Collaboration Symposium

April 24, 2026 | Laramie, Wyoming

In connection with the Collaboration Program in Natural Resources and its alumni, the Ruckelshaus Institute's annual Collaboration Symposium brings together natural resource professionals, and any other interested parties, from across the state to support an ongoing conversation about collaborative problem solving in Wyoming. The goals of the symposium are the following: 

  • Build community
  • Connect around collaborative principles and practices
  • Create space for ongoing learning and practice

The 2026 symposium will build on last year's conversation about how we collaborate in uncertain, complex, and polarized times. It will also provide an opportunity to get to know Matt Hamilton, the Haub School's Spicer Chair for Collaborative Practice, and to practice one or more collaborative frameworks, all while developing relationships with people working in Wyoming and across the West. 

Main Page

Registration

Registration is $75 and includes light breakfast and lunch.

If registration is cost-prohibitive, email Deb Kleinman at deb@lupinecollaborative.com to explore options.

Limited spots are available for UW students—email Matt Hamilton at mhamil25@uwyo.edu to express your interest. 

Time and Location

The symposium will be held from 8:00am-5:00pm on April 24, in the Family Ballroom of the Wyoming Union at ÃÛÑ¿TV in Laramie. 

Questions

If you have questions or want more information, contact Deb Kleinman at deb@lupinecollaborative.com. 

Draft Agenda

2026 Collaboration Symposium: Dialogue and Collaborative Doing in the West

Family Ballroom, Wyoming Union | University of Wyoming | Laramie, WY

8:00 am - 4:30 pm | April 24, 2026

 

8:00-8:30: Coffee & Networking

8:30-8:45: Welcome and Overview of Day

8:45-9:30: Voices from Those Who Lived to Tell the Tale

A moderated panel on western politics, culture, and collaboration

9:30-10:30: When collaboration feels impossible: Dialogue as a first response

A facilitated session focused on navigating high-conflict, high-stakes situations where traditional problem-solving breaks down. Emphasis on values, dialogue, and maintaining engagement when consensus is not possible.

10:30-1100: Break

11:00-12:00 Deliberative Forums: Dialogue-centric models for public engagement

An introduction to deliberative forums as a framework for public engagement. Participants will explore tools for 1) understanding audience and context; 2) surfacing values, concerns, and tradeoffs; 3) planning engagement and response strategies.

12:00-12:30: Closing discussion & Morning reflections

Synthesis and framing questions to carry forward into the afternoon’s focus on action and capacity building.

12:30-1:30: Lunch

1:30-2:00: Moving from Collaborative Dialogue to Collaborative Doing

An introduction to frameworks for moving from dialogue to strategically coordinated action in complex systems (e.g. the Strategic Doingâ„¢ model).

2:00-3:15: Collaborative Doing in Action: Building Collaborative Capacity in Wyoming and the West

Facilitated small-group work applying Strategic Doing to real opportunities and challenges. Groups will also surface key questions about collaborative capacity in the state to inform future work, research, and learning opportunities.

3:15-3:45: Break

3:45-4:20: Whole-group synthesis: Emerging themes and next steps

Cross-group debrief to identify shared insights, priority questions, and opportunities for continued collaboration and network development.

4:20-4:30: Wrap-up & Closing remarks

5:00: Casual Happy Hour

Rib and Chop House | 2415 Grand Ave, Laramie, WY