Brett Walton is a reporter for Circle of Blue, a nonprofit news agency that covers freshwater and all of its connections. He also writes the Federal Water Tap, a weekly digest of U.S. government water news. He is the winner of multiple national reporting awards, including honors from the Society of Environmental Journalists and the U.S. Water Prize, as well as the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communications. Brett lives in Seattle.

Anjali Bean is a Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Rivers at Western Resource Advocates. Based in Albuquerque, Anjali works to develop and advocate for state-level policies that protect rivers and improve water resiliency amid the impacts of climate change and drought. Prior to joining WRA in 2022, Anjali held several roles at Santa Fe County, ending as the County's water resources manager. Born and raised in New Mexico, Anjali spent a decade in Washington D.C. focused on urban development, housing and access to clean water and basic sanitation in the developing world, before moving back to New Mexico in 2016. Anjali holds a bachelor's in environmental studies from American University, and a master's in water resources from the University of New Mexico.

Joan Hughes is the Director of Programs and Research for the Alliance for Water Efficiency, where she leads program and research initiatives focusing on water efficiency, conservation, reuse, affordability, and resource management. She joined AWE in 2025 after more than 14 years leading water and energy efficiency programs at NASA, most recently as the Agency Energy and Water Program Manager. Joan began her career as a petroleum engineer working in New Mexico but soon moved on to explore other fields, including community development and sustainable agriculture, before finding her passion in water and energy efficiency. Joan and her family live in southwestern Colorado, where she loves to play outdoors in all seasons.

Holly Cannon, a senior environmental scientist with ERG, has dedicated her career to promoting water efficiency and sustainable facilities management. She has supported EPA's WaterSense program since its inception in 2006, focusing most prominently on water efficiency in homes and commercial and institutional buildings. Holly has completed field water use and conservation assessments at many large facilities, and, in doing so, helped EPA reduce its water use by 40 percent Agencywide. As a new resident of Santa Fe, Holly is  helping the City evaluate its connection between water, energy, and carbon.

Dr. Zachary Stoll is the Assistant Director of the New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium at New Mexico State University, where he leads the Consortium’s stakeholder engagement, strategy, and education and outreach efforts, while providing technical support on certain efforts such as technoeconomic analyses. Dr. Stoll has held leadership and technical roles across academia, national laboratories, and federal programs, including serving as a Research Program Manager for the National Alliance for Water Innovation at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he oversaw more than $60 million in desalination research projects. He previously worked as a Research Scientist at the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility and has extensive experience in pilot-scale testing, emerging contaminant removal, and water-energy systems.

Dr. Sybil Sharvelle is a Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Colorado State University and a founding member of the One Water Solutions Institute. Her doctoral work included development of a system for treatment of graywater for potable reuse during space missions.  This project led to her current interest in fit-for-purpose water systems, in which she has led projects funded by the Water Research Foundation, USEPA and National Science Foundation.  Dr. Sharvelle was a member of the National Research Council Committee for Beneficial Use of Graywater and Stormwater and chaired the NWRI panel for Decentralized Non-Potable Water Systems. She is also Technical Director of the Colorado State University Spur Campus Water Technology Accelerator Platform, a cutting-edge facility for testing water treatment technologies with different water sources.

Results-Oriented Expertise. Focused Leadership. Respected Energy. Christoph Lohr is IAPMO's Vice President of Technical Services and Research. As part of his duties, he provides a systems-based approach to departmental leadership and strategy development, represents the organization in numerous committees and speaking engagements, and provides technical support to all IAPMO's business units. Christoph has almost two decades of engineering experience especially in designing plumbing systems and has a reputation as a results-oriented expert, particularly in the realm of balancing waterborne pathogen prevention and water sustainability. He leads pioneering research efforts in plumbing science and water systems, helping to shape the next generation of evidence-based standards and design practices. He is a distinguished graduate from the Virginia Military Institute, with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Doug is a lifetime American Rainwater Catchment System Association (ARCSA) member, an Accredited Professional and an ex-Board member of ARCSA. He is a prolific writer and his articles have appeared in The New York Times, Water Efficiency Magazine, Home Power, Taos News and Water News, among others. He also has a regular monthly column in the Santa Fe New Mexican. He is co-author of two water studies that have been widely published: “Rainwater Harvesting Industry Market Size and Trends” and “First-Ever Long-Term Water Conservation Rebate Study”. Doug is also a Co-Chair of the Next Generation Water Summit.

