Mrs. Bannan, her responsibilities encompass evaluating federal grants and historical property titles while optimizing the company’s utilization and return on real property assets. Prior to her tenure at Union Pacific, she practiced as an oil and gas title attorney, specializing in federal title and compliance matters. She continues to offer her expertise to clients and collaborates with various law firms on special projects. Mrs. Bannan holds the distinguished role of incoming president for the Energy & Natural Resource Council of the Wyoming Bar Association, reflecting her deep commitment to education, community service, and volunteering. Mrs. Bannan holds an MBA degree from Regis University and a JD degree from the University of Wyoming. She is a registered professional landman and maintains an active membership in both the AAPL (American Association of Professional Landmen) and the WAPL (Wyoming Association of Professional Landmen), where she contributes to the scholarship committee. Mrs. Bannan’s dedication to education extends to her prior role as an adjunct professor at the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources. During this time, she developed and instructed two new undergraduate core courses: “Introduction to Land Management” and “Senior Registered Landman Capstone” as part of the AAPL-certified Professional Land Management/Energy Management program.

Bettencourt, director at Fairfield & Woods, P.C., is an environmental, public land use, and natural resources attorney with over a decade of experience working on federal and state land issues in various states including in Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, Arizona, and Utah. She works with local governments, grazing associations, ranchers, and natural resource producers early on in the federal land use planning, permit, or project approval process to ensure clients’ interests are protected, they are building an appropriate administrative record for appeal, and that they are working cooperatively with the federal and state agencies involved in the decision-making process. She works closely with her clients to find legal, political, and practical solutions. This also includes advising clients and helping them obtain the necessary permits to graze livestock on federal land, to gain access to and across federal land, and for other special uses on federal land. When necessary, Ms. Bettencourt handles the related environmental and land use litigation involving the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the Wilderness Act, and the Mineral Leasing Act. She also has experience with Quiet Title Act litigation against the United States over title disputes to County roads, R.S. 2477 rights-of-way, and mineral and royalty interest on and across federal land.

Mr. Smith has more than three decades of experience as an attorney, in which he has successfully handled a number of complex water disputes, land use disputes, takings claims, and other issues. He has argued over 30 appeals to the Utah Supreme Court. Mr. Smith has represented public and private parties in takings claims arising from land use decisions, represented numerous water users in successful settlement of instream flow claims on the San Rafael River, and won appeals for municipalities and water entities before the Utah and New Mexico Supreme Courts. His most notable projects include securing the water rights for Duchesne City through an act of Congress, successfully entitling and securing water rights for a multimillion-dollar resort in Kane County, and creating the first municipal natural gas utility in Utah. He is licensed to practice in Utah, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia. Mr. Smith earned his B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from Bringham Young University, and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Bringham Young University.

Mr. Stump provides water rights and water resources planning and engineering expertise to public, mining, energy, and agricultural clients throughout Wyoming. Mr. Stump has led many successful teams completing diverse water infrastructure projects, meeting client needs while addressing regulatory requirements. Prior to joining HDR he served as North Platte coordinator for the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office and served with the Water Quality Division of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.