Mark your calendars for March 5-6, as water leaders, investors, and innovators gather at Terranea Resort for the premier water investment summit
We’re excited to announce the agenda for the 2026 Sustainable Water Investment Summit (SWIS), taking place March 5-6 at the stunning Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. This year’s program brings together an exceptional lineup of water industry leaders, investors, and innovators for three days of meaningful dialogue on the future of water infrastructure finance and investment.
2026 Agenda
*Subject to change
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2026
5:30 p.m. Kickoff Mixer
7:30 p.m. Kickoff Mixer Concludes
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2026
7:45 a.m. Women’s Affinity Breakfast
8:00 a.m. Check-in, Networking and General Breakfast
9:00 a.m. Welcome and Overview – SWIS Co-Chairs
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- Brad Herrema, Shareholder, Attorney, Natural Resources Department Chair, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
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- Clay Landry, CEO, WestWater Research
9:10 a.m. Beyond Traditional Bonds: Blended Finance Strategies for Large-Scale Water Projects
Combining public agency resources, municipal bonds, bank placements, and private equity to finance water infrastructure projects too large for any single capital source.
Speakers
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- Theodore Cooke, Board Member, Committee Chair, Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) of Arizona
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- Thomas Liu, Managing Director, BofA Securities. Inc.
9:45 a.m. Last Mile Water Solutions: Securing Supply for Community Development
Solving last-mile water delivery challenges for new developments – how community builders secure supply and infrastructure providers deliver solutions.
Speakers
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- Dustin Kinder, CEO, Maverick Water
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- Jeff Gunderson, Senior Vice President – Land Operations, Lennar
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- Daniel Lupton, Vice President – Southern Water Resources, INTERA
Moderator
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- Adam Jokerst, Rocky Mountain Regional Director, WestWater Research
10:20 a.m. Networking Refreshment Break
10:40 a.m. Betting on Water: Evaluating and Managing Development Risk
Evaluating and managing risk in water rights development – regulatory uncertainty, market timing and patient capital requirements.
Speakers
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- Geoff Adamson, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Upwell Water
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- Ed Cross, General Partner, Evangeline Laguna
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- Don Pattalock, President and CEO, Vidler Water Company
Moderator
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- Sharlene Leurig, Texas Regional Director, WestWater Research
11:15 a.m. Affordability and Infrastructure Investment
Balancing rising infrastructure investment needs with rate affordability – asking customers to pay more while using less.
Speakers
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- Angela Bricmont, Chief Financial Officer, Denver Water
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- Jennifer Capitolo, Executive Director, California Water Association
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- Tanya Moniz-Witten, President, San Jose Water
Moderator
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- Jessica Diaz, Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
1:50 p.m. Keynote Lunch Presentation Featuring Patricia Mulroy
Lessons learned over decades in water leadership – what it takes to lead effectively.
Introduction
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- Elisabeth Esposito, Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
1:30 p.m. Closing Fund I: Lessons from Raising and Deploying Water Infrastructure Capital
Real practitioner insights from closing a $142.8M water infrastructure fund – what worked in fundraising, selecting strategic partners and early capital deployment.
Speakers
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- David Bird, Vice President – Project Finance & Development, Garney Construction
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- Jeff Nelson, CEO, PERENfra
Moderator
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- Harry Seely, Principal, WestWater Research
2:05 p.m. Conservation Meets Infrastructure: Funding Watershed-Scale Water Solutions
How foundation capital, utility resources, and conservation funding combine to finance watershed-scale solutions that build resilience for both ecosystems and water supply.
Speakers
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- Austin Rempel, Riparian Restoration Manager, The Nature Conservancy
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- Ian Shelledy, Program Officer, Walton Family Foundation
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- Esther Vincent, Environmental Services Director, Northern Water
Moderator
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- Brett Bovee, Intermountain Regional Director, WestWater Research
2:40 p.m. Networking Refreshment Break
3:15 p.m. Water Infrastructure Leadership: Capital Priorities from Watershed to Urban Systems
How water leaders evaluate and prioritize capital deployment decisions across different organizational models – from watershed-scale river authorities to large urban utilities.