Amanda Hatherly is the CEO of Building Performance Institute. Prior to joining BPI, she managed a workforce education and training energy efficiency and electrification program for a California utility. She has over 16 years’ experience in the home performance industry; running her own energy auditing business, training and proctoring contractors and managing a large BPI testing center. She also makes great bean-to-bar craft chocolate.

Joan Hughes is the Director of Programs and Research for the Alliance for Water Efficiency, where she leads program and research initiatives focusing on water efficiency, conservation, reuse, affordability, and resource management. She joined AWE in 2025 after more than 14 years leading water and energy efficiency programs at NASA, most recently as the Agency Energy and Water Program Manager. Joan began her career as a petroleum engineer working in New Mexico but soon moved on to explore other fields, including community development and sustainable agriculture, before finding her passion in water and energy efficiency. Joan and her family live in southwestern Colorado, where she loves to play outdoors in all seasons.

Chelsea Benjamin is a Policy Advisor at Western Resource Advocates. In her role, she focuses on research and technical assistance efforts that support municipal water conservation and land use and water planning integration efforts in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. Prior to joining Western Resource Advocates, she received a master’s degree in Environmental Policy at CU Boulder.

Kris Loomis brings a practical, real-world approach to irrigation education, grounded in water management and system design, and has been involved with residential, commercial, and agricultural irrigation specification and design since 1992. She teaches QWEL and Landscape Irrigation at several community colleges, and courses for the Irrigation Association (IA). Kris is a Senior Programs Specialist in Water Use Efficiency at Sonoma Water, co-manages the QWEL program, serves as Vice Chair of the IA’s Landscape Advocacy Committee, and is on the board of the North Coast chapter of the California Landscape Contractors Association.

Christine Y. Chavez is the Water Conservation Manager for the City of Santa Fe and is a certified Energy Auditor with the Building Performance Institute, Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor with the Irrigation Association and Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper through EPA WaterSense. Christine has a background in water rights administration and energy & water conservation program management in the state of New Mexico. She is a graduate of New Mexico State University (B.S. in Environmental Science and M.S. in Biology).

Mike Collignon is the Executive Director of the Green Builder® Coalition, an organization he co-founded in 2010. He engages in national and state-level advocacy and periodically writes for Green Builder® Media. Mike is also the Chair of the WERS Development Group and a Co-Founder of the Next Generation Water Summit. Finally, he has served as the voice of Green Builder® Media’s webinars from 2012–present and is the host of The Impact Series podcast.

Megan Marsee is the Water Conservation Program Lead for Bernalillo County where she manages the Bernalillo County Water Conservation Program and supports administration of county water rights. The Bernalillo County Water Conservation Program provides water conservation resources to private well owners and customers of small water systems in the unincorporated area of Bernalillo County. Previously, Megan worked for the New Mexico Environment Department Drinking Water Bureau where she provided technical assistance to small drinking water systems in rural New Mexico. Megan has a Master of Water Resources from the University of New Mexico and holds Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper, Watershed Wise Landscape Professional, and Water Harvesting Design certifications.

Laureen holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in architecture from the University of Illinois and is a licensed architect in Illinois & Wisconsin as well as having received approval for reciprocal licensure across the country via NCARB certification. She has also built a successful 30-year+ practice in the design and construction of commercial buildings, multi-family projects, single family homes, and interiors. Additional experience includes ratings, inspections, and certification application processing for a variety of commercial & residential properties through LEED BD+C, LEED ID+C, LEED for Homes & LEED for Homes Mid-Rise, Energy Star Homes & Energy Star Multifamily High Rise, Enterprise Green Communities, and the WERS (Water Efficiency Rating Score). Other accreditations & certifications include USGBC LEED® for Homes QAD, RESnet/HERS Energy Rater, LEED for Homes Green Rater, LEED AP BD+C, LEED AP HOMES, USGBC LEED® Faculty™, and WERS Faculty & Verifier.

