WRRC 2026 Annual Conference Draft Agenda
Water for Tech, Mining & Energy: Pathways to Arizona's Future

Day 1 – Tue, April 14

LUNCH ON YOUR OWN

11:30 AM	SPONSOR CHECK-IN and SET-UP
12:00 PM	Conference Registration (Ongoing)
1:00 PM	Conference Starts: Land Acknowledgement/Blessing/Opening Remarks The Honorable Austin Nuñez, Chairman, San Xavier District, Tohono O'odham Nation Sharon B. Megdal, Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona
1:30 PM	Opening Keynote: Future Prospects Upmanu Lall, Professor & Senior Global Futures Scientist, Arizona State University
1:55 PM	Session 1: Sector Introductions Arizona Energy 101 Moderator – Kyle Tilghman, Director of Water Strategic Projects, Salt River Project Bryan Jungers, Principal, Emerging Technology & Innovation, Tucson Electric Power Arizona Mining 101 Moderator – Alicja Babst-Kostecka, Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Science; Director, Center for Environmentally Sustainable Mining, University of Arizona Sandy Fabritz, Director of Water Strategy, Freeport McMoRan Steve Trussell, Executive Director, Arizona Mining Association and Arizona Rock Products Association Arizona Tech 101 Moderator – TBA David McCabe, Engineering Director, Sundt Construction
3:25	NETWORKING BREAK
3:55 PM	Session 2: Land-Water-Energy Nexus Moderator – TBA Water Markets and Locational Decision Making Amanda Long, Associate, WestWater Research Data Centers and the Land-Water-Energy Nexus Mary Ann Dickinson, Policy Director, Land and Water, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
4:45	Day 1 Audience Reflections Moderator – Sharon B. Megdal, Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona
5:15	RECEPTION at Cork and Craft (U of A Student Union)

Day 2 – Wed, April 15

7:30 AM	Day 2 Registration/BREAKFAST
8:30 AM	Welcome Back Jamie McEvoy, Associate Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona
8:35 AM	Session 3: Environmental and Community Perspectives Panel Moderator – Jamie McEvoy, Associate Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona Christopher Kuzdas, Arizona Water Program Director, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Kim Schonek, Arizona Water Program Director, The Nature Conservancy Lindsay Rogers, Policy Manager for Municipal Conservation, Western Resource Advocates Anna Darian, Executive Director, Patagonia Area Resource Alliance
9:35 AM	Session 4: Impacts, Strategies & Stewardship – Part I Moderator – Alice Templeton, Client Relations Specialist, Stantec Advances in Copper Production Sophie Dessart, Manager, Communications & Public Affairs, Florence Copper LLC Space-based Data Centers Krishna Muralidharan, Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Arizona The Role of Nuclear Power Generation in Arizona Brad Berles, Senior Director, Palo Verde Water Strategy, Arizona Public Service
10:35 AM	NETWORKING BREAK
11:05 AM	Session 5: Impacts, Strategies & Stewardship – Part II Moderator – TBA Critical Mineral Mining and Water Use Pat Risner, Hermosa President, South32 Mining and Public Health: Santa Cruz County Health Impact Assessment Nathan Lothrop, Assistant Professor, Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona Energy and Tribal Sovereignty Pilar Thomas, Adjunct Professor, University of Arizona School of Law Water Stewardship in Semiconductor Manufacturing Kelly Osborne, Senior Technologist, Intel
12:30 PM	LUNCH BUFFET OPENS
12:45 PM	Lunch Program: Arizona’s Water Future Keynote Speaker – To Be Announced
1:35 PM	Tribal Keynote: Pressure Points for Tribal Country John Lewis, Managing Director, Native American Energy, Avant Energy Inc.
2:05 PM	NETWORKING BREAK
2:35 PM	Session 6: Collaboration Case Studies Moderator – Greg Hitt, Associate, Economic Development & Community Engaged Research, Office of Research and Partnerships (ORP) Town of Superior and Resolution Copper Todd Pryor, Town Manager, Town of Superior Mila Besich, Mayor, Town of Superior Vicky Peacey, President, Resolution Copper City of Phoenix and TSMC Robert Sandoval, Senior Environmental Compliance and Policy Leader, TSMC Max Wilson, Water Resources Management Advisor, City of Phoenix
3:35 PM	Session 7: Community Processes Panel Moderator – Susan Craig, Director, Impact Water – Arizona, Arizona State University Eliza Stokes, Program Manager, Growing Water Smart, Sonoran Institute Tahnee Robertson, Director and Senior Facilitator, Southwest Decision Resources, Inc.
4:30 PM	Closing Remarks David Wegner, Senior Strategic Consultant, Woolpert Engineering; Board Member, National Academy of Sciences; Board Member Emeritus, Water Science and Technology Board
4:45 PM	End of Conference