Speakers
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- Shivaji Deshmukh, General Manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
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- Darrell Nichols, General Manager/CEO, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority
Moderator
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- Scott Slater, Shareholder, Brownstein, Chairperson of the Board, Limoneira, Senior Advisor, Cadiz
3:50 p.m. Cross-Border Water Markets: Investment Opportunities and Regulatory Challenges in the Lower Basin
Legal and financial frameworks enabling interstate water exchanges between California, Arizona, and Nevada – how utilities and investors navigate regulatory complexity, structure transactions, and deploy capital for cross-border supply solutions.
Speakers
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- David Pederson, General Manager, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
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- Ana Schwab, Attorney, Best, Best & Krieger
Moderator
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- Annick Miller, Senior Policy Advisor, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
4:25 p.m. Interview with Author Abrahm Lustgarten
“On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America”
Discussion and Q&A on opportunities addressing future climate migration and water scarcity.
Moderator
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- Brad Herrema, SWIS Co-Chair, Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
5:10 p.m. Ocean Sunset Happy Hour
7:10 p.m. Happy Hour Concludes
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2026
8:00 a.m. Networking Breakfast
9:00 a.m. Institutional Capital Deployment in Water Infrastructure
How investment banks, infrastructure funds and global project developers evaluate, structure and deploy large-scale capital in water infrastructure investments.
Speakers
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- Joseph Abramson, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley
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- Michael Albrecht, Managing Partner, Ridgewood Infrastructure
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- Lihy Teuerstein, CEO, IDE Water Assets
9:35 a.m. Water Tech VC Track Record: What Investors Learned from Wins and Losses
Veteran water tech VCs discuss portfolio outcomes, exit experiences, market evolution and lessons learned from opening and closing funds.
Speakers
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- Tom Ferguson, Founder and Managing Partner, Burnt Island Ventures
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- Peter Yolles, General Manager, Echo River Capital
10:10 a.m. Networking Refreshment Break + Check-Out Time
10:40 a.m. Water for Data Centers: Demand, Supply Challenges and Infrastructure Investment
How data center expansion is driving unprecedented water demand – securing supply, overcoming infrastructure constraints and financing solutions at scale.
Speakers
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- Christopher Gasson, Managing Director, Global Water Intel
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- Bill Malarkey, Partner, Roland Berger
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- Neil Sheehan, Principal
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- Gert Van der Walt, Central Region Water Manager, AWS
Moderator
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- Oliver Browne, California Regional Director, WestWater Research
11:25 a.m. Fireside Chat Featuring M. Camille Touton
Water Leadership Beyond Government: Lessons, Transitions and SWIS Reflections
Former USBR Commissioner reflects on her government experience, building her new water advisory practice and observations from two days of water investment discussions at SWIS.
Moderator
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- Chris Smith, Chief Operating Officer, WestWater Research
12:00 p.m. Closing Remarks
12:15 p.m. Last Call Networking Lunch | Event Concludes
More to Come
We’re still finalizing additional speakers and sessions that will be announced in the coming weeks. The agenda is subject to updates, so check back regularly at sustainablewaterinvestment.com/agenda for the latest information.
Register Today
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this conversation. SWIS brings together water infrastructure investors, utility leaders, developers, engineers, attorneys, and policymakers for unmatched networking and learning opportunities.
Register today to secure your discounted room rate at Terranea Resort. The oceanfront property provides the perfect setting for meaningful conversations that extend well beyond the formal sessions—from the kickoff mixer to the sunset happy hour and networking meals throughout.
sustainablewaterinvestment.com/registration
The future of water infrastructure investment is being shaped by the leaders and innovators who gather at SWIS each year. We look forward to seeing you at the Terranea in March!