Agenda
*All conference sessions to be held in Ballroom A, unless specified otherwise. All other events to be held outside.
Thursday, September 29
10 – 11:45 a.m. CONFERENCE CHECK-IN | FOYER A
12 – 1 p.m. LUNCH AND OPENING REMARKS | BALLROOM TERRACE
1:15 – 2 p.m. NEVER WASTE A CRISIS: ADAPTING TO THE NEW NORMAL IN WATER MANAGEMENT
Moderator:
Bella Sewall Wolitz, Of Counsel, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Speakers:
Karla Nemeth, Director, California Department of Water Resources
Rebecca (Becky) Mitchell, Director, Colorado Water Conservation Board
2 – 2:45 p.m. INVESTING IN THE DIVERSIFICATION OF THE WEST’S WATER RESOURCES
Moderator/Speaker:
Sivan Zamir, P.E., Vice President, Xylem Inc.
Speakers:
Nicole Neeman Brady, CEO, Sustainable Development Acquisition I Corp
Dorothy Timian-Palmer, P.E., President and CEO, Vidler Water
2:45 – 3:15 p.m. NETWORKING BREAK | BALLROOM TERRACE
3:15 – 4:15 p.m. COMING TOGETHER FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR PEOPLE AND NATURE
Moderator/Speaker:
Ellen Hanak, Ph.D., Vice President and Director, Water Policy Center; Senior Fellow and Chair,
Water Policy, Public Policy Institute of California
Speakers:
Heather Dyer, CEO and General Manager, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District Alicia (Ali) Forsythe, Environmental Planning and Permitting, Sites Reservoir Authority
Ann Hayden, Associate Vice President, Water, Environmental Defense Fund
4:15 – 5 p.m. GAME CHANGER FOR CALIFORNIA WATER MANAGEMENT: HERE TO STAY!
Moderator/Speaker:
Kassy Chauhan, P.E., Executive Officer, North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency; Special Projects Manager, Fresno Irrigation District
Speakers:
Lisa Porta, P.E., Senior Water Resources Engineer, Montgomery & Associates
Sarah Woolf, President, Water Wise
5 – 5:20 p.m. HOW CAN WE MAXIMIZE GLOBAL WATER DATA? A NEW DATA SCIENCE PLATFORM
Introduction:
Stephanie Hastings, Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Speaker:
Rachel Peletz, Ph.D., Executive Director, The Aquaya Institute
5:30 – 8 p.m. COCKTAIL PARTY | OCEAN TERRACE
Friday, September 30
8 – 9 a.m. BREAKFAST | BALLROOM TERRACE
9 – 9:45 a.m. BUILDING A RESILIENT WATER FUTURE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Moderator/Speaker:
Newsha Ajami, Ph.D., Chief Strategy and Development Officer for Research,
Earth & Environmental, Sciences Area, Berkeley Lab
Speakers:
Lisa Atkins, Board Member, Past Board President, Central Arizona Project
Tracy Quinn, P.E., President and CEO, Heal the Bay
9:45 – 10:15 a.m. NETWORKING BREAK | BALLROOM TERRACE
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. WATER BOARD WOMEN AND DROUGHT: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Moderator:
Jennifer (Jen) Sokolove, Ph.D., Director of Programs and Strategy, Water Foundation
State Water Resources Control Board Speakers:
Dorene (DeeDee) D’Adamo, Vice Chair
Nichole Morgan, Board Member
Eileen Sobeck, Executive Director
Nicole Kuenzi, Hearing Officer
Yvonne West, Director, Office of Enforcement
11:15 a.m. – 12 p.m. “H2O DROPS” MINI PRESENTATION SERIES
Lauren Layne, Partner, Baker Manock & Jensen, PC
Jennifer Capitolo, Executive Director, California Water Association
Anjanette Shadley, Assistant General Manager, Western Canal Water District
Evelyn Cortez-Davis, Director of Water Engineering and Technical Services,
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Cristina Ahmadour, President, Isle Utilities
12 p.m. BROWNSTEIN CLOSING REMARKS
OPTIONAL EVENTS (NOT INCLUDED IN CONFERENCE REGISTRATION)
Activities Throughout the Conference: pools, spa, hikes, beach walks
1 – 2 p.m. LUNCH | POOL BAR
5:30 p.m. COCKTAILS | O BAR