Special Assistant for Strategic Initiatives in the Research and Economic Development Division
Gabrielle Allen received a PhD in Physics from Cardiff University in 1993. After appointments at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, Louisiana State University, the National Science Foundation, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she moved to the University of Wyoming in 2021.
She is currently a Professor of Mathematics and Statistics and a Special Assistant for Strategic Initiatives in the Research and Economic Development Division.
Allen's work has focused on the development and application of scientific community software, including the Cactus Framework, Einstein Toolkit, and Grid Application Toolkit. Although her work has predominantly been related to simulations of black holes, neutron stars and gravitational waves, her group's software has also been applied in fields as diverse as petroleum engineering, computational chemistry, coastal modeling, and computational fluid dynamics.
The interdisciplinary nature of her research is reflected in her former faculty positions in Computer Science, Physics, Astronomy, Curriculum and Instruction, and her role as Associate Dean of Education.
Dr. Allen has published over 100 refereed journals and conference papers and has been awarded the Gordon Bell Prize in Supercomputing in 2001, the IEEE International Scalable Computing Challenge in 2009, and the High Performance Bandwidth Challenge in 2002. In 2017 she was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society.
Governor Gordon's Senior Policy Advisor for Natural Resources, Water and Environmental issues
Beth Callaway has an interdisciplinary background in natural resource science and policy, business and communications. Born and raised in Denver, she has a B.S.from the University of Wyoming and a Master's of Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at UC Santa Barbara.
Beth's career with the State of Wyoming started with the Interstate Streams Division at the Wyoming State Engineer's Office. She joined the Governor's Office in 2018 and currently serves as Governor Gordon's Senior Policy Advisor for natural resources, water and environmental issues.
She is married with two adorable dogs and spends most of her free time mountain biking, cross country skiing, beekeeping and playing the accordion.
Director of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services
In March 2019, Governor Mark Gordon appointed Robin Sessions Cooley as Director of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. Ms. Cooley has also received gubernatorial appointments to the Wyoming State Board of Equalization (2015-2017) to hear and decide various mineral and property tax disputes and the Wyoming Public Service Commission (2017-2019), where she was a public utility regulator.
Before that, Ms. Cooley enjoyed an 18-year career with the Wyoming Attorney General's Office beginning in the Criminal Division in 1997, writing criminal appellate briefs and litigating state and federal post-conviction cases. She later became the Deputy Attorney General of the newly-formed Human Services Division, where she represented a variety of state agencies, including the Department of Workforce Services, Department of Health, Department of Family Services, Department of Education, Community College Commission, the Department of Transportation, and various State Boards. Additionally, Ms. Cooley served as Special Counsel to Governor Mead in 2013-2014 and was in private practice in Cheyenne for five years before entering government service.
Ms. Cooley has also been an adjunct professor at Laramie County Community College, where she taught Business Law I and II and legal research and writing in the paralegal program. She has also taught Public Health Law as an adjunct professor at the University of Wyoming College of Law.
Ms. Cooley has three college-age children, Rafer, Madison, and Dawson. Her husband, Dan, owns an engineering business, GrizCreek Engineering, and a residential construction business, Cooley Construction, LLC. In their spare time, the entire family enjoys many outdoor activities throughout the state of Wyoming.
Vice President at Applied Geographics, Inc.
Kate Hickey is a Vice President at Applied Geographics, Inc., a geospatial consulting firm headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Originally from California, she discovered her passion for geospatial science in the late 90's while working at an archaeological dig, in the Channel Islands, off the coast of Santa Barbara.
She now leads a team of GIS professionals who apply their expertise to a diverse set of use cases including transportation logistics, wildlife management, flood response, school redistricting, organizational strategic planning and more. She encourages her teams -- and challenges herself -- to always embrace intellectual, analytical and leadership challenges and finds great joy in mentoring others and fostering such growth.
She proudly serves on the NSGIC GeoWomen Steering Committee where she has the opportunity to promote leadership opportunities for women in geospatial science.
