Presenter Bios
James Anaya has taught and written extensively on international human rights and issues concerning indigenous peoples. Among his numerous publications are his acclaimed book, Indigenous Peoples in International Law (Oxford Univ. Press (1996); 2d ed. (2004)), and his widely used textbook, International Human Rights: Problems of Law, Policy and Process (Wolters/Kluwer, 6th ed. 2011) (with Hurst Hannum and Dinah Shelton). He served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples from May 2008 to June 2014.
Dean Anaya has lectured in many countries throughout the world. He has advised numerous indigenous and other organizations from several countries on matters of human rights and indigenous peoples, and he has represented indigenous groups from many parts of North and Central America in landmark cases before domestic and international tribunals, including the United States Supreme Court and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Among his noteworthy activities, he participated in the drafting of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and was the lead counsel for the indigenous parties in the case of Awas Tingni v. Nicaragua, in which the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for the first time upheld indigenous land rights as a matter of international law. As UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Dean Anaya monitored the human rights conditions of indigenous peoples worldwide, addressed situations in which their rights were being violated, and promoted practical measures to secure indigenous peoples' rights, travelling frequently to meet with government officials and visit indigenous communities.
Prior to becoming a full time law professor, he practiced law in Albuquerque, New Mexico, representing Native American peoples and other minority groups. For his work during that period, Barrister magazine, a national publication of the American Bar Association, named him as one of "20 young lawyers who make a difference." Dean Anaya served on the law faculty at the University of Arizona from 1999 to 2016 and on the faculty of the University of Iowa from 1988 to 1999. Additionally, he has been a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, the University of Toronto, and the University of Tulsa.
Koehn has been a leader on Boulder’s Climate Initiatives Team since 2006 when he joined the organization as the Manager for the Office of Environmental Affairs. He came from Flagstaff, AZ, where he oversaw the city's conservation and sustainability programs.
In his tenure with Boulder, Koehn was instrumental in the decade-long effort to create a locally owned and operated electric utility followed by building the city’s innovative partnership with Xcel Energy to help move the city toward its energy, equity and resilience goals. Additionally, he has spearheaded the city’s efforts to slow climate change and build a more resilient community through his work in renewable energy, natural climate solutions and the circular economy.
Koehn also shares his knowledge and experience with the leaders of tomorrow by teaching for the Masters of the Environment School at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Benjamin Schachter is a Human Rights Officer and the focal point for climate change and the environment at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Prior to joining OHCHR, he worked as an attorney in the United States and as a Research Assistant to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples at the University of Arizona.
His current work focuses on the human rights impacts of climate change and other forms of environmental degradation and the corresponding obligations of States. Benjamin has also coordinated and led OHCHR’s delegation to the UNFCCC since 2015, organized Human Rights Council panel discussions on climate change in each of the last three years and prepared the related Human Rights Council reports including an analytical study on climate change and its impacts on the enjoyment of the human right to health (A/HRC/32/23), one on climate change and its impacts on the full and effective enjoyment of the rights of the child (A/HRC/35/13), and one on climate change and the rights of migrants (A/HRC/38/21).
Benjamin studied environmental, international, and human rights law at the University of Arizona, New York University and the National University of Singapore.
In January 2019, Will Toor joined the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) as its Executive Director appointed by Governor Jared Polis. Will’s background spans transportation electrification, sustainable transportation, smart growth, electric vehicle policy, clean energy finance, green building policy, local government policy and regional planning.
Prior to CEO, Will was Transportation Program Director at the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP). Before SWEEP, Will served as Boulder County Commissioner for eight years where he led the effort to create and adopt a countywide Sustainable Energy Plan, the BuildSmart green building code, the EnergySmart program, and the ClimateSmart Loan Program. Prior to being elected Boulder County Commissioner, Will served as Mayor of Boulder for six years where he developed Boulder’s community transit network, EcoPass unlimited access transit pass programs, and policies for denser, mixed-use urban infill development as an alternative to sprawl. Will previously served on and chaired the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG).
