Estevan López – Upper Colorado River Compact Commissioner, New Mexico
Say hello to Estevan López. He is New Mexico’s Upper Colorado River Compact Commissioner and Governor’s Representative on Colorado River matters. He is a native New Mexican with over 35 years of engineering experience including top-level water management. He served as Commissioner of the US Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) from 2014-17. Before that, he served […]
Adriana Reséndez – Mexican Section, International Boundary and Water Commission
Say hello to Adriana Reséndez. On September 15, 2021, she was named the new head of the Mexican Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico (IBWC). Engineer Reséndez has 23 years of experience at the IBWC in the areas of Operation and Engineering, as Principal Engineer of Operations and as […]
Amelia Flores – Former Tribal Librarian/Archivist
Say hello to Amelia Flores. She is Mohave and an enrolled member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT). Education includes a B.S. Degree in Education NAU and a Masters in Linguistics from U of A. A former Tribal Librarian/Archivist she has volunteered her time serving on local, tribal, state committees, boards, and commissions in […]
Jeffrey Kightlinger – Interim General Manager, City of Pasadena’s Water and Power Department
Say hello to Jeffrey Kightlinger. He was the Chief Executive Officer for The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California from 2006 to 2021. The Metropolitan Water District is the largest municipal water provider in the nation delivering an average of over 2 billion gallons of water a day to 19 million residents in Southern California. […]
Mark Rude – Executive Director, Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District
Say hello to Mark Rude. He is a lifelong Kansan who has worked on water management, water rights, interstate compact and water supply issues for 35 years. Mark is past president and board member of the national Groundwater Management Districts Association and serves on the National Water Resources Association board and numerous other water and […]
Heather Tanana – Research Professor & Stegner Center Fellow, University of Utah
Say hello to Heather Tanana (JD/MPH). She is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and a Research Professor & Stegner Center Fellow at the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. She is also Associate Faculty with the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health. Heather practiced law for several years with Richards […]
Jackie Brown – Policy Advisor, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association
Say hello to Jackie Brown. She works as Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association’s water and natural resources policy advisor, where she works on legislation and policy on both a federal and four-state level relevant to hydropower, generation assets and responsible stewardship of Tri-State’s water portfolio. Tri-State is a not-for-profit wholesale electric power provider serving 45 […]
James Prairie, Ph.D. – Research and Modeling Group Chief, Bureau of Reclamation
Say hello to James Prairie, Ph.D. He is the Research and Modeling Group Chief working in Reclamation’s Upper Colorado Basin Region since 2000. He is stationed at the University of Colorado’s Center for Advanced Decision Support for Water and Environmental Systems (CADSWES). Dr. Prairie leads applied research in short and mid-term operations and long-term water […]
David Palumbo – Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Bureau of Reclamation
Say hello to David Palumbo. He was appointed as Deputy Commissioner in 2015 and is responsible for operations in the 17 western states, including Reclamation’s five regions, the Native American and International Affairs, and Technical Services, Hydropower, Dam Safety and Infrastructure Office, and Research & Development. David joined Reclamation in 2005 and has held a […]
Astor Boozer – Regional Conservationist, West Region, NRCS
Say hello to Astor Boozer. He has served as the NRCS regional conservationist for the West Region since December 2011. He provides agency and natural resources leadership and support to state conservationists and partners and ensures states effectively manage an extensive portfolio of comprehensive conservation strategies—which includes implementing NRCS’s conservation technical assistance and financial assistance […]