Reese Baker, owner and founder of The RainCatcher Inc., is a certified permaculture designer who uses a regenerative approach to desert ecosystem management, water harvesting, erosion control, ecological restoration and high desert permaculture in the Santa Fe area for over 25 years. He holds a B.S. in Biology/Botany from The University of New Mexico and is currently a Ph.D candidate in Biology at The University of New Mexico with focus on the bioremediation of urban stormwater. The RainCatcher Inc., founded in 2001, is a full service design/build company that focuses on the principles of regenerative human impact and how to utilize water in the southwestern U.S.  The RainCatcher uses the implementation of water harvesting, water catchment systems, edible/sustainable landscapes, irrigation, wastewater treatment and reuse, erosion control and restoration to achieve these goals.   Reese enjoys spending time with his family, friends and community.   As a hobby he studies classical piano with internationally renowned composer and performer, Dr. Falko Steinbach, professor of piano at The University of New Mexico.  He is an avid gardener, and loves to be outdoors and in the mountains camping and snowboarding.  In his spare time, he is working towards a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with professor Thomas Pless.

Anne Castle is a senior fellow at the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment at the University of Colorado Law School, focusing on western water issues, most especially Colorado River policy and Tribal water interests. Castle served as the U.S. Commissioner and Chair of the Upper Colorado River Commission from 2022 to 2025. She is the co-founder of, and advisor to, the nationwide initiative on Universal Access to Clean Water in Tribal Communities, and a founding member of the Water Policy Group. From 2009 to 2014, Castle was the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the U.S. Department of the Interior where she oversaw water and science policy for the Department and had responsibility for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Stacy Timmons is the Associate Director of Hydrogeology Programs at the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources and has been there since 2004 in various roles related to water. She has helped increase the coverage and capacity of the NM Aquifer Mapping and Monitoring Program, working to fully map and characterize the state’s fresh and brackish water aquifers. Following the NM Water Data Act in 2019, Stacy launched the implementation of the Water Data Initiative, and then soon after started the Water Leaders Education Program in 2022 to help build education opportunities for the state’s water decision makers. Additionally, since 2019, Stacy has served as a commissioner on the Interstate Stream Commission (2020 to present) and the Water Quality Control Commission (2019-2022).

Mitch Rawlyk is a regenerative designer and earth systems scientist. He runs LandScope, a platform that turns public LiDAR into slope, drainage, and watershed analysis for landowners and restoration practitioners. He holds a BSc in Earth System Science from the University of Victoria and an MSc in Applied Meteorology from the University of Otago, and has taught mapping and climate modules to over 600 students at Verge Permaculture. His mapping and consulting work has covered projects around the world. He lives on a 24-acre regenerative homestead in Central Alberta with his partner Madi and their daughter.

Sara G. Larsen, CEO of Open ET, brings decade-long leadership in water data built on an extensive foundation in engineering and water resource management. After early roles with the State of Utah and the Provo River Water Users Association, she earned a Master’s in Civil Engineering and Water Resources from the University of Utah. She is steeped in the core issues and key partnership pathways to addressing water management pressures in the American West and beyond. From 2019 to 2024, she served as Deputy Director and Chief Engineer for the Upper Colorado River Commission, where she managed multidisciplinary teams on crucial Colorado River Basin initiatives, including modeling, consumptive use estimation, water conservation program implementation, data infrastructure development, and more.

Laura Allen is the co-founder of Greywater Action, where she educates about sustainable water solutions through trainings and online classes. She authored Greywater, Green Landscape and The Water-Wise Home: How to Capture, Conserve, and Reuse Water in Your Home and Landscape. Laura is a technical advisory committee member for the International Association of Mechanical and Plumbing Officials’ (IAPMO) Water Efficiency Standard (We-STAND).

Lauren Forbes, founder of Cactus Rain LLC, delivers Rainwater and Greywater implementations to help people conserve, harvest, and reuse water in ways that are beneficial today and sustainable for future generations. Lauren also works with the City of Santa Fe Commercial Waterwise Program, and serves on the Next Generation Water Summit organizing committee. Lauren provides industry leadership by participating in strategic initiatives for sustainable water resources. Lauren has a master's degree from the London School of Economics and a Professional Certificate in Sustainability from MIT.

Mike Collignon is the Executive Director of the Green Builder® Coalition, an organization he co-founded in 2010. He engages in national and state-level advocacy and periodically writes for Green Builder® Media. Mike is also the Chair of the WERS Development Group and a Co-Founder of the Next Generation Water Summit. Finally, he has served as the voice of Green Builder® Media’s webinars from 2012–present and is the host of The Impact Series podcast.