He was appointed by Governor Ritter to the state Transportation Funding and Implementation blue ribbon panel, the Governor’s Climate Action Panel, and the Regional Air Quality Council. He was appointed by Governor Hickenlooper to the Air Quality Control Commission and the state oil and gas taskforce. Will spent 12 years as Director of the University of Colorado Environmental Center, where he developed campus sustainability programs in the areas of solid waste, building energy use, and transportation planning.
Will holds a BS in Physics from Carnegie Mellon University and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Chicago.
A fourth-generation Coloradan, VanGenderen was appointed by President Obama to the DOE post in 2012 to create engagement strategies to advance the policy, technology, deployment and funding of clean-energy resources. Among her accomplishments was serving as DOE lead for the White House Clean Energy Savings for All Americans Initiative that focused on expanding energy-efficiency opportunities for low- and middle-income households.
Prior to the DOE appointment, she served as director of national and regional outreach at the American Council on Renewable Energy and as senior energy advisor for Worldwatch Institute.
But VanGenderen's career ties to her home state also run deep. They include eight years as senior staff for the Wirth Chair in Environmental and Community Development Policy at CU Denver. That role was followed by a stint as senior advisor on climate change and energy for Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, during which VanGenderen oversaw creation of the state’s first Climate Action Plan.
While living in Boulder for most of the 1990s, VanGenderen served on the CU Boulder Environmental Center board and on the city’s Environmental Advisory Board.
Executive Director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR) at CU Boulder’s Leeds School of Business
Kathryn has over two decades of experience leading global social impact and sustainability programs within the public, private, and higher education sectors.
As the Executive Director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR) at CU Boulder’s Leeds School of Business, Kathryn helps to empower business leaders to drive solutions to environmental, social, and ethical challenges. Previously, Kathryn was the Director of Program Delivery at Stanford University's Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies (known as Stanford Seed). Earlier in her career, Kathryn worked as a Corporate Responsibility Manager at Chevron Corporation, a Sustainable Development Specialist at the World Bank, and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador. Kathryn currently serves as an Advisor to The Climate Initiative (TCI), a national nonprofit organization.
Kathryn has an MBA from UC Berkeley, an MA in Forestry & Cultural Anthropology from Yale, and a BA with honors from Dartmouth College. She enjoys adventure traveling and has visited over 80 countries around the world.
Moderator:
Ryan Warner is senior host of Colorado Matters, the flagship daily interview program from CPR News. His voice is heard on frequencies around the state as he talks with Coloradans from all walks of life — politicians, scientists, artists, activists and others. Ryan’s interviews with Colorado’s governor now span four administrations. During his tenure, Colorado Matters has consistently been recognized as the best major market public radio talk show in the country. He speaks French, geeks out on commercial aviation, adores and tolerates his tuxedo cat Bob, and owns too many shoes.
Professional background:
Ryan came to CPR from WGCU in Fort Myers, Fla. He was the founding host of that station’s daily call-in talk show, Gulf Coast Live. Ryan served as assistant news director and local host of NPR’s “All Things Considered” and filed stories for NPR during Hurricane Charley in 2004. Ryan previously hosted “Morning Edition” on WYSO Public Radio in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and co-created a weekend news magazine there. Prior to that, he served as news director of KOPN Community Radio in Columbia, Missouri. For two years, Ryan left public radio to report and anchor weekend news at KTIV-TV, the NBC affiliate in Sioux City, Iowa.
Education:
Bachelor’s degrees in political science and French, University of Missouri-Columbia; Master’s degree in broadcast journalism, Boston University.
Awards:
Ryan has won numerous awards from Public Media Journalists Association for his interviews. He’s also been honored by The Associated Press. Westword named Ryan the Best Talk-Radio Host for 2021, and the editors of 5280 Magazine voted him Top Radio Talk Show Host of 2009.