Kate has a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from UC Berkeley and an M.A. in Historical Archaeology from UMass Boston. She is celebrating her 20th year with AppGeo in June. Having embraced New England winters, she lives in Melrose, Massachusetts with her husband and 2 kids.
Wyoming Army National Guard G1 Deputy Chief of Staff Personnel
COL Joseph Huss is the Wyoming Army National Guard G1, Deputy Chief of Staff Personnel. He leads and conducts all avenues of personnel administration for Soldiers across the State of Wyoming. Previously he was the Commanding Officer and base Manager of Camp Guernsey, Wyoming. Overseeing all aspects of operations and management of over 79,000 acres of training lands supporting all types of military training to include local, state and federal agencies training. Further military positions included command and staff positions in Wyoming, Afghanistan, Alabama, Washington and Florida.
Joe's previous Geographic Information Systems (GIS) civilian career entailed both private industry and state government. Profession covering GIS management, analysis, programming, and applications development. Spanning 20 years within transportation, environmental, geologic, and military industry. Former firms and agencies included Coalbed Methane Associates Inc., Wyoming Geological Survey, Lockheed Martin, URS Corporation, and Florida Department of environmental protection.
Education includes a Masters of Strategic Studies, United States Army War College; Masters of Science in Geography, University of Wyoming; and Bachelors of Science, Geography and social science, Florida State University. Military schools include United States Army War College, United States Command and General Staff College, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, and field Artillery Advanced and Basic Courses.
COL Huss resides in Cheyenne, WY with his wife, Andrea of 30 years. He has two dynamic adult children Maggie and Rhylan and a pup named Rosie the Riveter. Loves the outdoors, elk hunting and fixing things.
Wyoming County Commissioners Association Executive Director
Jerimiah Rieman serves as the Wyoming County Commissioners Association's Executive Director, representing the state's county commissioners before the Wyoming State Legislature, working collaboratively with the Wyoming governor's office and other state agencies on local government issues, and providing outreach and guidance to county leaders across the state.
Jerimiah most recently finished an eight-year stint in the office of former Governor Matt Mead, holding the positions of Director of Economic Diversification, Natural Resource Policy Director, Natural Resource Policy Advisor, and State Planning Coordinator. Before that, Rieman was Administrator and Policy and Legislative Advisor in the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services.
A fifth-generation Wyoming native, Jerimiah grew up in Riverton and is a graduate of Colorado State University and leadership Wyoming. In his leisure time, he is pursuing a master of Legal Studies and has authored Wyoming Singletrack: A Mountain Bike Trail Guide.
Jerimiah and his wife are the proud parents of identical twin boys. His family enjoys Wyoming's great outdoors, including mountain biking, camping, fishing, and skiing.
Product Manager of Spatial Data Infrastructure and INSPIRE at Esri
Dr. Saligoe is Sr. Product Manager of Spatial Data Infrastructure and INSPIRE at Esri where she leads SDI product requirements and strategy for geospatial collaboratives.
As Subject Matter Expert, Jill brings 25 years of geospatial technology, governance, and policy level experience, with substantial involvement in statewide and National SpatialData Infrastructure (NSDI).
She founded and led two non-profit organizations and co-founded a privately held software company. She is a trusted advisor to multi-organizational collaboratives who plan and implement integrated geospatial infrastructure.
Jill holds a Ph.D. in Resource Geography from Oregon State University.
Director, Center for Public Lands at Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
Madeleine West joined the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership in January 2019. Previously, West served as assistant director for parks, wildlife, and lands at the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. In this capacity, she developed state-level policy primarily related to wildlife, outdoor recreation, state lands, and forestry issues. She also led DNR's engagement in federal policies related to sage grouse and mitigation. She had been with the agency since 2013.
West has also served as wildlife program director at the Western Governors' Association, worked as a contract lobbyist, and consulted as a mediator/facilitator.
West holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Colorado Denver's School of Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental and natural resource policy from Bates College. She resides in Denver, Colorado, and enjoys spending time outside with her family.