The 2023 Water in the West Symposium brought together speakers and audiences from across sectors to share best practices and connect professionals around the theme Next Gen Water: From AI to Gen Z. The Symposium sold out with over 200 attendees and was hosted at the CSU Spur Hydro building for the first time.
Click the hyperlinks below to view video of the sessions.
THURSDAY, NOV. 9, 2023
8:30-9 A.M.
WELCOME
Jocelyn Hittle — Colorado State University System
Mayor Mike Johnston — City of Denver
Patrese Atine — Colorado State University
Chancellor Tony Frank — Colorado State University System
Governor Jared Polis — State of Colorado
9-9:45 A.M.
REMARKS
Secretary Tom Vilsack — U.S. Department of Agriculture
9:45-10:30 A.M.
NEXT GEN WORKFORCE: ENGAGING GEN Z & ALPHA
Joe Fuller — Harvard Business School
10:30-10:45 A.M.
BREAK
10:45-11:45 A.M.
NEXT GEN WATER: EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
Moderated by Jayla Poppleton — Water Education Colorado
Barbara Martin — American Water Works Association
Maria Mazin — Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Meredith Moon — Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation
Jose Valero — Denver Water
11:45 A.M.-12:30 P.M.
NEXT GEN WATER: FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
Moderated by James Pritchett — Colorado State University
Simon Martinez — Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Farm & Ranch Enterprise
LaKisha Odom — Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
Aric Olson — AvidWater/Rivulis
12:30-1:40 P.M.
LUNCH
Hydro 2nd floor
1:40-2:30 P.M.
NEXT GEN WATER: OUTDOOR INDUSTRY
Moderated by A. Alonso Aguirre — Colorado State University
Taishya Adams — Mukuyu Collective LLC
Conor Hall — State of Colorado
David Leinweber — Anglers Covey
2:30-3:15 P.M.
NEXT GEN WATER: INDIGENOUS AND TRIBAL WATER DIALOGUE
Moderated by Ernest House, Jr. — Keystone Policy Center
Mike Preston — Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Water Resources Committee
Kathryn Redhorse — Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs
3:15-3:30 P.M.
BREAK
3:30-4:15 P.M.
DISRUPTION AND OPPORTUNITY: AI AND MACHINE LEARNING
Lou DiLorenzo — Deloitte Consulting, LLP
4:15-5 P.M.
SHAPING NEXT GEN WATER: AI, ESG, AND CAPITAL “P” POLITICS
Moderated by Alan Salazar — Denver Water
Zoran Kapelan — Delft University of Technology
Michelle Katz — Ceres
Lauren Ris — Colorado Water Conservation Board
5 P.M.
5:05 P.M.
TOURS AND HAPPY HOUR
Hydro lobby
Thank you to our 2023 sponsors
OPENING RECEPTION SPONSOR
CONTENT SPONSORS
WIFI SPONSOR
LIVESTREAM SPONSORS
CONNECTIVITY SPONSORS
NONPROFIT 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.
It’s our anniversary!
It’s our anniversary! CSU Spur has been fully open to the public, sharing hands-on, family-friendly activities around food, water, and health for two years. Join us on Saturday, Jan. 11, for 2nd Saturday activities, including desserts, a mariachi performance, face painters, horses on treadmills, veterinarians in surgery, scientists in labs, and more. The celebration is from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and CSU Spur will be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; no registration required, all public activities are free.
2nd Saturday at CSU Spur is presented by Canvas Credit Union.
We’ll see you Saturday!
2nd Saturday at CSU Spur is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. this Saturday (May 9), and this month, the theme is Spur in Bloom. Join us for flower-themed arts and crafts, horse demonstrations, interactive activities focused on topics like sustainability and gardening, the return of the Market at the Center, and more!