2026 Indigenous Geothermal Symposium (Calgary)

Friday, June 5, 2026

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Indigenous Geothermal Symposium Opening Ceremony - Hosted by SLB

Location: The Ampersand, 112 4 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0H3, Canada. Second Floor. 

Saturday, June 6, 2026

7:30 AM – 5:00 PM | Indigenous Geothermal Symposium Registration

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Networking Breakfast

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Opening Session and Keynote Presentation 

Speakers:

• Dennis Dodds, SLB
• Jessica Eagle-Bluestone, Geothermal Rising
• Alissa Sanchez, Ormat 

10:00 AM – 10:45 AM | Geothermal 101

This presentation will be an introduction on geothermal power generation. We will cover how geothermal energy is extracted, how it is transformed into power, applications of geothermal, and the environmental benefits.

Speaker: 

• Alissa Sanchez, Ormat
• Mike Kaleikini, Ormat

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM | Networking Break

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM| Growing the Pipeline: Building Capability for the Future Workforce

• Moderator: Dr. Charlotte Severne, Te Tumu Paeroa

Panelists:

• Wikitoria Hepi-Te Huia, Tauhara North No.2 Trust
• Vanessa Eparaima, Tuaropaki Power Company
• Leighton Gall, Royal Roads University
• Russell Kaupu, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
• Esther Rawua, The Technical University of Kenya

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch 

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Canada Presentations 

• 1:00 PM - 1:20 PM | Tu Deh-Kah Update 
  • Speaker: Cyndi Bonn, Tu Deh-Kah Geothermal
• 1:20 PM - 1:40 PM | West Moberly Greenhouse
  • Speaker: Chief Roland Willson, West Moberly
• 1:40 PM - 2:00 PM | Community Energy Planning and Indigenous-Led Geothermal Development 
  • Speaker: Jordyn Burnouf, Origin Energy

2:00 PM  – 2:15 PM | Kawerak, Inc Geothermal Electricity Generating Project Update

• Speaker: Dora Hughes, Kawerak, Inc

2:15 PM - 2:30 PM| GeoShot NZ Update

• Speaker: Dr. Charlotte Severne, Te Tumu Paeroa

2:30 PM - 2:35 PM| Geothermal Rising President & Acting Executive Director Address

• Speaker: Jericho Reyes, Geothermal Rising 

2:35 PM – 3:00 PM | Networking Break

3:00 PM – 3:45 PM | Pathways to Indigenous Geothermal Development: Canada

• 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM | Geothermal Exploration, Data Sovereignty, and Indigenous Power

Speakers: 

• Cyndi Bonn, Tu Duh Kah
• Leighton Gall, Royal Roads University
• 3:15 PM - 3:45 PM |Geothermal Policy and Federal Support Pathways in Canada
  • Speaker: Denise Dodds, SLB

3:45 PM – 4:00 PM | Networking Break

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM |Concurrent Sessions

• Indigenous Geothermal Energy Declaration Update 
  • Facilitator: Abbie Dean, New Zealand Geothermal Association

• Building Strong Relationships with Indigenous Communities
  • Facilitator: Dr. Ramon Sanchez, Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy

Sunday, June 7, 2026

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Networking Breakfast

9:00 AM – 9:15 | Welcome & Day 1 Follow-Up Discussion

Speakers: 

• Jessica Eagle-Bluestone, Geothermal Rising
• Alissa Sanchez, Ormat 

9:15 AM – 9:45 AM | Kenya Presentation

• 9:15 - 9:45 AM | Bridging Tradition, Education, and Clean Energy in the Maasai Land
  • Speaker: Esther Rawua, The Technical University of Kenya

9:45 AM – 10:15 AM| Hawaii- Aotearoa Cohort Update   

• Speaker: Russell Kaupu, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM | Networking Break

10:30 AM – 10:50 AM | Video: Conservation and Geothermal Development

• Video by Andrés Ruzo, SMU

10:50 AM – 11:00 AM | Video: Tuwharetoa mai Kawerau ki te Tai Environmental Stewardship

• Video by Tuwharetoa mai Kawerau ki te Tai

11: 00 AM – 12:00 PM Maori Presentations

• 11:00 AM - 11:15 AM | Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau Update
  • Speaker: Karilyn TeRiini, Tuwharetoa mai Kawerau ki te Tai
• 11:15 AM - 11:30 AM |Project Whangai
  • Speaker: Andy Blair, Upflow
• 11:30 AM - 11:45 AM |Tauhara North No2 Trust Update
  • Speaker: Wikitoria Te Hepi Te Huia, Tauhara North No.2 Trust Chair
• 11:45 AM - 12:00 PM |Relationship / Partnership / Declaration
  • Speaker: Aroha Campbell, Upflow

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM | PNNL SPRINGS Workshop

This workshop invites participants to translate priorities from the 2024 Indigenous Peoples’ Geothermal Declaration into practical principles for environmental stewardship, Tribal participation, and the protection of hot springs and other natural features in the context of geothermal development.

