“Tribal Engagement in the Colorado River Basin” with Celene Hawkins and Izabella Ruffino

Presentations are Wednesdays at 6pm at the Third Street Center in Carbondale, CO, and Thursdays at 6pm at Pitkin County Library, in Aspen, CO.

About the Presentation

Today, 30 Tribal Nations hold senior water rights, equivalent to about 20–25% of the water in the Basin. These Tribal Nations bring important leadership and unique perspectives to lasting, Basin-wide strategies that address a future with less water. Join staff from The Nature Conservancy to learn how Tribal Nations play a critical role in solving water scarcity and other environmental challenges in the Colorado River system and beyond.

About the Speaker

Celene Hawkins is a conservation professional and attorney with experience in Colorado River and Tribal water and natural resource management. She serves as The Nature Conservancy’s Colorado River Tribal Partnerships Program Director, where she leads the Conservancy’s efforts to effectively and ethically partner with Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples on freshwater conservation projects in the Colorado River Basin. Celene serves on the leadership team of the Water and Tribes Initiative and served two terms on the Colorado Water Conservation Board in her personal capacity (2017-2023). Celene enjoys living near the Animas River in Durango, Colorado with her family.

Izabella Ruffino is from the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe in Michigan and is The Nature Conservancy in Colorado’s Tribal and Indigenous Engagement Program Manager. In this role, Izabella serves as a liaison with Tribal Nations, Indigenous communities, and organizations. She guides TNC Colorado’s efforts to build cultural awareness and humility for meaningful and ethical Tribal and Indigenous engagement and supports the co-creation of mutually beneficial conservation projects across the full range of TNC Colorado’s conservation programs.

Learn more about the Naturalist Nights series and upcoming speakers here.

*Registration for Wednesday night’s lecture in Carbondale can be found at wildernessworkshop.org.

With questions or comments about this program, please contact communityprograms@aspennature.org or call 970.925.5756.