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April 13 event to feature Economist Christopher Thornberg
The 2016 High Desert Water Summit, hosted by Mojave Water Agency (MWA), will feature economist Christopher Thornberg with Beacon Economics, LLC, at the Barstow Community College Performing Arts Center. The April 13 half-day event will be held from 7:15 to 11:30 am.
“Predicting Our Future by Our Own Design” is the theme for the summit, according to Beverly Lowry, MWA Board President, and will focus on planning as a key to continuing to ensure an adequate water supply for the High Desert. In addition to Dr. Thornberg’s presentation will be speaker Ellen Hanak, senior fellow and director of the Public Policy Institute (PPIC) Water Policy Center in San Francisco.
Dr. Thornberg is the founding partner of the Los Angeles based Beacon Economics and will provide an economic and population profile of the High Desert. A leading expert in economic forecasting, Dr. Thornberg also focuses on regional economics, employment and labor markets, economic policy, and industry and real estate analysis. He was one of the earliest and most accurate predictors of the subprime mortgage market crash of 2007, and of the global economic recession that followed.
He has appeared on NBC’s The Today Show, ABC’s Nightline, CNN, FOX News Channel, and NPR. He is frequently quoted in national and California daily newspapers including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune.
Dr. Thornberg holds a Ph.D. in Business Economics from The Anderson School at UCLA, and a B.S. in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
High Desert Water Summit speaker Hanak is a critical source of information and guidance for natural resource management in California. Her other areas of expertise include climate change and infrastructure finance. Previously, she served as research director at PPIC.
Hanak has authored dozens of reports, articles, and books on water policy, including Managing California’s Water: From Conflict to Reconciliation. Before joining PPIC, she held positions with the French agricultural research system, the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, and the World Bank. She holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland.
Lance Eckhart, MWA director of basin management and water resources will present the current update of the Regional Urban Water Management Plan including water supply and demand projections. Local communities rely on these critical projections in planning for future population growth.
Another highlight of the High Desert Water Summit will be the presentation by the winner of the MWA Student Essay Contest. High school and college students were asked to look 20 years forward and write an essay on “What Does the High Desert’s Water Future Look Like in 2036?” Five finalists were selected; the winning student will receive a $5,000 scholarship, and the four other finalists will each receive a $1,000 scholarship.
The five finalists represent four High Desert communities and range in age from 14 to 18. They include: Raeven Jones from Granite Hills High School in Apple Valley; Nolan Serumaga from University Preparatory School in Victorville; Enrique Arcilla from the Academy for Academic Excellence in Apple Valley; Emilia Cloutman from Sultana High School in Hesperia; and Geng-Wei Lee from Barstow who attends the University of California in Los Angeles.
Cost for the event is just $10 and includes a full breakfast buffet. Proceeds from the event will help fund student scholarships. Reservations must be made via online at Mojave Water Agency’s website at http://mojavewater.org; click on the link on the left side of the home page to register.