• Moderator: Rebecca Kreuzer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

2:30 PM – 2:45 PM | Networking Break 

2:45 PM - 3:30 PM | Taiwan Presentations

• 2:45 PM - 3:00 PM | A Picul Nua Pinapenguaq (The Energy that Heals the World): An Overview of Geothermal Development in the Kanazulian River Basin
  • Speaker: Puljaljuyan Ljavur, Jinlun Tribal Youth Association
• 3:00 PM  - 3:15 PM |Taking the Driver’s Seat: Ensuring Autonomy in Tribal Energy Decision-Making
  • Speaker: Horng-Wen Lu, Katratripulr Tribal Council
• 3:15 PM - 3:30 PM | Indigenous Participation and International Collaboration: Building a Community-Centered Industry
  • Speaker: Minchen Pan, Taiwan Indigenous Renewable Energy Working Group

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM |The Path Forward

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM | Final Thoughts

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | WGC Welcome Reception and CTCC Exhibition Hall 

Monday, June 8, 2026

6:30 PM - 10:00 PM | Wing Battle of the Bands

Location: Palace Theatre, 219 8th Avenue Calgary AB

If you are interested in attending WING Battle of the Bands, but you are not attending WGC, please reach out to Jessica Eagle-Bluestone, jessica@geothermal.org, and Rochelle Longval,rochelle.longval@outlook.com.Space is limited. 

Agenda subject to change. 

Geothermal Rising has negotiated a special block specifically for our event attendees. All symposium attendees should make every effort to stay at the official event hotel. Supporting the official hotel room block provides staff support to resolve hotel reservation disputes; ensures attendees receive all applicable discounts and materials; and assists GR in maintaining affordable, quality programming. 

Calgary Marriott

110 9th Avenue SE

Calgary, AB, T2G 5A6

THE ROOM BLOCK IS NOW CLOSED. YOU MAY CHECK AVAILABILITY DIRECTLY WITH THE CALGARY MARRIOTT. 

The deadline for room reservations is Monday, May 18 or the room block is full – whichever comes first. After the room block deadline, reservations will be accepted based on availability.

Please note that the hotel will never call or contact you directly about making reservations. To ensure your room is in the official Geothermal Rising Room Block, you should only book your room by using the housing link above or by calling the Calgary Marriott directly.

• Hotel Check-in: 4:00 PM
• Hotel Check-out: 11:00 AM

The 2026 Indigenous Geothermal Symposium will be held at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre.

Calgary TELUS Convention Centre

Guest Services: North Building – Main Entrance
136 8th Avenue SE
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T2G 0K6

The Indigenous Geothermal Symposium will be held in Glen Room 201-202, 2nd Level, South Building.

Land Acknowledgement - Provided by the CTCC
We humbly acknowledge that the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre is situated on the ancestral Treaty 7 lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy. As a venue that hosts live events and facilitates connections promoting the convergence of ideas which may never have existed, we take inspiration from Wicispa, Guts’ists’I and Mohkinstsis, the confluence of the Bow and the Elbow rivers.We do so by acknowledging these lands are
more than just spaces; they are gathering places, deeply interwoven in the traditional Indigenous stories, songs, languages, ceremonies, and lifeways that must be honoured and protected.

Registration Fee: 

• Indigenous Geothermal Symposium - $225

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. ONSITE REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED IF SPACE IS AVAILABLE. 

Registration Information: The symposium fee includes all sessions, activities, and meal functions. Field trips, workshops and other Geothermal Rising Conference events are not included in registration and are subject to additional fees. Please contact Geothermal Rising at registration@geothermal.org for assistance.

Symposium participants must adhere to the following registration requirements:

• Attendees are expected to participate in all Symposium activities. The Symposium is specifically designed to be interactive as well as informative.
• The Symposium is a safe place for all participants. Attendees agree to be respectful and open to multiple viewpoints and opinions.

Cancellation Policy: Registration cancellation requests must be made in writing and emailed to registration@geothermal.org by Wednesday, May 6, 2026, for a partial refund. A $50 processing fee applies to cancellations postmarked or emailed by this date. NO REFUNDS will be made for cancellation requests after Wednesday, May 26, 2026. Substitution(s) can be made at any time, with prior approval.

• Andy Blair, Upflow
• Cyndi Bonn, Tu Deh-Kah Geothermal
• Jordyn Burnouf, Origin Energy
• Aroha Campbell, Upflow
• Abbie Dean, New Zealand Geothermal Association
• Denise Dodds, SLB
• Jessica Eagle-Bluestone, Geothermal Rising
• Vanessa Eparaima
• Leighton Gall, Royal Roads University
• Dora Hughes, Kawerak, Inc
• Russell Kaupa, DHHL
• Mike Kaleikini, Ormat
• Rebecca Kreuzer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Horng-Wen Lu, Katratripulr Tribal Council
• Minchen Pan, Taiwan Indigenous Renewable Energy Working Group
• Ljavur Puljaljuyan, Jinlun Tribal Youth Association
• Esther Rawua, The Technical University of Kenya
• Jericho Reyes, Geothermal Rising
• Andres Ruzo, SMU
• Alissa Sanchez, Ormat
• Dr. Ramon Sanchez, Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy
• Dr. Charlotte Severne, Te Tumu Paeroa
• Kristan Straub, Canada Indigenous Loan Guarantee Corporation
• Wikitoria Te Hepi Te Huia, Tauhara North No.2 Trust Chair
• Karilyn TeRiini, Tuwharetoa mai Kawerau ki te Tai
• Chief Roland Wilson, West Moberly

Sponsoring the Indigenous Geothermal Symposium provides your organization the opportunity extend your brand's outreach and educate attendees about your brand while supporting networking and communication with Indigenous communities. 

We have a variety of options best suited to help YOU reach YOUR goals - from networking events to educational program support and much more, we have something just for you. Interested in learning more?

CONTACT: 

Becky Atchley, Major Gifts Officer

becky@geothermal.org 

DOWNLOAD THE SPONSOR PROSPECTUS