Doug is a lifetime American Rainwater Catchment System Association (ARCSA) member, an Accredited Professional and an ex-Board member of ARCSA. He is a prolific writer and his articles have appeared in The New York Times, Water Efficiency Magazine, Home Power, Taos News and Water News, among others. He also has a regular monthly column in the Santa Fe New Mexican. He is co-author of two water studies that have been widely published: “Rainwater Harvesting Industry Market Size and Trends” and “First-Ever Long-Term Water Conservation Rebate Study”. Doug is also a Co-Chair of the Next Generation Water Summit.

Glenn Schiffbauer, a native New Mexican, received his BBA from New Mexico State University and his MBA from the Robert O. Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico. In 2005, he was hired as liaison and project manager for Robert Redford in New Mexico working on a variety of projects in film, government and sustainable construction. In October of 2012, he became the Executive Director for the newly founded Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce (SFGCC). The Green Chamber has grown to 180 business members. Mr. Schiffbauer has co-chaired the organization to co-host the Next Generation Water Summit for 7 years, a conference dedicated to water conservation that attracts speakers and attendees from around the world. Arising from that conference came a partnership between the SFGCC and the City of Santa Fe to develop and institute the country’s only Restaurant Water Conservation Program, that expanded to other businesses in 2023. Mr. Schiffbauer was also appointed to the NM Economic Department Sustainable Economic Advisory Council.

Dr. Sybil Sharvelle is a Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Colorado State University and a founding member of the One Water Solutions Institute. Her doctoral work included development of a system for treatment of graywater for potable reuse during space missions.  This project led to her current interest in fit-for-purpose water systems, in which she has led projects funded by the Water Research Foundation, USEPA and National Science Foundation.  Dr. Sharvelle was a member of the National Research Council Committee for Beneficial Use of Graywater and Stormwater and chaired the NWRI panel for Decentralized Non-Potable Water Systems. She is also Technical Director of the Colorado State University Spur Campus Water Technology Accelerator Platform, a cutting-edge facility for testing water treatment technologies with different water sources.

Sarah Mock is an independent food and agriculture writer and researcher, and has spent more than a decade at the intersection of farm economics, sustainability, and social impact. Across the country and around the globe, Sarah has worked with nonprofits and foundations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Silicon Valley companies, the national news media, and directly with farms. At NM Healthy Soil Working Group, Sarah supports policy efforts, communication, and storytelling.

Brandt Geist is the Water Resources Manager for Santa Fe County, where he works on water resource planning, water supply coordination, and water rights. Specifically, his work includes supporting long-range water planning, preparing technical and policy materials, and helping communicate complex water resource issues to decision-makers and the public. He has an academic background in environmental science and water-related research (B.S. from Cornell University and M.S. from Vanderbilt University), with experience in statistical analysis, geospatial tools, and data management.

Christine Y. Chavez is the Water Conservation Manager for the City of Santa Fe and is a certified Energy Auditor with the Building Performance Institute, Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor with the Irrigation Association and Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper through EPA WaterSense. Christine has a background in water rights administration and energy & water conservation program management in the state of New Mexico. She is a graduate of New Mexico State University (B.S. in Environmental Science and M.S. in Biology).

Bill Schneider has over 30 years of experience practicing in the field of geohydrology and sustainable water resources management with emphasis in conjunctive surface and ground water management strategies. Mr. Schneider manages the City of Santa Fe Water Resources and Conservation Program and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART: Title XVI WIIN Water Reclamation and Reuse Program. He holds a bachelors in Geology from the University of Maine-Farmington, and a Masters in Hydrogeology from Temple University, completed post-graduate courses in Environmental Engineering at Drexel University.

Paul Bustamante was born and raised in Albuquerque and comes from a family dedicated to public service. In addition to having many veterans in the family, his father is a retired District Chief with the Albuquerque Fire Department.

Paul served 8 years in the United States Air Force. His assignments included 3 years at Misawa AB, Japan, and a position with Headquarters Air Mobility Command at Scott AFB, IL.

Paul has 24 years experience working for the federal government. He has worked as a Systems Analyst, Security Analyst, and as a contractor to both the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy.

Paul has an AAS from the Community College of the Air Force, a BA from the University of New Mexico, and and MFA from the University of Southern Maine. He was also the inaugural recipient of the Richard Bradford Memorial Scholarship at Santa Fe Community College.