After more than a year of collaboration, Shareholder Affie Ellis, in partnership with the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, hosted the inaugural Tribal Energy Summit on Oct. 17 in Laramie, Wyoming. Brownstein was the primary sponsor of the event.
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon; Holly Krutka, executive director of the School of Energy Resources; Tarissa Spoonhunter, director of the High Plaints American Indian Research Institute; and Ellis provided welcome remarks to nearly 200 in-person attendees and over 60 online participants. Sun Dance Chief James Trosper, who is also a special advisor to the University of Wyoming president, followed with traditional songs performed by Pat and Sandra Iron Cloud of the Little Sun Drum Group.
In her welcome remarks, Ellis said: “Wyoming and our tribal nations share many similarities when it comes to energy development. We felt that there are a lot of lessons that could be learned from hearing from our Indigenous communities, as well as opportunities to connect and partner on common goals.” The conference featured a roundtable discussion with tribal leaders, and panel topics included carbon capture, utilization and storage and emerging technologies; rare earth elements and critical materials; and community consultation and engagement. Panelists included elected tribal government officials, tribal business leaders, industry experts and attorneys. The conference also included a segment on ethics.
Ellis provided the Gina Guy Keynote on Government Service. In 2022, the University of Wyoming launched the first Gina Guy Keynote to recognize and celebrate legal professionals who dedicate significant time to public service. Guy spent the majority of her career as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Interior.
Ellis’ speech focused on the two terms she served in the Wyoming Senate. In 2016, Ellis was the first Native American woman to be elected to the Wyoming State Legislature. In 2024, she announced that she was not seeking a third term. Ellis received praise from Gov. Gordon and several other speakers for her legislative accomplishments, particularly in her role as the co-chairman of the Select Committee on Tribal Relations.
Looking forward to future Tribal Energy Summits, Ellis said she appreciates all the staff and volunteers who made the event successful. “We could not have done this without the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources,” she said.
To learn more about the conference, visit the Tribal Energy Summit website.