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 Program Starts
	Welcome/Opening Remarks Sharon B. Megdal, Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona
	Opening Keynote: Future Prospects Upmanu Lall, Professor & Senior Global Futures Scientist, Arizona State University
	Session 1: Sector Introductions Moderator – TBA Arizona Energy 101 Sarah Moore, Principal, Emerging Technology and Innovation, Tucson Electric Power Arizona Mining 101 Sandy Fabritz, Director of Water Strategy, Freeport McMoRan Steve Trussell, Executive Director, Arizona Mining Association and Arizona Rock Products Association Arizona Tech 101 David McCabe, Engineering Director, Sundt Construction
	NETWORKING BREAK
	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, Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
	Day 1 Audience Reflections Moderator – TBA
5:15 PM	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 Sharon B. Megdal, Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona
	Session 3: Environmental and Community Perspectives Panel Moderator – TBA Christopher Kuzdas, Senior Manager, Climate Resilient Water Systems, Environmental Defense Fund 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
	Session 4: Impacts, Strategies & Stewardship – Part I Moderator – TBA 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
	NETWORKING BREAK
	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
	Lunch Program: Arizona’s Water Future Keynote Speaker – To Be Announced
	NETWORKING BREAK
	Tribal Keynote: Pressure Points for Tribal Country John Lewis, Managing Director, Native American Energy, Avant Energy Inc.
	Session 6: Collaboration Case Studies Moderator – TBA 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
	Session 7: Community Processes Panel Moderator – TBA Eliza Stokes, Program Manager, Growing Water Smart, Sonoran Institute Tahnee Robertson, Director and Senior Facilitator, Southwest Decision Resources, Inc.
4:15 PM	Closing Remarks David Wegner, Senior Strategic Consultant, Woolpert Engineering; Board Member, National Academy of Sciences; Board Member Emeritus, Water Science and Technology Board
4:30 PM	End of Conference