Water in the 21st Century Fireside Chat

This event took place on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 from 5:30pm - 6:30 pm in the Boyd Law Building (BLB) at the University of Iowa College of Iowa.

 

On Tuesday, October 10, HELI hosted a fireside chat style discussion between Dean Kevin Washburn and Tanya Trujillo, Iowa Law graduate (92JD) and former Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the US Department of the Interior. Assistant Secretary Trujillo is currently the Water Policy Advisor to the New Mexico Governor and Deputy State Engineer. Assistant Secretary Trujillo discussed her perspectives as an Iowa law graduate whose winding career path took her from private practice to the nonprofit sector and then roles in federal and state government. Assistant Secretary Trujillo, who recently took on the challenge of adjusting historical water allocations for the Colorado River, spoke about her experience in the natural resources field, including nonprofit work on water stakeholder negotiations in the West and state and federal efforts to implement science-based climate policy.

 

Scroll down to learn more about the event.

At a Glance

90

In Person Attendees

199

Total registrations

8

Different university of iowa colleges represented in attendance

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Welcoming Remarks

Welcoming Remarks were given by UI College of Law Dean Kevin Washburn in room 225 in the Boyd Law Building.

Fireside Speaker

Tanya Trujillo

Tanya Trujillo

Water Policy Advisor to the Governor and Deputy State Engineer of New Mexico

Prepared Remarks

After introductions, Tanya Trujillo gave prepared remarks on her experience in the natural resources field, including nonprofit work on water stakeholder negotiations in the West and state and federal efforts to implement science-based climate policy.    

Questions

The remainder of the session consisted of follow-up questions from Dean Kevin Washburn and the audience. 

Event Video

Speaker Biography

Tanya Trujillo

Tanya Trujillo

Tanya Trujillo is a water lawyer with more than 20 years of experience working on complex natural resources management issues and interstate and transboundary water agreements. She most recently worked as a project director with the Colorado River Sustainability Campaign. Before then, she served as the Executive Director of the Colorado River Board of California. She has served as Senior Counsel to the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and as Counselor to the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at Interior. She served as the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the US Department of the Interior until 2023, when she transitioned to the Water Policy Advisor to the Governor and Deputy State Engineer of New Mexico. A native New Mexican, Tanya attended Stanford University and the University of Iowa College of Law.

Questions or Concerns

For questions about this session or the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative, contact Program Director Blake Rupe at blake-rupe@uiowa.edu.