Day One

1:00 p.m.: Welcome and Opening Remarks 

• Jack Waldorf, Executive Director of WGA 
• The Honorable Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado 

1:30 - 2:00 p.m.: Keynote I: The Honorable Michael Regan, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

2:00 - 2:30 p.m.: Keynote II: Ashley Llorens, VP and Distinguished Scientist, Microsoft

Artificial intelligence has reached an inflection point representing a consequential technological advancement across all industries and sectors.  An expert on AI and autonomous systems, Ashley Llorens will highlight the vast potential of these technologies, explore the need for guardrails to ensure responsible and safe systems, and discuss how to develop and implement efficient, augmented systems that are both effective and equitable for users.

2:45 - 3:30 p.m.: Roundtable I: The Heat Beneath Our Feet 

Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk will deliver remarks before joining a panel discussion of key takeaways from the initiative of WGA Chair and Colorado Governor Jared Polis, The Heat Beneath Our Feet.  

Panelists: Claudio Berti, Director and State Geologist, Idaho Geological Survey; Sarah Jewett, VP of Strategy, Fervo Energy.

3:30 - 4:15 p.m.: Roundtable II: Rural Health Care Access 

Many rural and underserved communities across the West lack access to critical health care infrastructure and services, making them more susceptible to poor health and mortality. This panel will explore innovative approaches to providing care in these communities and ensuring the health and wellbeing of all Americans.

Panelists: Brock Slabach, Chief Operations Officer, National Rural Health Association; Gerald Ackerman, Director, Nevada Office of Rural Health and Assistant Dean of Rural Health, University of Nevada School of Medicine; Jenny Niblock, Chief Clinical Officer, Citizens Health.

6:00 - 7:00 p.m.: Opening Reception

• At the St. Julien Hotel   

Day Two

9:15 - 9:45 a.m.: Keynote III 

9:45 - 10:30 a.m.: Roundtable III: Grasslands for Growers and Greenspace 

This panel will discuss the importance of protecting and restoring grassland ecosystems, the benefits of maintaining native seed stocks, and opportunities to strengthen grassland conservation in the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill. 

Panelists:  Robert Bonnie, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture;  Blayne Arthur, Secretary, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture;  James Cummins, President, Boone and Crockett Club.

10:45 - 11:30 a.m.: Roundtable IV: Resilient Outdoor Recreation Economies 

Panelists will discuss how communities in the West are harnessing the outdoor recreation industry to bolster and diversify local economies.  

Panelists: Barbara Bynum, Mayor, City of Montrose; Tim Fry, President and CEO, Mountain Racing Products; Elizabeth Sodja, GNAR Coordinator, Utah State University

11:30 a.m - 12:15 p.m.: Roundtable V: Water Data 

Basic water data, such as snowpack or weather forecasting, is an essential tool for water managers throughout the West. Boulder, Colorado, has become a hotspot for programs focused on improving forecasting methods, data collection, and dissemination of information throughout the nation. This panel will bring together experts to discuss the current collection of water data, possible improvements, and the effect their work could have on water management in the West.

Panelists: Richard Spinrad, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;  Everette Joseph, Director, National Center for Atmospheric Research;  Yvonne Stone, California Energy, Environment, and Governance Practice Leader, Deloitte.

12:15 - 1:30 p.m.: All attendee lunch

Day Three   

9:15 - 10:00 a.m.: Roundtable VI: AmeriCorps

Michael Smith, CEO of AmeriCorps will lead a discussion with John Kelly, Executive Director of Serve Colorado, on the role of service programs in meeting states’ workforce development goals.

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.: Keynote IV: The Honorable Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

Veterans have increased rates of homelessness, mental and behavioral health issues, and medical needs from combat service.  Secretary McDonough will discuss how states and the federal government can work together to more effectively serve and honor America’s veterans. 

10:45 - 11:30 a.m.: Roundtable VII: Western Governors’ Leadership Institute  

The leadership forum of the Western Governors’ Foundation is being conducted in conjunction with the 2023 WGA Annual Meeting.  This panel features a conversation between select delegates and the Governors regarding the future of leadership in the West.   

11:30 - 11:45 a.m.: Governors’ Policy and Business Session 

• The Honorable Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado 

11:45 a.m. - Noon: Closing Remarks 

• The Honorable Mark Gordon, Governor of Wyoming