareness of risk from natural hazards. Risk Management programs prioritize federal investments for mitigation and resilience, implement higher codes and standards for federal action, and help communities reduce disaster costs. From 2014 to 2018, Mr. Grimm directed FEMA’s pre- and post-disaster mitigation programs, which support sustainable, disaster-resilient communities by helping them avoid or reduce the loss of life and property from natural hazards. From 2011 to 2014, Mr. Grimm directed FEMA’s Individual Assistance Division, where he was responsible for a variety of FEMA disaster response and recovery programs. He co-chaired the Mass Care Council and represented FEMA on the Board of Directors for the National Voluntary Agencies Active in Disasters. Before joining FEMA, Mr. Grimm worked with the emergency and floodplain management program in the City of Fort Collins, Colorado; the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality; and the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Research Program.

Keynote Speaker: Eric Kuhn, Author and Former General Manager of the Colorado River District

Eric Kuhn is the retired General Manager of the Colorado River Water Conservation District and co-author with John Fleck of Science Be Dammed: How Ignoring Inconvenient Science Drained the Colorado River, University of Arizona Press, 2019. Eric started employment with the Colorado River District in 1981 as Assistant Secretary-Engineer. In 1996 he was appointed General Manager, a position he held until his retirement in 2018. Eric and John’s book, Science Be Dammed, is about Colorado River hydrology, what we knew, when we knew it, and how we used it to shape the over-allocation of the river under the 1922 compact, the other major provisions of the law-of-the-river, and the projects we have in place today.

Infrastructure for Managing Drought Risk and Coordination

Jon Radtke is the Water and Agriculture Sustainability Program Director for Coca-Cola North America. In this role, he manages the company’s water stewardship and sustainable agricultural ingredient sourcing programs, which assess and mitigate water and supply chain risks facing Coca-Cola operations, with an emphasis on creating business value. Primary areas of focus include water conservation in manufacturing, source water protection, community water partnerships, sustainable agriculture initiatives, and marine litter strategies. Mr. Radtke’s leadership has helped to position The Coca-Cola Company as an industry leader in water stewardship. Jon holds a B.S. degree in Geology and a M.S. in Hydrogeology with 30 years of professional experience in sustainable resource management.

Morgan Snyder is a Senior Program Officer for the Walton Family Foundation’s Environment Program with a focus on the Colorado River Basin. He joined the Foundation in 2010 and is based in Washington, DC. In his role, he develops and refines internal strategy, identifies grantees, makes resource decisions, and supports program evaluation. He received a Masters degree from Uppsala University’s Peace and Conflict department with a focus on international freshwater policy and a Bachelors degree from Sonoma State University in environmental conservation and restoration. He grew up in Santa Cruz, California.

Phil Saksa is Chief Scientist and Co-Founder at Blue Forest and has a background in ecosystem services and watershed management. At Blue Forest, Phil manages research partnerships to quantify the environmental and economic benefits of ecosystem restoration projects, supports the development of Forest Resilience Bonds, and informs state and federal policy efforts in conservation finance.

Anthea Hansen, armed with a BS Degree in Agricultural and Managerial Economics, a minor in English, an MBA, and a farm-girl background, began her career with Del Puerto Water District in 2000, and was named General Manager on March 1, 2014. The District serves 45,000 of highly productive farmland on the Westside of California’s San Joaquin Valley. Anthea has led the District and its Landowners through two recent droughts, during which the District received a Zero (0%) allocation from its USBR Contract in three of the last seven years. Her passion for agriculture and desire to protect the multi-generational small family farmers she serves are her daily motivations. Among her greatest joys is being married to a farmer and raising one, as well.

Susana De Anda is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Community Water Center. Susana’s experience includes planning and organizing positions at the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment; the County of Merced Planning Department; the Santa Barbara County Water Agency; and the Santa Barbara non-profit Community Environmental Council. Susana earned a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara while completing a double major in Environmental Studies and Geography. She currently serves on the Advisory Council for the Water Solutions Network and is a Steering Committee member on the Water Equity and Climate Resilience Caucus. Susana is also a co-founder and member of the board of Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL).

Keynote Speaker: Will Sarni, Founder and CEO, Water Foundry

Will Sarni is an internationally recognized thought leader on water strategy and innovation. He was ranked as; A Key Player Pressuring Businesses to Care About Water and one of the Top 15 Interviews In Smart Water Magazine 2019. He has been a sustainability and water strategy advisor to multinationals, water technology companies, investors and non-governmental organizations for his entire career. Will has written numerous books and articles and continues to present on subjects such as the value of water, innovations in digital water technology, the circular economy, and the energy-water-food nexus. Will is The Founder and General Partner of the Colorado River Basin Fund is the first placed-based water-focused investment fund in the United States. The Colorado River basin Fund is a private equity fund which seeks to invest in technologies addressing water scarcity and quality issues in the basin.

