Conference Sessions on Day 2 Focus on Water Operations
Day 2 of the WRRC 2025 Annual Conference (May 21) will provide insight into cross-border water sharing, beginning with a keynote address by John Beckham, Managing Director of the North American Development Bank (NADBank), on “Infrastructure, Investment, and Binational Collaboration.” Following the keynote, the first panel of the day, Session 4: Water Security and Trade, moderated by Natalie DeRoock, Administrator for Public Affairs at Tucson Water, will examine investment activities and partnerships with cross-border impacts on water resources. Rob Simm, Senior Vice President and Emergent Sector Leader of Water at Stantec, will present on the “Future Prospects for Binational Desalination,” followed by Glenn Williamson, CEO of Canada Arizona Business Council, who will talk about “Project Hourglass and Canadian Investments in the Water Sector.” Ben Ruddell, a professor in the School of Informatics Computing and Cyber Systems at Northern Arizona University, will address “Virtual Water Across Borders,” and Michael Mendonca, Senior Director of Water Strategic Services at Salt River Project, will speak on “Cross-border Partnerships for Water Augmentation and Flood Flow Capture in the Verde River System.” Francisco Lara-Valencia, a professor in the School of Transborder Studies at Arizona State University, will conclude the session with a talk on “Planning Across Borders.”
The second session on Day 2 is Session 5: Water Challenges and Funding. Moderator Thomas Throssell, Assistant Director of the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, will introduce a panel of speakers on funding issues relating to water and wastewater infrastructure. Heather Whiteman Runs Him, U of A Associate Clinical Professor and Director of the Tribal Justice Clinic, will speak about “Tribal Water Settlements and Funding for Tribal Water Infrastructure,” followed by Brian Bennon, Director of National Tribal Water Systems for the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, who will describe programs that foster “Operational Capacity Development and Cross-border Knowledge Sharing.” A joint presentation by Antonio Rascón, Principal Engineer at the International Boundary and Water Commission – Mexican Section, and Ramon Macias III, Principal Engineer at the International Boundary and Water Commission – US Section, will feature information on “International Water Treatment Plants in San Diego-Tijuana and Ambos Nogales.” Judah Waxelbaum, Chief Legislative Liaison at Arizona’s Water Infrastructure Authority (WIFA), will conclude Session 5 with a talk on “WIFA’s Approach to Water Augmentation and Funding/Financing.”
These conference sessions will be packed with water-focused insights into cooperation across borders that you won’t want to miss!