Paige Kuczmarski

Kate's Bio

Kate Rich | Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas
Water Futures Panel (Friday 10:30-11:30)

Kate Rich, P.Geo., has led various strategies for the public and private sectors related to energy, climate change, water and land management – all with a focus on sustainable development. She has lived and worked in several cities across Canada and internationally. Her current role is the Assistant Deputy Minister of Policy in Alberta Environment and Protected Areas and the Stewardship Commissioner in Alberta’s Land Use Secretariat.

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas

Vicki's Bio

Vicki Lightbown | Director, Water Innovation Program | Alberta Innovates
Water Futures Panel (Friday 10:30-11:30)

Vicki Lightbown is the Director for the Water Innovation Program at Alberta Innovates. She is a Professional Engineer with a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Calgary.

Vicki loves the outdoors and is driven by her desire to support initiatives to improve the environment. Her role with Alberta Innovates allows her to work proactively to identify critical knowledge gaps and support world-class researchers in developing solutions for some of the biggest water challenges in Alberta.

Alberta Innovates

Autumn's Bio

Autumn EagleSpeaker | Outreach Coordinator, Keepers of the Water
Round Tables (Friday afternoon)

Autumn is Blackfoot from Kainai First Nation in Southern Alberta and African American. As Indigenous Outreach Coordinator at Keepers of the Water, a grassroots Indigenous and ally supported organization rooted in decolonizing Indigenous water governance, Autumn assists in amplifying Indigenous community voices impacted by proposed and existing coal and fossil fuel extraction projects. Through educational sessions and community dialogues Autumn is sharing how these projects impact water, land, affect people, animals and species at risk.

Autumn believes firmly in the protection of the environment and Indigenous rights. She has worked in the area of Indigenous consultation, non-profit management and cultural event curation. Autumn’s educational background is Indigenous governance and political science. 

Keepers of the Water

David's Bio

David Hill | Director, Centres and Institues and Research Advocacy, University of Lethbridge
Water Futures Panel (Friday 10:30-11:30)

David Hill has almost 50 years of experience in water, irrigation, agriculture, and natural resource management. He is a member of the Board of Inside Education (www.insideeducation.ca) and since 2005 he has served as the Water Policy Co-Chair for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (www.pnwer.org). His various roles at the University of Lethbridge provide focus on connecting water and agricultural research and training with the needs of community, government, and business.

David was a member of the Alberta Water Council for 9 years from its inception until joining the University of Lethbridge in 2012. He is a former Chair of the Alberta Science and Technology Leadership (ASTech) Foundation (www.astech.ca) and a past president of the Canadian Committee on Irrigation and Drainage. David has served on the Alberta Endangered Species Conservation Committee, Alberta Environmental Agriculture Council, and as a past member of the Rosenberg International Forum on Water Policy (University of California, Berkeley, 2004-2010).

Prior to joining the University of Lethbridge David was the Executive Director for Water at Alberta Innovates and formerly the Executive Director of the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association.

University of Lethbridge