The inaugural Water in the West Symposium, presented by CSU and held at the McNichols Civic Center Building in downtown Denver, sold out with more than 400 attendees, and showcased more than 30 speakers from across the state and nation representing diverse perspectives in water. The Symposium mirrored the programing and conversations that will be ongoing at CSU Spur.
Please click the hyperlinks below to view video of the sessions.
THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2018
9 A.M.
Welcome
Amy Parsons – Colorado State University System
9:10 A.M.
Opening remarks
Secretary Tom Vilsack – Colorado State University System
9:20 A.M.
Challenge and Opportunity: Introduction to the CSU Water Building
Tony Frank – Colorado State University System
Jim Lochhead – Denver Water
9:40 A.M.
Colorado Water Plan: Snapshots and Next Steps
Becky Mitchell – Colorado Water Conservation Board
10:10 A.M.
Colorado Impact: Water Success and Challenges Across Sectors
Moderator: Doug Kemper – Colorado Water Congress
Mizraim Cordero – Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
Bart Miller – Western Resource Advocates
Don Brown – Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture
Mike Reidy – Leprino Foods Company
Dan Haley – Colorado Oil & Gas Association
11:45 A.M.
Water Forum for Gubernatorial Candidates + lunch
Moderator: Russell George – Boettcher Foundation Trustees
1:45 P.M.
Taps and Bottle Caps: Water Sustainability in the Beverage Industry
Moderator: Jim Francis – Beverage Business Institute, CSU
Bruce Karas – Coca-Cola North America
Marco Ugarte – MillerCoors
2:45 P.M.
City Water Strategies
Jerry Tinianow – Office of Sustainability, City and County of Denver
3:15 P.M.
Seeking Solutions: Colorado Leads in Water Research
Moderator: Reagan Waskom – Colorado Water Institute
Mazdak Arabi – Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering, CSU
Brad Udall – Colorado Water Institute
Jim McQuarrie – Metro Wastewater Reclamation District
Meagan Schipanski – College of Agriculture, CSU
4:15 P.M.
Trout Tank Winners Pitches
Introduction: Jocelyn Hittle – Colorado State University System
Andrew Todd – Running Rivers
Mike Smith – RenewWest
4:30 P.M.
Colorado Water: Water Legacy and Vision
John Hickenlooper – Governor of Colorado
5 P.M.
Reception
FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2018
9 A.M.
Welcome and Day One Recap
Amy Parsons – Colorado State University System
9:15 A.M.
Dollars for Droplets: Financing Water Projects
Moderator: Diane Barrett – City and County of Denver
Secretary Tom Vilsack – Colorado State University System
Ted Kowalski – Colorado River Initiative, Walton Family Foundation
Rich Thorsten – Water.org
Tom Halverson – CoBank
Gili Elkin – Israel-Colorado Innovation Fund
10:15 A.M.
Federal Focus: Water in the West
Host: Kelly Brough – Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
Cynthia Lummis – Former Congresswoman-at-large, Wyoming
Michael Bennet – U.S. Senator, Colorado
11:15 A.M.
Water and Food Dialogue
Sonny Perdue – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Tom Vilsack – Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
12 P.M.
Special Announcement
Deborah Hamlin – Irrigation Association
12:05 P.M.
Closing Remarks
Secretary Tom Vilsack – Colorado State University System
Tony Frank – Colorado State University System
Thank you to our 2018 sponsors
PREMIER SPONSORS
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS
ADDITIONAL SPONSORS
IN-KIND / EXPO TABLE SPONSORS
KAREN SCHLATTER
Director, Colorado Water Center
Karen Schlatter was appointed director of the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University in 2025, after joining the Center as associate director in 2023. Schlatter brings academic, nonprofit, and public sector experience in managing complex water challenges with a deep commitment to building partnerships and the ability to engage in conversations across Colorado’s water community. She joined CSU from the University of Florida Water Institute where her work included facilitating multi-stakeholder/academic teams to achieve shared goals around water management through collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Prior to her role at UF, she served as associate director of the Colorado River Delta Program at the Sonoran Institute, where she focused on building cross-sector and international partnerships to support large-scale ecological restoration, effective binational water management, and community engagement in the Colorado River Delta region. Schlatter earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from McGill University and a Master of Science in environmental studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. She served as an agricultural extension volunteer in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.
TOM VILSACK
Chief Executive Officer, World Food Prize Foundation
Effective March 1, 2025, Thomas J. Vilsack, former United States Secretary of Agriculture and Governor of Iowa, will become the first Chief Executive Officer for the World Food Prize Foundation. In this new role, Governor Vilsack will focus on expanding the Foundation’s global network, and will further position the Foundation as a leader in addressing global food and nutrition insecurity, continuing his lifetime of public service.
In 1998, he became the first Democrat to be elected as the Governor of Iowa in more than 30 years. During his two terms as Governor, he created an $800 million, 10-year economic development incentive program—the Iowa Values Fund. His administration worked with schools, medical providers, businesses, faith-based organizations and other entities to expand healthcare coverage to more than 90,000 previously uninsured children.
He became the 30th and 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture, from 2008-2017 and 2021-2025, respectively. Only five people in U.S. history have served in the Cabinet longer, and during his tenures, the United States Department of Agriculture set records for U.S. agricultural exports and provided food assistance to millions of Americans. He helped expand food and nutrition access through summer feeding programs for children and additional support for fruit and vegetable purchases through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. As Secretary, he worked to develop new and superior markets for small and mid-sized farms, allowing those operations to remain viable and in turn, strengthening and growing rural communities.
Governor Vilsack has long been connected to the World Food Prize Foundation, having served on both the Council of Advisors and the Board of Directors. His insights and acumen were vital in shaping our mission and initiatives. His leadership and experience will be instrumental in expanding the Foundation’s international reach and continuing the mission of elevating innovations and inspiring action to sustainably increase the quality, quantity and availability of food for all.
Celebrate the Fourth of July at Spur!
CSU Spur is hosting its first Fourth of July party! Join us at 5:30 p.m. on July 4 for a live DJ, local barbecue, activities for kids, and a view of celebrations across the city from the Terra rooftop.
Tickets are $5.
We’ll see you Saturday!
2nd Saturday at CSU Spur is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. this Saturday (Aug. 8), and this month, the theme is Back to School Bash. Join us to make your own pencil pouch, pick up some school supplies, and participate in hands-on STEM activities and experiences designed to spark curiosity in learners of all ages.