Exploring Drought Risk Management through Water Markets and Financial Services

Dr. Sarah Kapnick, Managing Director, is Senior Climate Scientist and Sustainability Strategist for the Asset and Wealth Management (AWM) Strategy & Business Development organization at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Dr. Kapnick supports AWM’s sustainability and climate action efforts and serves as an advisor on new business and investment opportunities and risks. She previously worked at the NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory as a Deputy Division Leader on Seasonal to Decadal Variability and Predictability. While at NOAA, her research included seasonal climate prediction, hydroclimate, and climate impacts. Prior to graduate studies, she covered financial institutions at Goldman Sachs. Dr. Kapnick received a Ph.D. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences with a Certificate in Sustainability from UCLA, and an A.B in Mathematics with a Certificate in Finance from Princeton University.

Michael Hanemann is a Professor of Economics in the Economics Department and Wrigley Chair in Sustainability at Arizona State University. He is also a Professor of the Graduate School and Chancellor’s Professor Emeritus in the Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics and the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. He is an environmental economist who works on the economics of water, the economics of climate change, and the field of non-market valuation which he helped create. A Member of the US National Academy of Sciences, he has an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University, a Master’s Degree in Economics from the London School of Economics, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University.

Michael Peterson is currently the inaugural Deputy Commissioner of the Climate and Sustainability Branch for Commissioner Ricardo Lara at the California Department of Insurance. In this role, Peterson is leading multiple initiatives to reduce climate risk and increase resilience, including partnering with the United Nations Principles for Sustainable Insurance to develop the California Sustainable Insurance Roadmap, envisioned to pave the way for innovative risk management, insurance and investment solutions that reduce climate risks and protect natural ecosystems. This is the first time the United Nations has partnered with a US state to create a sustainable insurance strategy and action plan. Prior to his current position, Peterson was a policy consultant in the California State Senate, focusing on climate change, natural resources, air quality, and energy policy. Peterson has a background researching biology and physiology, earning a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy and Management from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Masters degree at Western Washington University.

Looking Forward: A Vision for a Sustainable and Healthy West in a Changing Environment

David J. Hayes is a Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy. He is a senior member of National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy’s White House team, which is advancing the Biden administration’s climate, conservation, and clean energy priorities. Immediately prior to joining the White House, Hayes was Executive Director of the State Energy & Environmental Impact Center at the NYU School of Law, where he worked with state attorneys general on climate, environmental and clean energy initiatives. He previously served as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer at the U.S. Department of the Interior for Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. He was a climate policy advisor for the Biden-Harris Transition in 2020, and led the energy and environmental agency review teams for the Obama-Biden Transition in 2008. Hayes is a former Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at the Stanford Law School; a former Fellow at Stanford University’s Precourt Institute for Energy and Woods Institute for the Environment; and the former Chairman of the Board of the Environmental Law Institute. Hayes is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Stanford Law School.

Alice Hill is the David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment at the Council on Foreign Relations. Hill previously served as special assistant to President Obama and senior director for resilience policy on the National Security Council where she led the development of national policy to build resilience to catastrophic risks. Prior to this, Hill served as senior counselor to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in which she led the formulation of DHS's first-ever climate adaptation plan. Earlier in her career, she was a supervising judge on the Los Angeles Superior Court and chief of the white-collar crime unit at the United States Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, California. Oxford University Press published her coauthored book, Building a Resilient Tomorrow, in 2019. She currently serves on the boards of the Environmental Defense Fund and Munich Re Group’s U.S.-based companies. In 2020, Yale University and the Op-Ed Project awarded her the Public Voices Fellowship on the Climate Crisis. Hill’s new book, The Fight for Climate After COVID-19, was published in September 2021.

John Fleck, a former science journalist turned academic, is focused on the problems of the imperiled Colorado River. He is a Professor of Practice in Water Policy and Governance in the University of New Mexico Department of Economics and Writer in Residence at the Utton Center at the University of New Mexico School of Law. He first wrote about water in the 1980s as a beat reporter covering the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. He is the author of the books Water is for Fighting Over and Other Myths About Water in the West, an exploration of solutions to the Colorado River Basin’s water problems, and co-author of Science Be Dammed: How Ignoring Inconvenient Science Drained the Colorado River.

Bidtah Becker is an Associate Attorney for the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and the immediate past Director of the Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources. For more than a decade prior, she served as an attorney for the Nation focusing on water rights and natural resources. She also serves on the Leadership Team for the Water and Tribes Initiative in the Colorado River Basin, on the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, and on the Navajo Nation Water Rights Commission. Equally passionate about supporting artists, she serves as a Trustee for the Institute of American Indian Arts and Culture (IAIA). She is a member of the Nation and lives on the Navajo Nation in Fort Defiance with her husband and two school age children.

Additional information regarding the Forum speakers will be added as we receive them.

Please check back for updates!